Shuffle Dives
Shuffle down the cone line and dive on ball after ball — hold each one for three seconds — then finish with a live save.
Diving is technique before bravery — both hands arriving together, the ground as the third hand, and the top knee up for protection.
Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive
- Grab: Cones and plenty of balls.
- Build: Set a line of cones about 3 yards apart.
- Place: Put a ball about 4 yards out to the right of every second cone, and one the same distance out to the left of each of the others. You stand 7 to 10 yards past the last cone with the ball supply.
Show me the setup picture
One thing to remember: Shuffling without crossing the feet, diving with both hands at the same time, the 3-hands hold on the ball, the top knee brought to the chest for protection, and hips facing the ball at all times — even while diving.
How it runs — the whole game in one sentence
Shuffle between the cones to diving range, dive on the ball and hold it for three seconds, leave it and shuffle to the next — and after the last one, save whatever the coach plays in.
1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Start the keeper at the head of the cone line and check the balls are laid out on their alternating sides.
Coach says
Start at the first cone. Every ball out there gets dived on.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk it — on your command the keeper shuffles between the cones toward the first ball; inside diving range they dive with proper handling technique, hold the stance with hands on the ball for 3 seconds, then leave the ball where it lies and shuffle through the next cones to the next one. When they reach the end, you play any type of ball in for a real save.
Coach says
Shuffle to it, dive through it, hold for three. Leave it, next ball — and at the end, save mine.
3Play▾
Coach does
Run the line, play the live ball at the end, and give proper recovery time before the next trip.
Coach says
Both hands together! Squeeze it — one, two, three — up!
Look for: The 3-hands dive — one hand behind the ball, one on top, the ground as the third — with both hands arriving at the same time.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
The keeper walks back to the line and repeats. Rotate keepers through so the recovery between trips is real.
Coach says
Walk it back — next keeper in while you breathe.
If it's not working
If the dives get ugly, stop the line and ask the keeper where their two hands go — let them answer, then run it again.
Want to go deeper? Optional — not needed to run the game.
Why are we doing this?
What are they learning?
How can I change it?
Harder: While the keeper shuffles, toss in a high ball and make them jump to receive it.