| Players line up side by side along the touch | | | | drill above. Now take your total practice |
| line. | | | | squad and have them divide into equal teams |
| | | | of 3 or 4 players each. |
| Space 3 cones about 10 yards apart and then a | | | | |
| fourth cone 20 yards from the third cone. I | | | | Player #1 from each team starts the race on |
| usually set up about three lines of these | | | | the touch line and dribbles quickly to the |
| cones just so the kids have an idea where to | | | | first cone (to the cone, not around it) and |
| stop. | | | | cuts the ball with the inside of his foot, |
| | | | dribbles back to the touch line and cuts the |
| In unison they sprint to the first cone and | | | | ball with the inside of his foot, dribbles to |
| do 10 standard military style push-ups, pop | | | | the second cone and cuts the ball with the |
| back up and sprint back to the starting line | | | | outside of his foot, dribbles back to the |
| and then sprint to the second cone and do 10 | | | | touch line and cuts the ball with the outside |
| sit-ups, pop up and sprint back to the | | | | of his foot, dribbles to the third cone and |
| starting line and then sprint to the third | | | | cuts the ball with the inside of his foot but |
| cone and do 10 jumps pulling the knees up as | | | | behind his other leg. He then dribbles back |
| close to the chest as possible (land softly | | | | to the touch line and again cuts the ball |
| each jump and push hard off ground). They | | | | behind his other leg. He then "sprint |
| then sprint back to the starting line and | | | | dribbles" around the last cone and passes the |
| then sprint to the fourth cone and back. | | | | ball to the next player (Player #2) in his |
| There is no rest during this entire | | | | group who is waiting at the touch-line. He |
| repetition. Once they have completed that | | | | does the same routine (inside, outside, |
| repetition they may take a one minute rest | | | | behind the back and speed dribble) and then |
| and then start a second rep. (Do five reps | | | | passes to the next player (Player #3) in the |
| like this.) | | | | group. The group that completes their relay |
| | | | and sits down wins the race. They MUST all be |
| Each practice increase the amount of pushups, | | | | sitting down in the touch-line area in order |
| sit-ups, and jumps until you get to 30 each. | | | | to be considered as finished. |
| | | | |
| Make sure the players have warmed up and | | | | Losing team or teams are to do some sort of |
| stretched before this. I usually let the kids | | | | punishment. I like giving a soccer ball to |
| mess around with the ball a little until most | | | | the winning group and allowing one of that |
| everyone is ready with cleats on. This | | | | group to punt the ball as hard as they can. |
| includes short passing and juggling but no | | | | The losing team(s) must sprint to the ball |
| long passes or shots on goal. | | | | and AROUND it without touching it. The last |
| | | | player can dribble the ball back. |
| I then make them do a easy half mile jog, | | | | |
| stretch, and then another half mile jog. I | | | | NOTE: |
| usually have the kids do some "build-ups" | | | | |
| after stretching. They will run about 50 | | | | On the first second and third cones he is to |
| yards or the width of the field slowly | | | | keep the ball close to his feet when |
| building up to about 50% of their fastest | | | | dribbling. On the last he is to sprint |
| speed. | | | | all-out 100% and the ball will be out front |
| | | | in typical full speed sprint. |
| They have about a 5 second rest to make sure | | | | |
| everyone is back on the line and then do it | | | | VARIATIONS: |
| back the other direction. | | | | |
| | | | Have all the players do the drill right |
| Then do the same building up to about 75% of | | | | footed only. The next time through have them |
| their speed. | | | | do the drill left footed only. |
| | | | |
| Then about 90%. | | | | VARIATION: |
| | | | |
| This gets the legs used to going at top speed | | | | On the behind the back cut they should fake a |
| and you have less chance of an early | | | | shot as they cut the ball. They can throw |
| hamstring pull. Then go to the cone drill | | | | their hands out wide to make it appear they |
| above. | | | | are shooting. |
| | | | |
| Conditioning Drill Number 2 | | | | VARIATION: |
| | | | |
| Relay races with balls - Working on cutting | | | | We also do this drill as a cutting drill |
| the ball. | | | | WITHOUT the soccer ball which makes it an |
| | | | ideal off-season drill for high schools in |
| Inside, Outside, Behind the Back and Speed | | | | Alabama where you can not touch a soccer ball |
| Dribble | | | | at school except during specific months of |
| | | | the school season. |
| Use the same arrangement of cones as the | | | | |