Soccer warm up circuit drill to test core skills

This is a good warm-up drill for your soccer coaching sessions – a circuit that tests your players' basic technique. It's a really good circuit because it involves everyone, moves quickly and it's great fun.

You're testing the basic soccer skills of your players – passing and receiving, heading, one-twos, dribbling, and controlling and shooting. You can write down which players can do which technique and which skills players need to work on.

Soccer warm-up drill to test core soccer skills

Run the soccer warm-up

Arrange your players and two goalkeepers around the four stations in a 30-yard square as shown in the picture above.

Mark out a five-yard square in the centre of the larger square.

The first player at each station runs to the middle square.

The players complete a technique exercise and then go out to become a server.

The serving player jogs into the middle square and out to complete a technique before becoming a server again.

The stations and techniques to perform

Receive a pass, then pass first time into one of the mini goals.

Receive a thrown pass for a header at goal.

Receive a pass and make a one-two with you or a helper and dribble out.

Receive an aerial pass to control and shoot at goal.

Players complete a different exercise each time they enter the area. The drill is repeated for a set time period.

Progression

Any of the techniques can be replaced with different soccer drills that the coach feels appropriate to the warm-up. The examples above are to encourage quick play and improve finishing skills.

Click the link to order a copy of The Ultimate Soccer Warm-Ups manual and get more soccer warm-up drills to help vary your soccer coaching sessions.

Click the link for some heading warm-up drill tips.

Soccer coaching tips

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