Drills by duration
15-20 minutes.
Substantial drill blocks for the meat of a session. Most small-sided games and tactical work fits here.
54 drills · ages U7–U18
Give-and-Go Combinations
Pass, run, receive — the simplest combination in football and one of the most effective. Build it into instinct.
passing · ⚡ 60-second setup
1v1 Skills and Moves — Four Progressions
Four moves drilled against a passive then active defender: stepover, scissors, Cruyff turn, and La...
dribbling · ⚡ 60-second setup
Acceleration Intervals (with Ball)
10-yard sprints, ball at feet, 30-second recoveries. The fitness component most grassroots squads neglect.
fitness · ⚡ 60-second setup
Switching the Play
Pass left, switch right. The long ball that breaks pressing teams open.
passing · ⚡ 60-second setup
Wing Play & Cross-and-Finish
Get the ball wide, get a body in the box, finish first time. Two channels, three strikers, one keeper.
passing
1v1 Forward Dribbling — Commit and Beat
Channel 1v1: attacker starts with the ball, defender holds 2 yards off. On the signal, attacker must...
dribbling · ⚡ 60-second setup
Attacking Set Play — Short Corner Combination
Short corner combination: corner taker plays short to a runner, receives the ball back, delivers into the...
set pieces
Aerial Finishing — Headers in the Box
U14 is when heading goals become possible. Drill the three angles — back-post, near-post, attacking the...
shooting
Build Out From the Back — 5v3 Overload
GK + 4 defenders build against 3 pressing forwards. Overload teaches calm possession under pressure and...
passing
Long-Range Shooting — Strike and Shape
Strike from 20–25 yards on a set ball, then on a moving ball, then off a lay-off. Three progressions...
shooting · ⚡ 60-second setup
3v3 Game (Future Fit U7 Format)
The Future Fit 2026-27 U7 entry format — built around it from day one. More touches, more goals, more fun.
small sided games · ⚡ 60-second setup
4v4 to Mini-Goals
The most-used small-sided game in football. Two teams, two mini-goals, no keepers. Every session can end here.
small sided games · ⚡ 60-second setup
GK Fundamentals — Set and Save
Set position, hand shape, controlled dives. The GK fundamentals every grassroots keeper needs.
goalkeeping · ⚡ 60-second setup
Dribble Decisions — 3 Gates
Three gates to dribble through, one defender to beat — but the dribbler chooses which gate....
dribbling
Finishing Under Pressure
Three seconds to finish. A defender behind. Composure under match-realistic pressure.
shooting · ⚡ 60-second setup
2v1 Recovery Run
Caught on the break, 2v1 against. The drill that teaches you to delay until your teammate arrives.
defending · ⚡ 60-second setup
Beat the Line
Run with the ball at speed. Get past a moving defender. The dribbling skill that wins counter-attacks.
dribbling · ⚡ 60-second setup
GK Distribution — Play Out from the Back
Build attacks from the keeper. Calm under pressure. The skill that separates a kicker from a modern goalkeeper.
goalkeeping
3-Zone Pattern Play
Defenders → midfield → forwards. The pre-season pattern that rebuilds team shape after summer.
pre season
Attacking Corners — Near-Post Patterns
Two corner patterns every U11+ team should know. Near-post flick, short corner combo. Repeatable,...
set pieces
Multi-Direction Finishing
Three angles, three serve types, three finishes. The rotation drill that prepares you for whatever a match...
shooting
Through-Ball Finishing
Time the run. Take the touch. Finish the keeper. The drill that builds the most-used striker pattern in football.
shooting · ⚡ 60-second setup
Win It, Go: Transition Drill
The 5 seconds after winning the ball decide the match. Drill the moment of transition — defend, win, GO....
small sided games · ⚡ 60-second setup
Combination Play — Third Man
Three players, two defenders. A passes to B, A runs, B plays the third man C who arrives late. The core...
passing
Positional Rondo — 9v9 Shape
A 6v3 or 7v3 possession rondo that mirrors the 9v9 positional structure. Players stay in their zones. The...
