Dribbling
Transition Escape Square Dribble
Protect the ball under real pressure
Dribbling
Ball Mastery
Possession
Transition Escape Square Dribble is a 14-minute dribbling drill for 6-18 players, suitable for Under 9 to Adults at beginner, intermediate, advanced level. You need balls, cones, bibs. Below you will find the objective, the set-up, how to run it, coaching points, common mistakes, progressions, regressions and variations.
Back to drill libraryDribbling
Ball Mastery
Possession
Skill Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Transition
Duration
14 min
Players
6-18
Pitch size
24 x 24 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Transition Escape Square Dribble — 4 gates — score by travelling through · 24 x 24 yards
Step 1 of 5Dribblers keep the ball alive in the square while two thieves try to kick it out.
- 1. Dribblers keep the ball alive in the square while two thieves try to kick it out.
- 2. A dribbler can escape through any gate and re-enter on the opposite side.
- 3. Thieves swap in every 90 seconds.
- 4. Coach serves a loose ball into the middle and both teams react to win it.
- 5. On every turnover the winning team has six seconds to attack the opposite target.
- Cones mark the area
- Cone gates to dribble / pass through
- Ball
- C = coach / server
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Protect the ball under real pressure
- -Use turns and shielding to escape tight areas
- -Keep the head up in traffic
Setup
- 1A square with four exit gates, one on each side in a 24 x 24 yards area.
- 2Mark a second target area at the opposite end so the practice can flip direction instantly.
- 3Balls for the dribblers, bibs for two ball-thieves.
Coaching instructions
- 1Dribblers keep the ball alive in the square while two thieves try to kick it out.
- 2A dribbler can escape through any gate and re-enter on the opposite side.
- 3Thieves swap in every 90 seconds.
- 4Coach serves a loose ball into the middle and both teams react to win it.
- 5On every turnover the winning team has six seconds to attack the opposite target.
Coaching points
- -Body between the thief and the ball
- -Turn away from pressure
- -Escape through the quiet gate
- -First reaction after the turnover decides the moment — forward or secure
Common mistakes
- -Dribbling into the busiest corner
- -Panicking and hitting the ball away
- -Stopping to appeal instead of reacting to the turnover
Where this drill fits
- More football dribbling drills
- More football ball mastery drills
- More football possession drills
- football drills for U10s
- football drills for U12s
- football drills for U14s
- football drills for U16s
- Football session plans built around this theme