Hit the Deck Drill
Setup
A coach gets in position to roll a basketball out in front of the player that is performing the drill. The player is facing the coach ready to break towards where the ball will roll.
Purpose
Throughout the course of any game there will be many instances where the ball is loose and rolling around the court. When the ball is up for grabs, the player that can get possession gives their team a significant boost.
Often times the player that comes up with the ball is the first one willing to throw their body out in front while diving for the ball and “hit the deck” in the process.
Drill Description
The coach holds a ball in his hands and selects where he is going to roll the ball without telling the player where it will go. That way the player has to react to an impromptu direction.
The player then has to run down the ball and dive for it to obtain possession as quickly as he can. The whole focus of the drill is to train players how to dive on the court to get a ball. If your players are not willilng to dive, then they will lose out on opportunities to gain possession of the ball when it is rolling around loose on the court.
To mix it up and add some fun, the coach should get creative with how he releases the ball. Anything from spins, to behind the back, to punching the ball will keep the players on their toes and force them to run down the ball and stretch out for it as they “hit the deck” with their dive for the ball.
