What term describes the ability to quickly change direction while maintaining balance?

The ability to quickly change direction while maintaining balance is best described by the term agility. Agility involves not just speed but also the coordination and control needed to navigate in different directions efficiently. It is an essential skill in many sports and physical activities where quick responsiveness and body control are critical, such as in basketball when changing direction to evade a defender or in soccer when dribbling past opponents.

Coordination refers more broadly to the ability to use different parts of the body together smoothly and efficiently but does not specifically emphasize the aspect of rapid directional change. Stability generally relates to maintaining control over one's body position, especially when facing external forces or during dynamic movements, but it doesn’t encapsulate the quick direction change aspect. Flexibility refers to the range of motion of joints and muscles, which, while important for overall athletic performance, is not directly related to the ability to quickly change direction. Therefore, agility is the most accurate term to define this particular skill set.