Receiving
Aerial Control Station: Score Challenge
Control a dropping ball
Receiving
First Touch
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Aerial Control Station: Score Challenge is a 12-minute receiving drill for 2-16 players, suitable for Under 8 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
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Minimal Equipment
Foundation Phase
Youth Friendly
Adult Suitable
Competitive
Fun
Repetition
Duration
12 min
Players
2-16
Pitch size
15 x 10 yards
Ability levels
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
Pitch diagram
Aerial Control Station: Score Challenge — Pairs facing each other · 15 x 10 yards
Step 1 of 5Server throws a lofted ball for the partner to control.
- 1. Server throws a lofted ball for the partner to control.
- 2. Rotate the controlling surface each set: thigh, chest, instep.
- 3. Return the ball and swap after ten reps.
- 4. Run it as a timed competition — pairs or teams count successful reps and compare scores.
- 5. Rotation: Rotate stations every three minutes.
- Ball
- Pairs working across a marked lane
- C = coach / server
- Dotted arrow = rotation between repetitions
- Solid arrow = pass, thick = shot, dashed = run / dribble
Objectives
- -Control a dropping ball
- -Use thigh, chest and instep
- -Kill the ball in one touch
Setup
- 1Pairs ten yards apart with one ball.
- 2Cones mark a landing zone between them.
- 3Rotate stations every three minutes.
Coaching instructions
- 1Server throws a lofted ball for the partner to control.
- 2Rotate the controlling surface each set: thigh, chest, instep.
- 3Return the ball and swap after ten reps.
- 4Run it as a timed competition — pairs or teams count successful reps and compare scores.
Coaching points
- -Get in line with the flight early
- -Withdraw the surface on contact to cushion the ball
- -Set the second touch into space
- -Keep quality while the score matters
- -Reset quickly between reps to fit more in
Common mistakes
- -Rigid surface so the ball bounces away
- -Late movement into the flight
- -Controlling straight back to the server