5 Soccer Dribbling Drills With Cones For U10

Dribbling is an essential skill in soccer and if you want your kid to do it like Messi you should start working on it now. Here are 5 soccer dribbling drills with cones.

These drills are simple and I am sure your kid will love them.

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Foreword

Cone drills are simple and you do not need any expensive equipment.

The following cone drills will help your kid to develop skills in:

• Dribbling with inside, outside, sole, and lace of the foot
• Controlling the weight of passes
• Develop strength in the weak foot
• Balance and coordination
• Speed and agility
• Cardiovascular fitness

Training Tips

1. Always warm-up, stretch, and warm-down
2. Start slow – even walking is ok
3. Use arms for balance
4. Do the drill properly even if it means slowing down
5. Rest and hydrate after each drill
6. Record each drill so you can see your kid’s progress

Equipment needed

1. 10+ x Soccer Training Cones (you can use shoes or bottles as cones)
2. 2 x Soccer Balls
3. A notebook & pen to record the completed drills

1. Cone Weaving

Duration: 10 minutes, 5 minutes for each foot

Cone weaving requires the player to dribble the ball and weave through the line of cones.

Line up 4 or 5 cones each 1.5 feet apart

Drill steps:

1. Start with the left foot
2. Push the ball with the outside foot to the left of cone 1
3. When passing cone 1 switch to pushing the ball with the inside foot
4. Push the ball between cone 1 and cone 2
5. When passing cone 2, switch from inside to outside foot.
6. Push the ball between cones 2 and 3
7. When passing cone 3, switch from outside to inside foot.
8. Push the ball between cones 3 and 4
9. When passing cone 4, switch from inside to outside foot
10. Push the ball between cones 4 and 5
11. Go around cone 5
12. Repeat the sequence until reaching cone 1.
13. After training the left foot, train the right foot as well

Variations:

1. Alternate using left and right foot in on a single run

2. Zig Zag Slalom

Duration: 10 minutes, 5 minutes for each foot

Same as cone weaving but the player dribbles the ball between 2 rows of cones.

Ideal for situations when trying to dribble past defenders.

Line up 2 rows of 5 cones. The 2 rows should be 3 or 4 feet apart.

Drill steps:

1. Start with the right foot
2. Push the ball with the outside foot to cone 1
3. When passing cone 1, switch to the inside foot
4. When passing cone 2, switch to the outside foot
5. When passing cone 3, switch to the inside foot
6. When passing cone 4, switch to the outside foot
7. When passing cone 5, switch to the inside foot
8. When passing cone 6, switch to the outside foot
9. When passing cone 7, switch to the inside foot
10. When passing cone 8, switch to the outside foot
11. When passing cone 9, switch to the inside foot
12. When passing cone 10, switch to the outside foot
13. Set complete
14. Return to the starting point

Variations

1. Alternate using left and right foot in on a single set

3. Fast Dribble

Duration: 10 minutes, 5 minutes for each foot

This drill teaches the player how to push the ball forward then sprint after it, then push it forward again.

This is ideal in a real-game situation when the player finds him or herself plenty of space and tries to make a break forward.

Line up 2 rows of cones to create a lane. On each row, the cones should be spaced enough to make 2 strides before pushing the ball ahead again.

Executing the correct weight when kicking ensures the ball does not go too far or fall short. 

Drill steps:

1. Place the ball between cones 1 and 2
2. Kick it forward with the outside of the right foot
3. Sprint 2 steps (strides) behind the ball
4. Repeat step 2 & 3 until reaching the last cone

Variations

1. Train with right foot then left foot
2. Train using the lace of the foot to kick the ball

4. Slow Dribble

Duration: 10 minutes, 5 minutes for each foot

Using the same cone arrangement in drill 4 but this drill requires a slow pace.

Ideal when there is no threat around giving the player ample time to push the ball while looking for a free teammate to pass to.

Drill steps:

1. Starting between cones 1 and 2
2. Push the ball forward in each step
3. When reaching the end, turn around and continue to the starting point

Variations:

1. Train with right foot then left foot
2. Train using the lace of the foot to kick the ball

5. Fast Turn

Duration: 10 minutes, 5 minutes for each foot

This is a short but fast-paced drill.

This is a useful skill when changing direction, stopping the ball, and moving again.

Arrange 3 cones in a triangle shape.

Cone 3 should be about 5 feet away from the starting point. 

Drill steps:

1. Start by pushing the ball in each step
2. Turn around cone 3
3. Continue to the starting point
4. Cut-in* in front of the ball
5. Repeat.

*When cutting in, place the (kicking) foot in front of the ball to stop it.

Variations

1. Train with right foot then left foot
2. Alternate between left and right foot in one set
3. You can stop the ball with the sole of the foot

Conclusion

These basic dribbling drills can help your kid learn the proper technique and later they can do advanced drills.

During these drills, your kid can identify which parts of the foot are most effective to use in a real game situation.

Also, being able to use both the left and right foot gives your kid the advantage to keep the opponent guessing but most important, being an all-around player.

The trick is to keep practicing until it becomes a natural movement for your kid but this will take hours of training and thousands of touches on the ball.

Be safe and enjoy soccer.