ADM Kids

Purpose: To build explosive lower-body strength while enhancing balance, stamina and escapability.

Drill Mechanics: Gather a group of athletes in a confined space. Mark boundaries with cones. Assign one or two athletes to be "it," and begin the game of tag, with all athletes hopping to elude or pursue. All athletes must move by using two-foot hops in every direction -- forward, backward, laterally and diagonally. As players are tagged, they also become pursuers. Play down until a single evader remains.

Coaching Points: Make sure athletes land softly, bend their knees and use their arms for balance, acceleration and deceleration. As an advanced progression, switch to performing hops on one leg. Another progression is to use elbows only, or shoulders, to perform the tag.

Equipment: Cones.

Comments: This is a fun, simple, competitive dryland drill that benefits athletes in a number of ways. Add it to your summer training mix to keep things fresh and fun, but remember, athletes will fatigue quickly in this drill, so play for 30 seconds and then rest for 30 seconds.