Game version
Reaction-ball game: take turns catching odd bounces off the wall. Pairs keep one total.
Keeper Reaction-Ball Catches
Fast hands: catch odd bounces off a wall with a reaction ball or a tennis ball.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth soccer coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Core: Medium. Beat your own best out of 10.
- Ages
- 14 and up
- Time
- 10 min
- Players
- Just you
- Space
- Yard or field
- Bring
- Reaction ball or tennis ball, wall
- Level · skill
- Advanced · Defending
The steps
How it works
- Stand 3 steps from a wall in your set position.
- Throw the ball against the wall so it bounces back.
- Catch it with soft hands, behind the ball.
- Do 3 sets of 8, then add two-ball drops.
Coaching point
Soft hands, eyes on the ball.
Safety: Use a soft ball or a tennis ball indoors. Thumbs and little fingers never overlap. The thrower never throws hard from close range. Stop if a finger or wrist hurts.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Pick a level: Less (a bigger ball), Core (medium), More (a tennis ball). Beat your own best out of 10.
Story
You are a goalkeeper inside a pinball machine.
My best
Beat your own count
Beat your own best out of 10. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
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