Fundamentals
A focused subset of the first touch library — 13 drills across U7 to U18.
Fundamentals drills cover the technical base everything else builds on — ball familiarity, sole control, first touch, basic passing patterns. Appropriate for U7–U9 sessions, the first week of pre-season at any age, and any squad that needs to refresh its technical foundation.
13 drills · Ages U7–U18 · 3v3 · 5v5 · 7v7 · 9v9 · 11v11
Cushion Control (Pairs)
First touch is the technique that determines whether the next 0.4 seconds is calm or panic. A bad first touch creat…
First-Touch Gates
U7s struggle with abstract first-touch coaching ('cushion the ball'). They succeed with concrete targets ('control …
Colour Goals
Four mini-goals marked with different coloured cones. Coach calls a colour — players must dribble and shoot at that…
Numbers Passing Warm-up
Players are numbered 1–10 and pass in sequence using inside-of-foot passes in a 20×15 grid. Simple, fast-moving, an…
Block Tackle & Intercept
Most U9-U13 defending coaching focuses on positioning and 1v1 reading. That's correct — but it skips the underlying…
5v5 Rotation Clock
Squad rotation drill that teaches positional movement within a 5v5 shape. Players rotate through all five positions…
1v1 vs Keeper
Every grassroots match has 10+ moments where an attacker arrives in the box with a chance to score. Most are missed…
GK Rotation Drill
Structured GK rotation across two simultaneous games, ensuring every player experiences being in goal at least once…
First Touch Everywhere
U7s arrive at football with cartoon physics in their heads — kick the ball, run after it, kick it again. The single…
Everyone Keeps Goal
FA Future Fit at U7-U8 explicitly mandates rotating goalkeepers — no specialists, every player takes a turn. The pr…
Pass and Follow
U7s default to dribbling forever. Passing requires three things: a friend, the willingness to give the ball away, a…
First Shots — Mini Goals
U7s love scoring goals. They don't love being told to 'plant your standing foot next to the ball, lock your ankle, …
Animal Warm-Up
Adult warm-ups (jog, dynamic stretches, ladder drill) bore U7s in 90 seconds. Engagement at this age is everything …
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About fundamentals
The biggest mistake with fundamentals drills is treating them as 'beginner' content unsuitable for older players. The truth is the opposite: every elite player still drills the fundamentals. The reps just go faster and the standard rises. Pep Guardiola's first-team players warm up with rondos because rondos are fundamentals dressed up. Drill the basics and never apologise for it.
How these fundamentals drills fit into a session
Most coaches use a fundamentals drill as the technical block of a session — the 15–25 minute window after the warm-up and before the small-sided game. The drills here range from U7 content through to U18 material; pick the one that matches your squad's age and current developmental focus. Each drill is self-contained, with setup time, run time, equipment list, and coaching cues clearly laid out.
Related coaching resources
For session plans built around the same theme, browse the first touch session library. For drills covering the broader first touch category beyond just fundamentals, see the main first touch drills page — it includes everything here plus the wider range of first touch-themed work.
?FAQ
What is Fundamentals?
Fundamentals drills cover the technical base everything else builds on — ball familiarity, sole control, first touch, basic passing patterns. Appropriate for U7–U9 sessions, the first week of pre-season at any age, and any squad that needs to refresh its technical foundation.
Is this free to use on SimpleDrills?
Yes — all coaching content on SimpleDrills, including this page, is free to view, print, and use with your team.