B. Active Living / C. Movement Competence · Active Living and Movement: Moving with Purpose, Safety and Skill

Keep It Close: Dribbling and Stickhandling in Traffic

C1 A1.2 A1.3About 35 minutes

Learning goals

I can keep control of a ball with my hands, feet or a stick while changing speed and direction.
I can use a move like a crossover, a pull-back or side-to-side stickhandling to get away from a defender.
I can protect the ball with my body without pushing.
I can stay calm under pressure by adjusting my speed and body position.

Words to know

retain
To keep control of an object, like dribbling a ball or stickhandling a puck.

control speed
The fastest you can move while still keeping the ball under control.

change of pace
Going slow, then suddenly fast (or fast, then slow) to get away from a defender.

crossover
A basketball dribble that bounces the ball low from one hand to the other in front of you.

pull-back
A soccer move where you roll the ball backward with the sole of your foot, then turn away.

traffic
A crowded space with lots of other players.

Remember from Grade 4

In Grade 4 you dribbled with your hands (finger pads, ball at waist height or lower), your feet (small touches with the inside and outside of the foot) and a stick (two hands, blade on the ball). You learned to keep your head up, shield the ball with your body, and practise your weaker side.

This year you will dribble in traffic, change speed and direction, learn a move for each kind of dribble, and keep your cool under pressure.

Your control speed

Imagine running down a soccer field as fast as you can with the ball. You kick it a bit too far... and a defender steals it.

Every player has a control speed: the fastest they can go while the ball stays close. Going faster than your control speed means losing the ball. With practice, your control speed gets faster.

Near defenders: small, quick touches, ball close.
In open space: bigger pushes and run faster.
Head up between touches to see defenders, teammates and open space.

A soccer ball on a grass field next to a zig-zag line of orange cones. — A cone course is a great way to practise dribbling with small, quick touches. Speed up only as fast as you can keep the ball close. AI-generated image

A dribbling course: weave around three cones using small, quick touches to keep the ball close.

One move for each kind of dribble

Dribble	Move	How to do it
Hands (basketball)	Change of pace	Dribble slowly, then burst forward fast, pushing the ball out in front.
Hands (basketball)	Crossover	Bounce the ball low in a V shape from one hand to the other in front of you, then go the new way.
Feet (soccer)	Pull-back	Put the sole of your foot on top of the ball, roll it back toward you, then turn and go the other way.
Feet (soccer)	Cut	Use the inside or outside of your foot to tap the ball sharply to one side, then speed away.
Stick (ball hockey, floor hockey)	Side-to-side stickhandling	Move the ball side to side in front of you, cupping it with the blade, then pull it around a defender's stick.

Five moves to keep the ball away from a defender.

Protect the ball, without pushing

When a defender is close:

Keep your body between the defender and the ball. Dribble with the hand or foot farthest from them.
Bend your knees and stay low and strong.
In basketball, your other arm can come up a little to protect your space, but you may not push.
If you're stuck, stop the dribble safely and pass to a teammate. That's a smart choice, not giving up.

Shield the ball: keep your body between the defender and the ball, and dribble with the hand or foot farthest from them.

Staying calm under pressure

When a defender rushes at you, it's normal to feel nervous and rush. Rushing usually means losing the ball.

Try different approaches until you find one that works:

Slow down for a moment: you can still protect the ball.
Change your body position: turn sideways to put your body between the defender and the ball.
Make your touches smaller.
Breathe out and tell yourself: "Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast."

If something doesn't work, that's information, not failure. Try another way next time.

Worked example

Let's keep control down the field

Ella keeps losing the soccer ball when she runs down the field. Her touches are big, she looks only at the ball, and she runs at full speed even when a defender is close. What should she change?

Touch size: use smaller touches so the ball stays about one step in front.
Speed: slow to her control speed near defenders, and only push the ball farther ahead in open space.
Eyes: look up between touches to see defenders coming.
Body: when a defender gets close, turn sideways and dribble with the foot farther from the defender.
Practise: try the cone course slowly first, then a little faster each time.

Smaller touches, her control speed near defenders, eyes up, and her body between the defender and the ball.

