Annual training plan · U9–U13

Week 27: Coordination Dribbling & Feints

3 complete training sessions with 12 drills – created by licensed coaches. Open every drill in the easy2coach web app with one click.

This week’s focus

After a total of 3 weeks without training, the winter preparation now begins. As in the summer pre-season, the training weeks combine one or two technical or individual tactical focuses with a fitness or coordination focus.

Over the 6 weeks, work will be done on receiving the ball, passing, heading, finishing and dribbling. In the individual tactical area, the main topics are the 1 vs 1, attacking and defending, and showing for the ball and getting free. So the focuses of this preparation are very similar to those in summer. This is also a good opportunity to take a closer look at the individual development of your players.

Be a little more patient in the first training days. But gradually increase the demands and the level of difficulty of the practices over the course of the preparation, so that after the 6 weeks there is a clear difference from the summer pre-season.

You should pay close attention to coordination, especially in the 2nd year of U12/U13, because the first growth spurts of puberty start at the age of 12. As a result, players have more and more difficulty controlling their bodies precisely. Yet this is very important, especially for technical development.

Alongside coordination, the preparation also deals with fitness. Here, however, the focus is particularly on speed. Players build sufficient endurance for the second half of the season through the practices and small-sided games. But be careful here too and increase the intensity of the practices and sessions step by step.

The first training week of the new year starts with the focuses dribbling and coordination.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

The training session begins with free dribbling within a marked-out area. Look for plenty of variety in how the ball is carried – with the left, the right, the sole, the instep, the outside of the instep, the inside of the foot. This helps the players regain confidence in dribbling. During the dribbling, the exercise is repeatedly supplemented with coordination tasks.

After this warm-up, the session continues with a competition format in which the players are again challenged in terms of coordination. Besides good dribbling technique and physical speed, speed of action above all is what counts. The players have to be able to process the information they receive quickly and act on it.

The 3rd exercise works on 1 vs 1. After the players have been able to get used to the ball again in the first two exercises, pressure from opponents is now added. This form of 1 vs 1 is ideal for wrong-footing the opponent with feints and sharp changes of direction.

The session ends with a 4 vs 4 on 3 mini goals per team.

Coaching points for this session
  • Demand varied dribbling (left, right, sole, instep, inside and outside of the foot)
  • Keep looking up from the ball
  • Close ball control
Drill 1

Coordination Dribbling

20 min25 x 25 metres
  • The players dribble inside the playing area with both feet and at a relaxed pace.
  • Depending on the coach's command, they carry out coordination exercises.

Exercises:

  • Knee stop: out of the dribble the ball is stopped once with the left and once with the right knee.
  • Backside stop: out of the dribble the ball is stopped with the backside.
  • Swinging the ball: the ball is swung back and forth between the insides of the feet.
  • Alternating jumps: with quick alternating jumps the ball is touched alternately with the left and the right sole; while doing so the players move backwards.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area.

Equipment: Cones and one ball per player.

Players: All players dribble inside the playing area.

Coaching points
  • Keep looking up from the ball.
  • Use shoulder checks to get oriented during the alternating jumps.
  • Run the ball with both feet, close and with variation — with the inside, the instep, the sole and the outside.
Drill 2

Coordination Competition

20 min
  • The coach gives a start command with two colours.
  • The first player of each group jumps over the hurdles.
  • They collect the ball at the cone of the colour named first — green or yellow.
  • With the ball they dribble through the cone goal that was called — red or blue.

Variations: Make the task harder by requiring the players to go to the cone or cone goal whose colour was not named. If the coach calls green, for example, the start is made towards the ball at the yellow cone.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two hurdles stand between the groups facing each other. Four red and four blue cones form the cone goals; a ball lies on each of the two yellow and the two green cones.

Equipment: 2 hurdles, 12 cones in four colours and several balls.

Players: Two equally large groups facing each other at the hurdles.

Coaching points
  • Make the task harder by requiring the players to go to the cone/cone goal whose colour is not named. If the coach calls green, for example, the start is made towards the ball at the yellow cone.
Drill 3

1 vs 1 After Activation

20 min
  • The coach plays or throws the ball roughly into the middle of the playing area.
  • One player each from Red and Blue starts towards the ball.
  • The players may only score a goal once they have dribbled through one of the four yellow cone goals.
  • The finish is on the two goals that are further away from their own starting position.

