Hand-in-Hand Defenders: Cut the Passing Lanes
Four attackers pass the ball inside a square while two defenders, holding hands, try to intercept it. Students practice winning back the ball: cutting off passing lanes, anticipating passes, and working as a pair on defense.
How to play
- Mark 4 squares of 40 x 40 ft with cones. Make groups of 6 (one group of 7 with 5 attackers); in each, 4 attackers have the ball and 2 defenders in pinnies hold hands (2 min).
- Attackers pass without dribbling and stay inside the square; the player with the ball cannot move and has 3 seconds.
- The defending pair, without letting go, steps between the ball and the receivers to cut off passes. Each interception or deflection counts as 1 steal.
- Each round lasts 90 seconds while the attackers count their passes out loud. Then a new pair rotates in until everyone has defended (9 min).
- Second phase: the defenders let go but must always stay within 10 ft of each other; compare how many steals they get this way (4 min).
- Wrap-up for 2 minutes: what worked better, chasing the ball or covering the nearest receiver?
Rules
- The pair stays linked in the first phase; if they let go, the steal does not count.
- No contact with attackers; only touch the ball.
- Safety: the pair moves without yanking and lets go immediately if someone loses their balance.
Variations
Easier
The passer has only 2 seconds, and attackers may not pass over their heads.
Standard
Four against two linked defenders in 90-second rounds.
Harder
Four against three, with all three defenders linked in a chain in a 50 ft square.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: the student plays as a fixed attacker in a corner or defends in a pair while a buddy helps push the wheelchair.
- Shyness: pair the student with a trusted classmate on defense and let them start as the steal counter.
- Fitness level: enlarge the square for the attackers or shrink it when less fit students are defending.
Learning goals
- Intercept passes by reading the path of the ball.
- Coordinate with a partner to close off passing lanes.
- Communicate who pressures and who covers on defense.
Equipment for a class of 25
- team handballs: 4
- cones: 16
- pinnies: 8
Teacher tip
Pairs tend to chase the ball and always arrive late; ask one partner to watch the passer and the other the nearest receiver. Have them talk out loud so they coordinate the defense.
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