Worked example

Let's choose a move

Choose a move for each: (1) Basketball: a defender is reaching in from your right side while you dribble with your right hand. (2) Soccer: a defender is standing right in front of you, blocking your path. (3) Ball hockey: a defender's stick is reaching for the ball on your forehand side.

(1) Switch the ball away from the defender with a crossover to your left hand, keeping your body between the defender and the ball.
(2) Use a pull-back: roll the ball back with your sole and turn away, then go into open space (or pass).
(3) Stickhandle the ball side to side and pull it to your backhand side, around the defender's stick.

Crossover away from the defender, pull-back and turn, and pull the ball around the stick.

Just for fun

Why did the ball stay so close to the hockey stick?

Because the stickhandler kept saying, "Stick with me, kid!" 🏑

Hands-on activity

Traffic-jam dribbling

You need: one ball per player (a basketball or playground ball for hand dribbling, a soccer ball for feet), 4 markers (shoes or cones), 3 cones or water bottles for the course, hockey sticks and a ball (optional), and at least one family member.

Cone course: set 3 cones in a line about 2 metres apart. Weave through with small touches. Time yourself 3 times. Then do it with your weaker hand or foot.
Traffic jam: mark a small square (about 4 big steps on each side). Everyone dribbles inside it at the same time without bumping. On "Switch!" change hands or feet. On "Freeze!" stop with the ball under control.
Move practice: try each move from the table 10 times, slowly, then faster.
Protect your ball: in the square, everyone dribbles and tries to tap someone else's ball out, while protecting their own. No pushing or grabbing. If your ball goes out, do 5 extra dribbles outside the square, then come back in.
Afterwards, say one thing you changed (speed, touch size or body position) that helped you keep control.

Safety: Use a flat, dry surface away from the road. Keep sticks below the waist. Shrink the game if it gets crowded, or make the square bigger.

Your turn

What is your control speed?

When should you use small touches? When can you use bigger pushes?

Describe a crossover.

Describe a pull-back.

How do you protect the ball from a defender?

What can you do if you feel rushed by a defender?

Do it and check: Dribble the cone course with your hand, eyes up.

More practice: warm-up

Which part of your foot do you use for a pull-back?

Should your head be up or down when you dribble?

Is pushing allowed when you protect the ball?

Name a move for stickhandling.

What does traffic mean in a game?

More practice: on your own

A defender is on your left. Which hand should you dribble with, and why?

Why does a change of pace fool defenders?

Your cone course times were 24, 21 and 19 seconds. How much did you improve from first to last?

You lose the ball every time you go fast. What two things could you try?

Why is passing sometimes better than dribbling?

Challenge

Explain how adjusting your body position and your speed can help you keep control of a soccer ball while running down the field.

Plan a 5-minute practice to improve dribbling with your weaker hand. Include at least three drills.

In ball hockey, a defender keeps stealing the ball from your forehand side. Suggest two solutions.

Check your understanding

Quiz

When a defender is close, your touches should be...

Which move rolls the soccer ball back with the sole of your foot?

A defender is on your right. Dribble with your...

What is a crossover?

What is not allowed when protecting the ball?

You feel rushed and keep losing the ball. A good choice is to...

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 5 students retain objects (dribbling with hands and feet, stickhandling) with control while moving, changing speed and direction, and with others around them. This builds on Grade 4 dribbling basics by adding control speed, a move for each kind of dribble, and protecting the ball without fouling. The curriculum's social-emotional example fits here: trying different approaches, like adjusting body position or speed, to keep control of the ball.

How to help at home:

Be a gentle defender: reach for the ball slowly at first so your child can practise protecting it.
Time the cone course and celebrate improvement.
Encourage practice with the weaker hand or foot for a few minutes each time.

Common difficulties:

Eyes glued to the ball. Hold up fingers and ask them to call out the number while dribbling.
Going too fast. "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast."
Pushing to protect. Remind them that the body shields, but hands don't push.

Safety: Use a flat surface away from the road and windows. Keep hockey sticks below the waist. An adult retrieves balls that roll toward the street.

Social-emotional learning: Calming down and trying a new approach under pressure builds stress management and coping; practising the weaker side and tracking times builds perseverance.