Practice close touches, turning and moving into space. These five activities progress from individual ball control to a game where players decide when to dribble.
Use a ball per player for the individual activities and mark clear movement lanes. Keep spare equipment outside those lanes. For a group of eight, pair players for follow-the-leader and finish with a 4v4 end-line game.
Teach control before speed
Show the movement once, let players try and change one thing at a time. If the ball keeps getting away, slow the activity or widen the turns. Use the game to see whether players can find space while keeping the ball close.
Toe taps: touch lightly and pause between short sequences.
Slalom and turns: slow down before changing direction.
Follow-the-leader: leave enough space to react.
End-line game: keep the ball within a comfortable step when crossing the line.
01
Toe taps
Alternate light touches on top of a stationary ball without putting body weight on it.
Equipment: 1 appropriate practice ball per player Time: 5–10 minutes
Set up: Give each player a ball and a personal space at least two arm-lengths from the next player, spread across the coach’s view. Everyone works in their own area; no line or odd-player rotation is needed. Pause after short attempts to demonstrate or rest. Begin with both feet on the ground and the ball just in front.
Lift one foot, touch the top of the ball lightly with the sole near the toes, then return that foot to the ground.
Repeat with the other foot. Keep the ball nearly still and keep your weight over the supporting foot.
Try a short alternating sequence, pause and reset. If the ball escapes, stop nearby players before collecting it.
Coach’s cue: Light touch on top. Put your foot back on the ground.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Use one foot at a time with a full pause, or keep both feet on the ground and use inside-foot touches instead.
Harder: Link several alternating touches at a controlled rhythm, then glance toward a coach’s signal. Do not jump or race.
Keep it safe: Never stand on or transfer body weight onto the ball. Keep the ball on the ground and stop if balance is uncertain. Leave room for a rolling ball; no aerial kicks, tackling or contact. Match the challenge to demonstrated skill and comfort, not age alone. Rest or choose the easier option whenever control deteriorates.
02
Slalom dribbling
Weave through a line of cones while controlling touch size and changing direction.
Equipment: 1 appropriate practice ball per player; 16 cones Time: 5–10 minutes
Set up: Make four separated lanes, each with four cones in a line about 2 metres apart and a clear outside return route. Divide players evenly between lanes, with at most four per lane. One player dribbles in each lane while the next rehearses small touches in a separate waiting box. Start the next turn only after the lane is clear; each player completes one trip before joining the end.
Dribble around alternate sides of the cones using small inside- and outside-foot touches.
Slow before each turn and keep the ball close enough to choose the next touch.
Stop beyond the final cone and return by the outside path. On the next turn, begin on the other side.
Coach’s cue: Small touch before the turn. Look for the next opening.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Walk through wider cone gaps and use whichever foot feels most controlled.
Harder: Use both feet deliberately or add a brief head-up check between cones while preserving control; avoid a timed race.
Keep it safe: Use a clear level surface and stop all nearby activity before retrieving a loose ball. Keep separate active and waiting areas. Do not add contact, speed contests or a forced repetition target. Match the challenge to demonstrated skill and comfort, not age alone. Rest or choose the easier option whenever control deteriorates.
03
Dribbling turns: inside, outside and pull-back
Discover practical changes of direction with the ball.
Equipment: 1 ball per player; Optional 2 flat markers per lane; existing clear field markings may replace these Time: 5–8 minutes
Set up: Place parallel lanes with a gap between them. Each player starts at one end with a ball; field markings can replace cones. Use existing clear field markings for all boundaries and targets if flat markers are unavailable; choose another activity if the described layout cannot be made visible.
Dribble toward the far end at an easy pace.
Before the boundary, turn using the inside of either foot and return.
Try a sole pull-back or an outside-foot turn in the next trip.
Choose the turn that keeps the ball inside your lane, then show a neighbor during a brief pause.
Coach’s cue: Use smaller touches near the end. Turn your body with the ball.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Start halfway down the lane and allow a stop before turning.
Harder: Look over the shoulder before turning, then exit with two quicker touches.
Keep it safe: Players stay in their own lanes and turn before the boundary. Keep the ball on the ground; no heading or body contact. Use a clear, level area and pause for water or discomfort as needed. Leave spare balls and personal equipment outside all movement and shooting paths.
04
Follow-the-leader dribbling
Adjust direction while keeping a comfortable distance.
Equipment: 1 ball per player Time: 5–8 minutes
Set up: Use pairs; with an odd number make one three-player follow-the-leader group. All have a ball. Followers begin about three yards behind their leader.
The leader takes a slow route with wide turns.
The follower copies the direction while keeping the gap.
Pause after 30 seconds and change leader; trios rotate after each round.
Let followers suggest one turn for the next route.
Coach’s cue: Watch both the leader and your own ball. Keep a gap even when the leader slows.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Walk and allow the follower to stop before each turn.
Harder: The leader varies between walking pace and a gentle jog only when space is clear.
Keep it safe: No sudden stops or attempts to catch the leader; use wide turns. Keep the ball on the ground; no heading or body contact. Use a clear, level area and pause for water or discomfort as needed. Leave spare balls and personal equipment outside all movement and shooting paths.
05
Dribble over the end line
Recognize when open space makes carrying the ball useful.
Equipment: 1 ball; 4 flat markers; existing clear field markings may replace these; Optional team bibs Time: 7–11 minutes
Set up: Use 2v2 through 5v5 with a neutral helper for odd numbers. At 12, rotate two players every minute. The entire far end line is the scoring target; no goals are needed. Use existing clear field markings for all boundaries and targets if flat markers are unavailable; choose another activity if the described layout cannot be made visible.
Teams pass or dribble toward opposite end lines.
A point counts when a player crosses the far line with the ball within one comfortable step.
Defenders may intercept passes and cover routes but cannot tackle the dribbler.
The other team restarts freely from the end after a point.
Coach’s cue: Carry into space when it is open. Slow down enough to keep the ball as you cross.
Make it easier, add a challenge, and safety
Easier: Widen the end line and have defenders walk.
Harder: Ask teammates to move away from the carrier to open a second route; keep the scoring rule unchanged.
Keep it safe: Leave several yards clear beyond end lines; stop before contact, rather than blocking a carrier physically. Keep the ball on the ground; no heading or body contact. Use a clear, level area and pause for water or discomfort as needed. Leave spare balls and personal equipment outside all movement and shooting paths.
See Coach in action.
From a coaching question to a practice you can share.
Recorded with a sample team and demonstration responses. Review activities and plans for your players before using them.
Questions coaches ask
Are toe taps useful for beginner soccer players?
Toe taps give beginners a simple way to practice light touches and balance over the supporting foot. Use short sequences with resets, then move into dribbling and games so players also practice looking up and choosing space.
Should I use all five drills in one practice?
You can, but choose around one focus and leave time for games, water and transitions. For a shorter session, use one ball-control activity, one moving activity and the end-line game.
Can these soccer drills work without goals?
Yes. These five activities use balls, cones or visible markings, and clear space. The final game scores by dribbling over an end line rather than shooting into a goal.
