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Age-appropriate off-ice coordination / Off ice

Roll, read, and gather

Read the direction of a rolling ball, move the feet into its path, and gather it with two hands.

6U · 8U · 10UBeginner5 minutes2–2 players
Original drill diagram
Roll, read, and gather: player positions and movement 21
Overhead view: 2 rolls toward one side of the receiving gate. 1 steps sideways to gather, then resets in the middle. The dashed line is the ball, and the solid arrow is the receiver’s movement. Original schematic; not to scale. Circles with numbers or letters mark players. Other markers and arrows are explained in the caption; some diagrams show puck or ball movement instead of skating. Red arrows show shots. Follow the written setup for spacing.

How to run it

Equipment: Soft ball, Cones

  1. Set two cones 4 feet apart as a receiving gate. Player 1 stands in the middle; player 2 faces them from 6 feet away holding a soft ball. Use no sticks.
  2. Player 2 rolls the ball gently toward one half of the gate. Player 1 steps sideways to put the body behind the ball’s path.
  3. Player 1 bends the knees, gathers the ball with both hands, and stands before rolling it back. Return to the middle of the gate after each exchange.
  4. Make six rolls with an even mix to both sides, then swap roles. Complete two rounds within five minutes, with a short break between rounds.
  5. Count balls gathered inside the gate without a last-second reach across the body. The roller chooses reachable paths; this is reading practice rather than trying to beat the receiver.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Feet first, hands finish.” Move behind the path before gathering.
  • The roller releases along the floor so the receiver reads direction rather than a bounce.
  • Return to the middle each time to practice both directions equally.

Common mistakes

  • Receiver reaches sideways without moving. Try: begin with a slow roll only one step away.
  • Ball travels outside the gate. Try: have the roller aim halfway between center and a cone.
  • Receiver bends only at the waist. Try: lower the hands by bending the knees as the ball arrives.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: roll directly toward the receiver for the first six attempts.
  • Harder: widen the gate to 5 feet while keeping the same gentle roll speed.
Research context & source notes

Background sources for this drill’s skills and teaching principles.

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More age-appropriate off-ice coordination drills · Development guides