Fun soccer drill to test agility skills
This is a fun soccer coaching session to use with your young players. It's a fitness and speed challenge, which you can run with your squad no matter how many turn up for training.
This is a test of your players' agility, balance and turning technique as they compete against each other in a sprint exercise over short distances.
I often start by asking my players to run through the soccer drill individually, then compete against each other. It’s one thing trying out these skills on their own but watch how their intensity rises when they are competing.
If some players struggle with the session, give them a headstart so the fastest players are made to work harder.
Players are using quick feet, quick turns, changing pace between short and longer sprints and good body position – knees bent low in stance for good balance.
Soccer drill set up
Players run between three sets of cones – a middle set and two sets five yards either side.
You need to work out a sequence. I go for 5 yards – 10 yards – 5 yards, which is a good representation of the changes of sprinting distances that players will face in matches. You can, however, work out your own sequence or run it up to a 40-yard dash if you want to give older players a tougher test.
Key soccer coaching tip: remember, the average distance a player sprints in a match is 10 yards.
How to run the drill
Opponents face each other while standing on the same line. On your call, they begin running. They should push off hard on the back foot – the foot furthest from the direction the player is sprinting in.
It is up to you to choose the distances which they should race against each other and you can also change their starting positions.
Players with similar speed levels should compete against each other and they should run two to three times before resting.
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