Stick the Landing: Two-Foot Footwork and Landing Technique Drill

Overview

Clean footwork is the single most penalised technical error in junior and club netball, yet it is also one of the most trainable. The Stick the Landing drill isolates the moment of ball reception — the precise instant when a player must control their momentum, establish a legal landing, and immediately transition into a productive pass or drive. Run this drill as a warm-up activation (10–12 minutes) or as a dedicated technical block within any session where footwork infringements have been identified as a priority. It is equally effective for beginners learning the rule for the first time and for intermediate players looking to automate clean landings under fatigue.

The drill targets three interconnected skills: controlled deceleration into a simultaneous two-foot landing, pivot mechanics using the correct landing foot, and explosive re-drive off the pivot foot to create the next movement. When all three are linked, players develop the neuromuscular pattern that makes legal footwork automatic — even at full match speed.

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Setup

Court Area: Use one-third of a full Netball court (15.25 m wide × 10.17 m long). Divide the third into three channels using cones — a left channel, a centre channel, and a right channel, each approximately 5 m wide.

Equipment Required:

• 12 flat cones (4 per channel to mark corners)
• 3 Netball balls (one per channel)
• 1 set of position bibs (optional but recommended)
• Whistle

Player Positions and Starting Formation:

Position	Location	Role
Feeder (F)	Top of each channel, ~2 m inside the goal circle	Delivers the ball to the incoming player
Active Player (P1–P3)	Transverse line, one per channel	Receives ball, lands, pivots, returns pass
Queue Players (P4–P6)	Bottom of each channel, behind cones	Waiting to rotate in after each rep

The feeder can be the coach, an assistant, or a rotating senior player. For groups of 9 or more, run all three channels simultaneously. For smaller squads, collapse to one or two channels.

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Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Set the starting position. The active player (P1) stands at the bottom cone of their channel, weight on the balls of their feet, knees slightly flexed, eyes on the feeder. The feeder holds the ball at chest height and makes eye contact with the player.

2. Initiate the sprint. On the coach's whistle (or feeder's verbal cue of "Go!"), P1 drives hard off both feet and sprints toward the feeder. The sprint distance is approximately 5–6 m — enough to generate real momentum that must be controlled on landing.

3. Call for the ball. As P1 approaches the landing zone (marked by the inner pair of cones, approximately 1 m in front of the feeder), they raise their lead hand as a target and call "Here!" This is a critical habit — players must communicate even in a drill context.

4. Receive and land simultaneously. The feeder delivers a firm chest pass timed so P1 catches the ball at the same moment both feet contact the ground. The landing must be simultaneous (both feet at the same time) — this is the legal two-foot landing. Cue players: "Catch and land at the same time — like you are jumping into a puddle."

5. Check the landing position. Feet should be shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward, knees bent to approximately 30 degrees, hips low, and the ball held firmly at chest height with both hands. The player should be balanced and still — no rocking, no extra steps.

6. Execute the pivot. The player nominates one foot as the pivot foot (either foot is legal on a two-foot landing — they choose in the moment). They drive the free foot forward and around, pivoting 90–180 degrees to face a new direction. The pivot foot must remain grounded until the ball is released.

7. Return the pass. The player delivers a chest pass back to the feeder (or to a second target player introduced in progressions), then immediately sprints back to the queue at the bottom of the channel.

8. Rotate. The next queue player (P4) steps up and the sequence repeats. Each player completes 3 consecutive reps before a full rotation. Run the drill for 8–10 minutes in the technical phase, or 4–5 minutes as a warm-up.

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Key Coaching Points

1. Simultaneous foot contact is non-negotiable. The most common footwork infringement in netball is a one-two landing (one foot then the other) rather than a true simultaneous landing. Stand side-on to the player so you can clearly see both feet. Listen for a single "thud" sound — two separate sounds indicate a step.

2. Land with bent knees, not locked legs. A stiff-legged landing is both a footwork risk and an injury risk. Players must absorb momentum through the ankle, knee, and hip — a 30-degree knee bend is the target. Use the cue: "Soft knees, strong core — you should feel your quads working."

