Ball Mastery
Ball Mastery Toolbox
Build comfort on the ball with both feet
Ball Mastery
First Touch
Dribbling
Ball Mastery Toolbox is a 12-minute ball mastery drill for 4-24 players, suitable for Under 5 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryBall Mastery
First Touch
Dribbling
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Duration
12 min
Players
4-24
Pitch size
15 x 15 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Ball Mastery Toolbox — Four-corner square · 15 x 15 yards
Step 1 of 3Work through 30-second blocks of each manipulation.
- 1. Work through 30-second blocks of each manipulation.
- 2. Rest 15 seconds between blocks.
- 3. Finish with a freestyle block where players choose.
- Cones mark the area
- Ball
- Cones mark each station in the shape
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Build comfort on the ball with both feet
- -Master core manipulations: toe taps, rolls, V-pulls
- -Improve coordination and rhythm
Setup
- 1Each player has a ball in their own small space.
- 2Cones mark individual work squares.
- 3Coach demonstrates in the middle.
Coaching instructions
- 1Work through 30-second blocks of each manipulation.
- 2Rest 15 seconds between blocks.
- 3Finish with a freestyle block where players choose.
Coaching points
- -Quality first, then speed
- -Stay on the toes, knees soft
- -Both feet get equal time
- -Head up for at least part of each block
Common mistakes
- -Rushing and losing control
- -Flat-footed and heavy contacts
- -Only working the strong foot