Split Step and Two-Hand the Mid-Court Drive

Summary

Tanner flags a common mid-court panic: players late to the kitchen try to run through a hard drive with one hand. The open face sprays the ball everywhere.

Instead, split step when you see the ball coming, handle it with two hands so you can lift it safely over the net, then continue to the kitchen line. That sequence turns a panic stab into a controlled reset on the way in.

Key takeaways

• Don’t run through mid-court drives with a one-handed open face
• Split step on the incoming ball
• Two-hand it up and over, then finish to the kitchen

Action items

• Have a partner drive at you in the transition zone; only respond with split-step + two-hand
• Film a few and check whether your face stays open on one-hand stabs