SoccerXpert Soccer Drills

Defensive Speed Course

Soccer Drill Diagram: Defensive Speed Course
SOCCER DEFENSIVE SPEED COURSE FITNESS DRILL
Drill Equipment

Disc Cones/Markers, Soccer Balls, Training Sticks, Full-Size Goal

Drill Quick Glance
Age: 9+ Field: 25x40
Players: 4+ Focus: DEFENDING
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 20 MINS.
Goalkeeper: YES INDIVIDUAL
Rating: 3.79 / 5 Views: 135,283
Published: 4/21/2009 Author: Chris Johnson

This soccer fitness drill is designed to improve defensive speed and quickness in front of the goal. This exercise is intended to be more of a fitness training drill than a technical or tactical defensive soccer training drill.

Drill setup
  1. Start by lining the defensive players up on the right corner of the 18-yard box.
  2. Set up six to eight 6" training hurdles approximately 2-yards apart.
  3. Mark off 5-yards and place a training stick.
  4. At a 45 degree angle away from the goal mark off another 5 yards from the last training stick and set another training stick.
  5. Set a third training stick approximately 5 yards directly towards the sideline from the last.
Drill Coaching Points
  • quickness
  • fast feet
  • good speed
  • quick cuts
  • sharp turns
  • haul booty
Drill Instructions
  1. Instruct players to quickly double step over each training hurdle making sure each foot is placed in between each hurdle.
  2. Upon exiting the last training hurdle, the player should quickly sprint to the first training stick.
  3. Player's should then make a quick 45 degree cut around the first training stick and head towards the 2nd training stick.
  4. Upon approaching the 2nd training stick the player should make another 45 degrees cut and head towards the last training stick.
  5. The player should make a 90 degree cut around the last training stick and sprint towards the top of the 6-yard box.
  6. As the player starts their spring towards the 6-yard box the coach should play a ball (bouncing or on the ground) towards the goal and the defensive player must quickly maintain possession and distribute the ball to the coach who is near the sideline nearest the line of defenders.
Drill Variations
  • Have a player cross from the outside, without offensive pressure, allowing the defender to handle crossed balls while traveling towards their own goal.
  • With a player crossing the ball from the outside, send the attacker through the cource two hurdles ahead of the defensive player, with the attempt to not allow the attacker to score from the cross.
Drill Focus

Fitness, Defending