Variations: It can also be played 2 vs 2.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Eight yellow cones form four cone goals about two metres wide; plus four mini goals.

Equipment: 4 mini goals, 8 cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams — Red and Blue — waiting at opposite starting positions.

Coaching points
  • Dribble with the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Use feints and changes of pace to get away from the opponent.
  • Keep the ball close.
  • Get to the finish promptly.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 on 6 Mini Goals

30 min
  • Two teams play 4 vs 4 on the six mini goals.
  • The other two groups run around the playing area and perform coordination or fitness exercises while doing so.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area; six mini goals stand all around it.

Equipment: 6 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Four teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • The defenders work in quick pressing.
  • The attackers make the game wide.
  • The attackers escape the pressing with combinations and look to score.
The complete session as a ready-made training plan – with animated drills in the web app. Go to the web app

Session 2

4 drills

When dribbling, it is important not only to have the ball under control but also to be aware of the team-mates and opponents around you. To do this, players must keep looking up from the ball in order to read the play correctly.

Surveying the pitch with the ball at your feet helps above all to see more options and, ideally, to carry out the best one. Looking up from the ball brings the following advantages:

Passing options and team-mates in a better position can be seen

Free space ahead can be spotted and driven into at speed.

Spaces that are too tight can be recognised, and the player on the ball can initiate a switch of play.

The position of the opposing goalkeeper can be checked once more before a finish.

The position of opponents close by is recognised. The ball can then be carried with the foot furthest from the opponent.

Coaching points for this session
  • Keep looking up from the ball
  • Carry the ball with the foot furthest from the opponent
  • Two-footed dribbling
Drill 1

Running with the Ball and a Pass

20 min12 metres between the cone goals
  • On the command, the players with a ball dribble to the middle.
  • They dribble around the cone.
  • They then play a pass through the cone goal to the team-mate.
  • The passer carries on running to the goal opposite.

Variations: After a few minutes, carry out the drill as a competition — the team that scores ten goals first wins.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cone goals stand twelve metres apart; a cone stands in the middle.

Equipment: Cones and two balls.

Players: Two teams of two players each; one player from each team has a ball.

Coaching points
  • Take the ball straight into the stride.
  • Pick up speed immediately.
  • Make sure the passes have enough pace.
Drill 2

Cone Dribbling

20 min20 x 20 metres
  • On the coach's call, the first player of a group starts with a ball.
  • That player dribbles through the cone goals in any order.
  • Once all the cone goals have been dribbled through, the player returns to the group.

Variations: Every player in the group has a ball. All dribble through the goals at the same time in a line, with the player at the front setting the direction. Which group is first to return to the starting point?

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark a square; several cone goals stand inside it.

Equipment: Cones and at least one ball per group.

Players: Several groups.

Coaching points
  • Have them train with both feet.
  • Make sure that the whole group keeps up the pace.
Drill 3

Dribbling at Speed with a Finish

20 min
  • Both goalkeepers start the action at the same time by rolling the ball into the path of the player next to them.
  • The players take the ball into their stride, set off dribbling at speed through the poles and finish on goal.
  • They then join the queue on the other side, so that a rotation is created.

Variations:

  • Start on the other side and dribble and shoot with the other foot.
  • The coach calls out whether to dribble through the poles, around the outside or around the inside.
  • The players play a ground pass and a lofted pass to each other at the same time and take it into their stride.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two goals, with poles and tall cones in between as shown in the graphic.

Equipment: 2 goals, 4 poles, 6 tall cones and 4 to 8 cones.

Players: Two goalkeepers as well as one group of players next to each goal.

Coaching points
  • Take the ball straight into the stride.
  • Look up from the ball once more before the finish.
Drill 4

3 vs 3 Tournament on Dribbling Goals

25 minAs shown in the graphic
  • In each of the areas the game is played as 3 vs 3.
  • The dribbling goals have to be dribbled through clearly.
  • The ball must be stopped no later than two to three metres behind the goal.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two or more areas are set up. There is a row of cones along both long sides of each area; the gaps between them are the dribbling goals. They are two metres wide and stand one metre away from the corner cones.

