Skip step

Help your players master this basic playground skill, to develop devastating attacking footwork and terrific tackle technique. The skip step allows a player to check their momentum quickly, whilst maintaining balance, and enables rapid changes of direction.

Warm up time: 5-7
Session time: 10-15
Development time: 10-15
Game time: 10-15
Warm down time: 5-7

What to think about

How high should the skip step be? The players should step as they would in a normal running action. You should not have your players practising this step over hurdles, because these lift the knee too high. The skip step probably has a shorter stride than a regular step. Two hands on the ball or one hand? The ball in two hands can mean better balance and ease of pass. A one-handed carry with a skip step can work well because the defender will focus on the ball and may be pulled slightly to the ball side, allowing perhaps a split second of room for the ball carrier. Of course the ball carrier can also fend off more easily.

set-up

1. The key to an effective skip step is maintaining balance. You can do this by dropping your centre of gravity and widening your base.
2. Keep the ball in two hands if possible or transfer it to the outside arm to fend.
3. Try not to run straight at the defender. The more committed he is to moving in one direction the more effective a skip step and “cut” in the opposite direction will be.

What you get your players to do

Coach the last phase of the skip step first. A player stands on his right foot next to the first cone, he hops, landing on the same foot next to second cone. He immediately plants his left foot next to the third cone and “cuts” (accelerates hard to his right). Once players have mastered this last phase they can progress to walking then jogging into the skip step.