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Dribbling & Beating DefendersBall Control Under PressureDecision MakingIntermediateFoundationalWarm-UpFocused Drill
Zig-Zag Dribbling - Deceleration, Stop, Accelerate
5-10 minutes Solo, Partner, Group 1 soccer ball, 6-8 cones5.0(1 rating)
Watch the Drill
Listen to your Coach
Coach Carter
A short spoken walk-through of this drill.
Goal
Players should achieve a complete, balanced stop at every cone followed by an immediate scan of the field.
Setup
Place cones in a zig-zag pattern roughly 5 yards apart (6-8 cones). Start at the first cone with the ball.
Drill Instructions
1. Dribble at top speed toward the next cone in the sequence. 2. Just before reaching the cone, decelerate and bring the ball to a dead stop. 3. Place your foot on top or in front of the ball and pick your head up to look downfield. 4. Explode toward the next cone and repeat.
Coach Tip
Focus on 'softening' your last touch before the stop to keep the ball within reach.
Avoid
Avoid coasting into the cone; the transition from sprint to stop should be sharp and sudden.
Adjust on the fly
Make it easier
Increase the distance between cones to allow more time to regain balance.
Make it harder
Have a coach hold up a number of fingers during the stop that the player must shout out to prove they are scanning.
Court diagram coming soon
Ready to train?
Add this drill to your Active Drills to start tracking time and progress.
AI Coach feedback
Upload or record a clip of yourself on this drill and your AI coach will spot what's working and what to fix next.
Setup
Place cones in a zig-zag pattern roughly 5 yards apart (6-8 cones). Start at the first cone with the ball.
Drill Instructions
1. Dribble at top speed toward the next cone in the sequence. 2. Just before reaching the cone, decelerate and bring the ball to a dead stop. 3. Place your foot on top or in front of the ball and pick your head up to look downfield. 4. Explode toward the next cone and repeat.
Goal
Players should achieve a complete, balanced stop at every cone followed by an immediate scan of the field.
Coach Tip
Focus on 'softening' your last touch before the stop to keep the ball within reach.
Avoid
Avoid coasting into the cone; the transition from sprint to stop should be sharp and sudden.
Adjust on the fly
Make it easier
Increase the distance between cones to allow more time to regain balance.
Make it harder
Have a coach hold up a number of fingers during the stop that the player must shout out to prove they are scanning.
Watch the Drill
Court diagram coming soon
Listen to your Coach
Coach Carter
A short spoken walk-through of this drill.
Ready to train?
Add this drill to your Active Drills to start tracking time and progress.
AI Coach feedback
Upload or record a clip of yourself on this drill and your AI coach will spot what's working and what to fix next.