DRILL ONE
How do I set up this drill?
Place five cones in a line, four yards apart, with a football at one end. Borrow a team-mate.
How do I do this drill?
Take two small diagonal touches with the outside of your right boot, past the first cone, then perform a right-foot scissors, bringing the outside of your foot around the ball. Now take two small diagonal touches with the outside of your left, and do a left-foot scissors. Continue this, weaving between the cones. At the final cone, do the same thing coming back.
How do I progress the drill?
Get your team-mate to move around in front of you, randomly flashing one or both of two coloured discs. While performing the drill as before, call out which disc they’re holding each time. To make the drill harder still, put the cones closer together so you have less space in which to dribble.
What are the key coaching points?
Stay loose and on the balls of your feet. Keep your foot close to the ground when you perform the scissors, so you can push off and change direction quickly.
How will this drill help?
You are honing your dribbling ability, by practising the scissors skill and working on ball mastery with the outside of your foot. Keeping your head up to identify the coloured discs will ensure you see what is going on around you during a game.
DRILL TWO
How do I set up this drill?
Position five cones four yards apart in a line, with a ball at one end. Borrow a team-mate.
How do I do this drill?
As with Part 1, take two small diagonal touches with the outside of your right boot and do a right-foot scissors, bringing the outside of your foot around the ball. But this time, after taking two diagonal touches to your left, perform a right-foot stepover, bringing the inside of your foot around the ball. Continue this action, weaving in and out of the cones. On the return dribble, take the initial diagonal touches with your left foot, to work on a left-foot scissors and stepover.
How do I progress the drill?
While doing the drill, call out the colours of the discs flashed at random in front of you by your team-mate. For an extra challenge, bring the cones closer together, to allow you less space.
What are the key coaching points?
Start slowly, increasing in speed only when you’ve got the hang of the mechanics. Keep your foot close to the ground when you do the scissors and stepover, so you can push off and change direction quickly, and make sure you work both feet equally to achieve technical balance. Dribble with your head up and stay on the balls of your feet.
How will this drill help?
Not only does this practice hone your ball control, balance and dribbling skills, it enhances your visual awareness in possession, which is key to success. And it’s always nice to show off your stepover...
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