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First Touch

Directional Touch Cones: Score Challenge

Take the first touch in a chosen direction

First Touch
Receiving
Dribbling
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Directional Touch Cones: Score Challenge is a 12-minute first touch drill for 3-16 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.

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First Touch
Receiving
Dribbling
Technical Practice
Beginner
Intermediate
Advanced
Full Squad
Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Competitive
Fun
Repetition

Duration

12 min

Players

3-16

Pitch size

12 x 12 yards

Ability levels

Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

Pitch diagram

Pitch set-up: Directional Touch Cones: Score Challenge12C12 x 12 yards

Directional Touch Cones: Score Challenge — Pairs facing each other · 12 x 12 yards

Step 1 of 4Coach calls a colour as the ball travels.

  1. 1. Coach calls a colour as the ball travels.
  2. 2. The receiver takes their first touch towards that cone then passes back.
  3. 3. Ten reps then rotate.
  4. 4. Run it as a timed competition — pairs or teams count successful reps and compare scores.
  • Ball
  • Pairs working across a marked lane
  • C = coach / server
  • Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble

Objectives

  • -Take the first touch in a chosen direction
  • -Move the ball out of the feet
  • -Link touch to the next pass

Setup

  1. 1Four coloured cones around a central working cone.
  2. 2Server ten yards away with a supply of balls.
  3. 3Working player at the central cone.

Coaching instructions

  1. 1Coach calls a colour as the ball travels.
  2. 2The receiver takes their first touch towards that cone then passes back.
  3. 3Ten reps then rotate.
  4. 4Run it as a timed competition — pairs or teams count successful reps and compare scores.

Coaching points

  • -Angle the receiving surface towards the target
  • -Touch into space, not into the feet
  • -Head up as the ball travels
  • -Keep quality while the score matters
  • -Reset quickly between reps to fit more in

Common mistakes

  • -Two touches when one is enough
  • -Late decision so the touch is heavy
  • -Body closed to one side

Where this drill fits

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