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Base to Defense

Move from your base spot to your defensive spot when the other team sets.

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

Set up

Mark a base spot and a defense spot with cones.

Core: Medium. Beat your own best out of 10.

Ages
11 and up
Time
10 min
Players
You and a partner
Space
Gym or court
Bring
Cones, partner
Level · skill
Developing · Digging

The steps

How it works

  1. Mark a base spot and a defense spot with cones.
  2. Start at base in a ready position.
  3. When your partner sets a ball, move to the defense spot and stop low.
  4. Do 15 reps.

Coaching point

Move on the set, stop before the hit.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Dig-and-save: a partner tosses to your sides and you dig it up to the setter spot. The pair counts digs, then swaps.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (a soft toss), Core (medium), More (to your sides). Beat your own best out of 10.

Story

You are a superhero saving balloons before they touch the floor: every save keeps the party going.

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

Print it now, or save it free

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An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.