Equipment: Cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams of three players each per area, in their own bib colour.

Coaching points
  • Keep the ball close when crossing the dribbling line.
  • Lift the head to spot a better finishing option.
  • Show for the ball and form triangles while doing so.

Session 3

4 drills

Today's session is about using feints to resolve 1 vs 1 situations. Feints or skill moves can be used to beat an opponent or to hold on to the ball.

When performing feints, it is important that they look credible to the opponent. For example, the movement should look identical to a real shot for as long as possible. With a step-over or lunge, it is important that the feint is performed with the whole body. To do this, the centre of gravity must be shifted in a clearly visible way to the side the player is feinting towards.

Besides the correct execution of the feints, you should also make sure that…

  • …not too much pace is lost through the feint when dribbling to beat an opponent
  • …the feint is timed correctly
  • …a change of pace follows the feint
  • …there is enough space for dribbling to beat an opponent
Coaching points for this session
  • Make sure the feints are convincing
  • After the feint, make a change of pace
  • Start feints in good time
  • Do not lose too much speed when feinting
Drill 1

Coordination Dribbling

20 min25 x 25 metres
  • The players dribble inside the playing area with both feet and at a relaxed pace.
  • Depending on the coach's command, they carry out coordination exercises.

Exercises:

  • Knee stop: out of the dribble the ball is stopped once with the left and once with the right knee.
  • Backside stop: out of the dribble the ball is stopped with the backside.
  • Swinging the ball: the ball is swung back and forth between the insides of the feet.
  • Alternating jumps: with quick alternating jumps the ball is touched alternately with the left and the right sole; while doing so the players move backwards.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark out the playing area.

Equipment: Cones and one ball per player.

Players: All players dribble inside the playing area.

Coaching points
  • Keep looking up from the ball.
  • Use shoulder checks to get oriented during the alternating jumps.
  • Run the ball with both feet, close and with variation — with the inside, the instep, the sole and the outside.
Drill 2

Dribbling with Change of Direction

15 min

The players dribble towards the cones, which represent opponents, and perform a cutting technique. Examples:

  • Inside of the foot
  • Outside of the foot
  • Sole drag
  • Dragging the ball behind the standing leg
  • Zidane roulette
  • Heel chop

After the last cone, the players dribble towards the two yellow cones and perform a turning movement. Examples:

  • Sole drag
  • Cutting
  • Dragging the ball behind the standing leg
  • Deco turn
  • Shot or pass feint with a change of direction

The ball is then passed back down to the team-mate, who continues the drill.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Seven cones in two colours.

Equipment: 7 cones and several balls.

Coaching points
  • Start the feints in good time.
  • Cut with a change of pace.
  • Shift the centre of gravity.
Drill 3

Shot After Dribbling in the 1 vs 1

20 min
  • The first players of both teams set off at the same time, dribble through the cones and then shoot at the goal on their left as they see it.
  • A ball is then played into the area and the two players play 1 vs 1 on the mini goals.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Eight cones form two dribbling courses; plus two youth goals and two mini goals.

Equipment: 2 youth goals, 2 mini goals, 8 cones and several balls.

Players: Two teams.

Coaching points
  • Transition immediately after the finish in order to be ready for the 1 vs 1.
Drill 4

4 vs 4 with Dribbling Goals

25 min
  • Free play to dribbling goals.
  • Each team plays to two goals. This allows the play to be made wide, which creates more space for dribbling.
  • The focus is on dribbling and on the 1 vs 1.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones mark out the playing area, eight cones of a different colour form the dribbling goals, which are two to three metres wide.

Equipment: 12 cones and at least 1 ball.

Players: Two teams of four players each.

Coaching points
  • If necessary, limit the number of passes in order to force more dribbles and 1 vs 1 situations.
  • Go into the dribble decisively.
  • Run with the ball using the foot furthest from the opponent.
  • Mix in feints again and again.
Your training. Your web app.

Get the complete training plans in the web app

  • All 52 weeks, up to three sessions per week
  • More than 3,000 drills – many of them animated
  • Build your own training plans & share them with your team
Start for free

No subscription, no credit card. Sign up in 1 minute.