Soccer Dribbling Drill
Dribble and Turn
Dribble to a line, do the turn the coach calls, then speed away. Add a defender so kids learn to turn away from pressure.
Step 1 of 6
Start line and turn line. 1 has the ball, 2 and 3 wait in line. D waits behind the turn line.
- Time
- 12 min
- Players
- 3–4
- Ages
- 7–14U8–U15
- Pace
- Medium
Works on
- Ball control
- Stamina
Set up
- Make groups of 3 or 4. Each group gets its own lane.
- Put 2 cones for a start line and 2 cones for a turn line about 15 yards away.
- Players line up behind the start line. The first player has the ball.
- Turns to teach: hook with the inside or outside of the foot, pull-back with the sole, and Cruyff (fake a pass, drag the ball behind your standing leg).
- Space
- 15 x 10 yards per group
- You need
- 4 cones per group · 1 ball per group · 1 pinnie per group
How to play
- The first player dribbles toward the turn line with small touches.
- Near the line, the coach (or the next player in line) calls a turn: inside hook, outside hook, pull-back or Cruyff.
- Do the turn, then speed away with a big push back toward the start line.
- Pass to the next player in line and jog to the back.
- Once they know the turns, one player becomes a defender behind the turn line. The defender steps toward the dribbler, no tackling, and the dribbler turns away.
- Swap the defender every 2 minutes so everyone gets to dribble.
Coaching points
- Small touches as you get close, so the ball is ready to turn.
- Look up before you turn. Where is the defender?
- Keep your body between the defender and the ball as you turn.
- Explode away after the turn. The speed after it is what beats the defender.
Easier
Call the same turn for a few rounds and let players walk through it first. Leave the defender out.
Harder
The defender may chase after the turn and try to win the ball before the start line. Players pick their own turn.
Run it at your next practice
With a free account, put Dribble and Turn in a practice plan with its minutes and water breaks. At the field the clock moves on to the next drill by itself.