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Equipment:

3-5 Garbage Cans, 2 Popsicle Dummies.

Purpose:

To work on lateral movement, agility, footwork, as well as refining their rip and swim technique.

Setup:

Place the garbage cans in a straight line with a 2-3 yard gap between each can. After the cans, place the two popsicle dummies about 5 yards apart. Have the players form a line where the cans start.

Instructions:

  • First player in line will come out of stance and use a swim or over technique as they step around each of the garbage cans.
  • They will then use a rip or swim technique on the first popsicle bag.
  • Lastly, they must use a counter move on the final popsicle bag.

Coaching Tips:

  • The player should use the same technique as they move around each garbage can – they can work on the rip or the swim, as long as they keep it consistent.
  • The players need to use two different techniques on the last two bags – they can’t use two rips or two swims back-to-back, for example.
  • This drill is a fantastic way of getting players comfortable using a variety of pass rush moves back-to-back, emphasizing moving laterally and navigating around multiple blocks as they pursue the ball carrier in the backfield.

Tips for Younger Athletes:

  • Encourage younger players to focus on maintaining a low center of gravity throughout the drill. This will help them change direction quickly and maintain balance when executing the rip or swim techniques.
  • Remind them to keep their eyes up and focus on the target, ensuring they don’t drop their heads when moving around the cans or striking the popsicle bags.
  • Emphasize proper hand placement on the popsicle bags—players should practice striking with the palm and extending their arms fully to generate maximum power.

Tips for Older Athletes:

  • Challenge more experienced players to work on their first step explosiveness, emphasizing a quick and powerful burst out of their stance to gain an immediate advantage.
  • Encourage them to practice using their off-hand during the rip or swim move to simulate game scenarios where they might need to switch techniques quickly against different types of blockers.
  • Ask older players to focus on their footwork between the garbage cans, maintaining short, choppy steps to stay balanced and ready to transition smoothly between moves.

 

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