Cone Burst Relay

Objective

• -Develop repeated short sprints
• -Improve competitive work rate
• -Encourage recovery between efforts

Setup

1. 1Set up two racing lanes with cones over 25 x 20 yards.
2. 2Mark a start line and a turn line in each lane.
3. 3Split players into two equal teams behind the start lines.
4. 4Give each team a coloured bib or marker to identify them.

How to play

1. 1The first player in each team sprints to the turn line and back.
2. 2They tag the next player in line, who goes straight away.
3. 3After each round, the coach restarts the race with a new first runner.
4. 4Keep races short and lively, with players waiting ready on their toes.
5. 5Score one point for each winning run.

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

• -Jogging the first few steps
• -Stopping after the turn line
• -Crowding the start area