Sample Competitive Drills

coach noteactivity

Jun 1

Written By James Leath

These drills pit athletes against each other in a competitive environment where they must fight to win.

Football:

1-on-1 Tackling: One player with the ball tries to evade another who's trying to tackle. The goal is to reach the end zone without being tackled.
Passing Competition: Quarterbacks compete to see who can complete the most passes to receivers in a set time or with a certain number of attempts.
Line of Scrimmage Battles: Offensive and defensive linemen face off in a simulated trench battle. The aim is to overpower the opponent and control the line.

Basketball:

One-on-One: Simple drill where two players compete, one in offense and the other in defense, and then switch roles.
Free Throw Competitions: Players compete to see who can make the most free throws in a row.
Three-Point Shooting Competition: Players compete to see who can make the most three-point shots in a certain time or with a set number of attempts.

Soccer:

Small-Sided Games: Small teams compete in a mini-match, which emphasizes individual skill and decision-making.
Penalty Shootouts: Players compete to see who can score the most goals in a penalty shootout.
Crossing and Finishing Drills: One team tries to score by crossing and finishing, while the other team defends the goal.

Baseball:

Batting Practice Competitions: Batters compete to see who can hit the most balls into the outfield or achieve the most home runs.
Ground Ball Competitions: Infielders compete to see who can field and throw the most ground balls accurately in a set time.
Speed Drills: Base runners compete against each other in stealing bases or rounding the bases.

Tennis:

King of the Court: One player (the "king") occupies one side of the court and plays against each other player in turn, who rotate in and out on the other side.
Target Practice: Players compete to hit serves or groundstrokes at targets placed on the court.
Tiebreak Shootouts: Players compete in a tiebreak format to simulate the pressure and competitiveness of a real match.

Swimming:

Timed Laps: Swimmers compete to achieve the fastest time for a given number of laps.
Relay Races: Teams of swimmers compete against each other, each swimming a segment of the total distance.
Underwater Swimming Competition: Swimmers compete to see who can swim the furthest underwater on a single breath.

Boxing:

Sparring Matches: Boxers compete against each other in a controlled sparring match.
Speed Bag Competitions: Boxers compete to see who can maintain the fastest rhythm on the speed bag for a set time.
Fitness Challenges: Boxers compete in various fitness drills such as skipping rope, push-ups, or burpees to see who can achieve the most in a set time.

Rugby:

Touch Rugby: A less contact-intensive form of rugby where players compete in teams to score tries.
Ruck Competitions: Players compete to win the ball in a ruck situation.
Kicking Competitions: Players compete to see who can kick the ball the furthest or most accurately.

Hockey:

One-on-One: One player tries to score against a goalie, or a defender tries to stop an attacker in a one-on-one situation.
Shooting Competitions: Players compete to score the most goals from different positions.
Puck Control Relay Races: Players compete in teams, each player dribbling the puck around obstacles as fast as possible.

Volleyball:

King of the Court: Similar to tennis, teams or players rotate in and out on one side of the court, competing against a "king" team or player on the other side.
Serving Competitions: Players compete to see who can serve the most balls accurately in a certain time or with a set number of attempts.
Attack vs Defense Drills: One team attempts to score points by attacking while the other team defends. They compete to see which team can score the most points.

athlete development

James Leath https://jamesleath.com

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