3. The ball is caught before the pivot begins. Players must have full control of the ball before they initiate any pivot movement. Pivoting while still gathering the ball is a common error that leads to rushed, uncontrolled footwork.

4. The pivot foot stays down until the ball leaves the hands. Emphasise that lifting the pivot foot before releasing the ball is a footwork infringement. Use the cue: "Foot stays glued to the floor until the ball is gone."

5. Head up, eyes scanning. Even in a drill, players should be scanning the court as they land and pivot — not looking at their feet. Build this habit early. A player who looks down when they land will do the same in a match.

6. Controlled deceleration, not a stop. The goal is not to stop dead — it is to control momentum into a legal landing. Players who over-brake and arrive at the landing zone too slowly are not replicating match conditions. Encourage a genuine sprint approach.

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Common Mistakes

Mistake 1 — The One-Two Step (Split Landing). The player lands on one foot first, then the other. This is the textbook footwork infringement. Correction: Have the player slow the drill right down and practise jumping on the spot with both feet landing simultaneously before adding the sprint. Use the cue: "Jump into it — both feet at once."

Mistake 2 — Stepping Before the Ball Arrives. The player plants their feet before the ball reaches them, then takes an extra adjustment step when they catch it. Correction: Adjust the feeder's timing so the ball arrives fractionally earlier. Remind the player that the catch and the landing happen together — the ball dictates the timing of the landing.

Mistake 3 — Lifting the Pivot Foot Too Early. The player pivots and lifts their nominated foot before releasing the pass. Correction: Physically demonstrate the correct sequence: land → pivot (foot stays down) → release ball → foot lifts. Have the player practise in slow motion, calling out each step aloud.

Mistake 4 — Narrow or Crossed Feet on Landing. The player lands with feet too close together or crossed, making balance and pivoting very difficult. Correction: Place two cones or tape marks on the floor shoulder-width apart as target landing spots. Ask the player to aim for those marks on every rep.

Mistake 5 — Ball Not Secured Before Pivoting. The player begins their pivot while still adjusting their grip on the ball. Correction: Insist on a clear "catch" pause (even half a second) before the pivot begins. Use the cue: "Catch it, own it, then move."

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Variations and Progressions

Progression 1 — Add a Defender (Intermediate). Introduce a passive defender who stands 0.9 m from the active player at the moment of landing. The active player must now pivot away from the defender and deliver a pass around them. This replicates match pressure and forces the player to use their pivot purposefully rather than mechanically.

Progression 2 — Fatigue Landing (Advanced). Before each rep, the active player completes 5 star jumps or a 10 m shuttle run. They then sprint into the landing zone. This trains the player to maintain clean technique when physically fatigued — the condition in which most footwork infringements occur in real matches.

Variation 1 — One-Foot Landing Option (Intermediate). Modify the drill so the feeder signals either "two" (two-foot landing) or "one" (one-foot landing, where the landing foot becomes the pivot foot) just before the pass. This trains players to read the ball flight and choose the appropriate landing type dynamically, as they would in a match.

Variation 2 — Direction Change on Landing (Intermediate). Place a second feeder or target player at a 90-degree angle to the original feeder. After landing and pivoting, the active player must pass to whichever target the coach calls at the moment of landing. This develops decision-making under pressure and prevents players from pre-committing to a pivot direction.

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Age Adaptations

Age Group	Modification
Under 8 / Under 10	Remove the sprint — players walk into the landing zone. Focus only on simultaneous foot contact. Use a rolled ball along the floor instead of a chest pass to reduce coordination demands. Reduce channel length to 3 m.
Under 12	Use a gentle jog approach rather than a full sprint. Allow players to practise the pivot without a return pass first — land, pivot, hold, then add the pass in a second phase. Run one channel at a time so the coach can give individual feedback.
Under 14 / Under 16	Full drill as written. Introduce Progression 1 (passive defender) once the group is consistently clean on the base drill. Encourage players to self-assess and call their own footwork errors — building referee awareness.
Open / Senior	Run the full drill with Progression 2 (fatigue landing) and Variation 2 (direction change). Time each rep and challenge players to maintain clean landings as the session progresses and fatigue accumulates.