small sided games
Centre-Back Box Defending
Centre-backs face a different defensive problem to fullbacks: aerial balls into the box, strikers spinning...
defending
GK Crosses — Coming for the Ball
Decision, communication, contact. The three skills every keeper needs when crosses come in.
goalkeeping · ⚡ 60-second setup
Four-Zone Possession
Five-pass goals across two zones. Passing under pressure, building forward, with a real reason to keep the ball.
passing
Third-Man Combinations
The third man IS the dangerous one. Player A passes to B, but C is the one who scores. Drill the...
passing · ⚡ 60-second setup
Attacking Free Kicks
Direct shot, layoff, or pattern. Three free-kick options every team should have ready.
set pieces
Defending Corners — Zonal-Hybrid
Two zonal markers. Three man-markers. One on the post. The defending corner setup that actually works at U13+.
set pieces
Counter-Attack Transition Game
Win it, go fast. The transition game that teaches kids to recognise and exploit the moment.
small sided games
Full-Back Overlap Patterns
Modern full-backs aren't defenders who help out — they're attackers who track back. Drill the three...
passing · ⚡ 60-second setup
Positional Rondo (7v3)
Seven against three in a structured grid. The rondo Pep made famous — adapted for grassroots U14+.
small sided games
Switching Play Under Pressure
7v5 possession on a wide pitch. Attacking team must switch the ball through the centre within 5 passes....
passing
Back Four Organisation — Stepping, Covering, Recovering
Back four vs three attackers. Coach calls 'step', 'cover', or 'recover' — the whole defensive line...
defending
Clinical Finishing — Four Angles, Four Situations
Four finishing situations a U16 striker encounters every match — driven low cross, cut-back, set-up from...
shooting
Zonal Marking at Corners
Six defenders hold zonal positions at corners — assigned zones, not assigned attackers. Trains the...
defending
Reactivation — First Session Back
The first session back after a summer or winter break. Low technical demand, high touch count, and a...
pre season · ⚡ 60-second setup
4v4 with Scoring Variations
4v4 on a small pitch but with rotating scoring rules — regular goal, dribble through, pass through, target...
small sided games · ⚡ 60-second setup
5v5 with Target Zones
Goals must come via wide channels — coaches U10s out of 'kick it down the middle and chase'. Decisions,...
small sided games
Pre-Season Fitness Circuit
Five stations, all with a ball. Pre-season fitness that doesn't feel like punishment.
pre season
Press and Cover — 9v9 Introduction
The U12 defending priority: who presses, who covers. The first defender closes, the second holds cover...
defending
9v9 Position Rotation
rotations
Pressing Triggers
Press as a unit, not as individuals. The drill that teaches when to engage and when to hold.
defending
Striker Movement to Receive
Standing still is a striker's biggest mistake. Drill the four movements that create space: drop, spin,...
first touch
Football Interval Runs — With Ball
Interval running with a ball — dribble at 80% effort for 30 seconds, rest for 15, repeat. Better aerobic...
fitness · ⚡ 60-second setup
Pressing Triggers in Practice
Random pressing burns legs. Triggered pressing wins games. Drill the four moments when the WHOLE team...
defending
Pre-Season Tactical Introduction — 11v11 Shape
Week 3 of pre-season — the first session that introduces the season's tactical shape. Players walk into...
pre season
High Press Structure — Triggers and Cover
Whole-team high press with defined triggers. Two pressing triggers, named cover assignments, and a regain...
defending
Small Squad Fitness — Pre-Season Circuit
A 20-minute pre-season fitness circuit for squads of 6–10 — four stations rotating every 4 minutes,...
pre season
Overload to Finish — 3v2 Wave
Waves of 3v2 finishing opportunities. Attack wins or loses possession, then immediately becomes defence...
small sided games · ⚡ 60-second setup
Possession to Penetration
8v8 possession game with a penetration gate in each half. Possession scores 1 point per 5 passes....
small sided games
Quick Transition Game
8v8 game where the team that concedes immediately counter-attacks with 3 players against the defending...
small sided games · ⚡ 60-second setup