First Touch
Tempo Aerial Control Zone
Control balls arriving out of the air
First Touch
Receiving
Control balls arriving out of the air. Set up the area, follow the steps and use the coaching points below.
Back to drill libraryFirst Touch
Receiving
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Tempo
Age
Under 9 to Adults
Duration
12 min
Players
2-14
Area / pitch size
20 x 16 yards
Difficulty
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Equipment
Balls, Cones
Coaching focus
Control balls arriving out of the air
Objective
- -Control balls arriving out of the air
- -Choose the right surface for the height of the ball
- -Play out cleanly after the control
Setup
- 1A control zone with a serving line ten yards away in a 20 x 16 yards area.
- 2Set a visible timer or have an assistant count aloud from the side of the area.
- 3A supply of balls at the serving line.
How to play
- 1Server throws or lofts the ball into the control zone.
- 2The receiver controls with thigh, chest or laces and sets the ball down.
- 3The receiver then plays a firm pass back to the next server.
- 4The clock starts the moment the first pass is played in.
- 5The sequence must reach the end action inside eight seconds or the rep is void.
Coaching points
- -Get behind the flight early
- -Relax the surface on contact
- -Second touch is a purposeful pass
- -Pass with pace and intent — under-hit passes cost the clock
Progressions
- +Cut the clock to six seconds
- +Raise the demand once the group is consistently successful
Regressions
- -Stretch the clock to twelve seconds
- -Simplify the area or the service until success returns
Variations
- -Reps finished inside five seconds score double
- -Run the practice on the opposite side of the pitch
Common mistakes
- -Reaching for the ball instead of moving feet
- -Stiff surface bouncing the ball away
- -Slow, sideways passing that burns the clock
Related Football Drills & Sessions
- More football first touch drills
- More football receiving drills
- Football drills for U9s
- Football drills for U10s
- Football drills for U11s
- Football drills for U12s
- Football drills for U13s
- Football drills for U14s
- Football drills for U15s
- Football drills for U16s
- Football drills for 4 players
- Football drills by age, topic and squad size
- Football session plans built around this theme
Related drills
- Age band
- Under 9 to Adults
- Players
- 2-14
- Time
- 14 min
- Area
- 22 x 18 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Technical Practice
First Touch
FREE
Overload Aerial Control Zone
Control balls arriving out of the air
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
First TouchReceivingTechnical Practice
- Age band
- Under 9 to Adults
- Players
- 2-14
- Time
- 12 min
- Area
- 16 x 12 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Technical Practice
First Touch
FREE
Underload Aerial Control Zone
Control balls arriving out of the air
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
First TouchReceivingTechnical Practice
- Age band
- Under 9 to Adults
- Players
- 2-14
- Time
- 12 min
- Area
- 18 x 14 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Technical Practice
First Touch
FREE
Two-Touch Aerial Control Zone
Control balls arriving out of the air
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
First TouchReceivingTechnical Practice
- Age band
- Under 9 to Adults
- Players
- 2-14
- Time
- 14 min
- Area
- 24 x 20 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Technical Practice
First Touch
FREE
Transition Aerial Control Zone
Control balls arriving out of the air
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
First TouchReceivingTechnical Practice
- Age band
- Under 9 to Adults
- Players
- 2-14
- Time
- 12 min
- Area
- 16 x 12 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Technical Practice
First Touch
FREE
Pressure Aerial Control Zone
Control balls arriving out of the air
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
First TouchReceivingTechnical Practice
- Age band
- Under 9 to Adults
- Players
- 2-14
- Time
- 14 min
- Area
- 20 x 16 yards
- Kit
- Balls, Cones
- Focus
- Technical Practice
First Touch
FREE
Continuous Aerial Control Zone
Control balls arriving out of the air
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
First TouchReceivingTechnical Practice