Box To Touch

Objective

• -Raise heart rate with the ball
• -Improve close control under movement
• -Prepare players for the session ahead

Setup

1. 1Mark a small square with cones.
2. 2Give every player a ball.
3. 3Have players spread evenly inside the area.
4. 4Use markers for a few simple target spots.

How to play

1. 1Players dribble freely inside the square.
2. 2On the coach's signal, they perform a named action such as stop, turn or burst.
3. 3After each action, they move away and find new space.
4. 4Add short bursts of faster dribbling between signals.
5. 5Finish with a quick controlled stop on the line.

Progressions

• +Progressive Tempo: add a fourth maximal round
• +Ball For Every Player: shrink the working area
• +Reaction Start: two cues, one a decoy
• +Add a competitive scoreline for the last round

Regressions

• -Progressive Tempo: stay at the first two tempos only
• -Ball For Every Player: bigger area, share a ball between two
• -Reaction Start: coach counts players in
• -Simplify the area or the service until success returns

Variations

• -Progressive Tempo — Three rounds: 60% pace, 80% pace, then match pace with full recovery between.
• -Ball For Every Player — Every player works with their own ball so no one waits in a queue.
• -Reaction Start — Every repetition begins from a visual or audio cue rather than a set count.
• -Partner Race — Players work in matched pairs and race each repetition, best of five.
• -Mobility Focus — Each round finishes with a controlled mobility hold for the hips, groin and ankles.
• -Change Of Direction — Add a 90 or 180 degree turn into every repetition before the finish.
• -Team Target — The whole group works to a shared score target and repeats the round if they miss it.
• -Flip the practice to the opposite side of the pitch

Common mistakes

• -Bumping into others
• -Pushing the ball too far away
• -Not listening for the next call