Objective

The Dribbling at the Cone youth soccer dribbling drill is a good soccer dribbling drill for young soccer players to learn to dribble without opposition. It is a fabulous drill to introduce different fakes and faints to gain an edge on the defender.

Equipment Needed

Disc Cones/Markers Soccer Balls

Setup

  1. Create a grid that is 20X10 yards.
  2. Place a 9" cone in the middle of the grid.
  3. Two players align themselves on one sideline with a ball.
  4. The other player should align themselves on the other sidelines with the cone in the middle.
  5. This grid will be for three players, so add more 9" cones in the area as needed depending on the number of players.

Instructions

  1. The first person in the group of 2 will start with the ball.
  2. This player will dribble at the cone, change the direction of the ball as he makes a move (fake) around the cone.
  3. After moving past the cone, the player should increase his speed to finish at the other side of the grid.
  4. He then lays the ball off to the other player who performs the same fake on the cone.
  5. Play continues until the coach introduces a new faint.

Coaching Points

  • Make sure the players move towards the cone with the ball under total control.
  • Make sure the is a good change of direction at the cone.
  • Make sure the player sells the move to the cone.
  • After passing the cone, make sure the player has a burst of speed.

Variations

  • Here are some moves to perform are:
    • the scissors
    • the swerve
    • hard step, drop shoulder and change direction
  • Replace the cone with a defender.