The Shooting Competition Drill

PLAYERS:

TIME:

25 min.

FOCUS:

Shooting

AGE:

U12+

INTENSITY:

6/10

SETUP

Place three cones approximately 5 meters outside the box, with a 10-meter gap between each cone.
Assign a minimum of two players to each cone: one player ready to shoot and one ready to lay the ball off for them. – Give each cone a small supply of balls.
Position a goalkeeper in the goal.
Position a crossing player (or the coach) out wide with a supply of balls.
Adjust distances between cones based on the age and skill level of the players.

WHY USE THIS DRILL?

The Shooting Competition Drill gives players a great chance to take multiple shots on goal in a dynamic and competitive setting. The competition drives players to actively seek the ball on the cross, striving to score and collect points to outperform their teammates. Adding the cross also sharpens the timing of runs into the box and teaches players to move intelligently to get on the end of a delivery.

This drill particularly focuses on:

Shooting from Distance: Players repeatedly strike at goal from outside the box, building technique and confidence in a game-realistic position.
Combination Play: The one-two before each shot trains a sharp lay-off, a good first touch and shooting on the move.
Timing Runs into the Box: Players learn when to attack the cross and which space to attack to get a clean contact.
Competitive Mentality: The points system pushes players to fight for every ball and finish under pressure.

HOW IT WORKS

Players compete in a 3-player battle, so 6 or 9 outfield players plus 1 crossing player (who can also be the coach) works best. If your numbers don’t match, run it as everyone against everyone. Set the target between 10 and 20 points depending on the level of the players and the points system you choose.

The three players at the cones compete to score the most goals. Each of them plays a one-two with their teammate at the cone and takes a shot on goal from outside the box, earning 1 point for every goal.
Once all three have taken their shot, they move into the box and anticipate the cross from the wide player.
Whoever scores from the cross earns an additional point. The ball is only out of play once it crosses the line or is cleared out of the box.
After the cross, the players swap with their teammates at the cones, who then repeat the same sequence.
Once both players from each cone have shot, rotate the groups so every player gets to shoot from every position.

Coaching Flexibility: To add more excitement to the cross, let a goal from the delivery count as 2 points. Deliver crosses from both sides so players practise attacking the ball from different angles.

OTHER KEY POINTS

Encourage players to shoot early and with intent rather than taking an extra touch outside the box.
Watch the quality of the lay-off, as a poor return pass ruins the shot before it starts.
Encourage players to attack the cross rather than waiting for it, staying on their toes and ready to react.
The drill should be seen as inspiration. So feel free to adapt the drill to suit your team’s specific needs or focus areas.