Kneeling Pancake Reaction Drill

Two players face each other about 2 metres apart. One waits on one or both knees, ready for a pancake. The other stands holding a ball in each hand. Without telegraphing which one, the standing player suddenly drops one of the balls toward the floor. Before the ball lands, the kneeling player reacts quickly and executes the pancake: the hand is laid flat, palm down, under the ball, creating a surface between the ball and the floor so the ball does not land. The drill is repeated alternating right and left.

During the pancake the player should not try to hit the ball; the focus is on getting the hand to the landing spot in time. The arm extends fully, the hand stays as close to the floor as possible, and the head tracks the ball to the last moment. The aim is to keep the ball in play with a fast, technically correct reaction.