OR
PLAYERS:
+6
TIME:
10-15 min.
FOCUS:
Fitness
AGE:
U8+
INTENSITY:
7/10
The Fitness Competition Drill is built to raise players’ fitness levels through varied running patterns, with the change of direction at every cone loading the legs the way a real match does. It works especially well as a pre-season drill to get players ready for the season ahead. Because the run finishes with a shot at a small goal, it also trains players to stay calm and composed on the ball after sprinting at full speed — and the team-against-team format keeps the tempo genuinely competitive from the first repetition to the last.
1. Once the players are ready at their start cones, the coach signals the start of the drill.
2. The first player from each team sprints to the first cone and touches it with their hand to confirm they have run the full distance.
3. The player continues through the zig-zag, touching every cone by hand, until they reach the final cone where the balls are placed.
4. The player takes one ball and shoots at the small goal.
5. The next player in line can only start once the previous player has scored.
6. The first team to score with all of their balls wins the competition.
7. The losing team(s) can be given a penalty, such as 10 push-ups.
8. Repeat the drill as many times as the players’ fitness levels allow.
Coaching Flexibility: If the shooting distance is proving too easy or too hard, move the ball cone closer to or further from the small goal — the aim is a finish that demands composure without stalling the race.
