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Eyes-Closed Stand

Balance on one leg with your eyes closed. Without your eyes your ankles and inner ear do more work.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Set up

Stand on one leg near a wall.

Core: Free. Beat your own steady seconds.

Ages
9 to 14
Time
5 min
Players
Just you
Space
Small room
Bring
Wall nearby
Level · skill
Developing · Fielding

The steps

How it works

  1. Stand on one leg near a wall.
  2. Find your balance, then close your eyes.
  3. Hold for up to 30 seconds.
  4. Do 3 tries each leg and note your best.

Coaching point

Small ankle moves, still body.

Safety: Practice on soft ground or near a wall with clear space around you, so a wobble is no problem.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Quiet statue: close your eyes and stand on one leg while a partner softly tells a short story. Swap.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (near a wall), Core (free), More (arms crossed). Beat your own steady seconds.

Story

You are a tree standing still in the night.

My best

Beat your own count

Beat your own steady seconds. Only your own number counts: today against last time.

Practice makes progress

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