Cone Catch Challenge

This drill helps young players learn proper spacing, timing, and anticipation when receiving the ball. By tossing or lightly hitting balls into target areas for their partner to catch with a cone, kids practice ball tracking, judgment, and positioning. It’s a fun way to develop early receiving skills while keeping the activity playful and competitive.

Setup

• Players work in pairs (2 tossers/hitters, 2 catchers)
• Cones for catching
• Target spots/dots placed in the receiving area
• Court divided with players on opposite sides of the net
• Start with players at the service line

Rules & Objectives

• Tossers (Players 1 & 2) underhand toss balls over the net toward the target spots
• Catchers (Players 3 & 4) allow the ball to bounce once, then catch it with a cone
• After several turns, switch roles so all players practice tossing/hitting and catching
• Younger players start with underhand tosses; older players can progress to underhand racket hits
• Count successful catches for each pair to track performance

Repetition

• Start with 1 bounce allowed, then increase difficulty by requiring the catch after 0 or 2 bounces
• Move target spots around the court to train different positions and spacing
• For advanced progression, require tossers to hit specific target areas consistently
• Turn it into a competition: the pair with the most successful catches in a round wins

Coaching Points

• Teaches proper spacing and ball-receiving skills
• Improves hand-eye coordination and ball tracking
• Builds anticipation and reaction timing
• Provides a fun and competitive way to develop fundamentals

Drill Tutorial