Shooting on the Turn

Dribble at your cone, slip the ball past the inside, sprint around the outside — and hit the shot first time, no extra touch.

Turning quickly toward the goal is what earns the shot — square the hips fast and strike with the correct foot for your side.

Ages 9+Two lines20 minCones, balls, full-size goal

Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive

Grab: Cones and a ball for every player.
Build: Set two cones about 20 yards from the goal, about 10 yards apart.
Place: A keeper in the full-size goal; the team split into two groups, one starting at each corner flag, every player with a ball.

Show me the setup picture

A full-size goal with a keeper, two cones 20 yards out and 10 apart, and two lines of players with balls at the corner flags.

One thing to remember: Shooting on the turn — a good prep pass, squaring the hips up fast, striking with the correct foot, and following the shot.

How it runs — the whole game in one sentence

Dribble at the cone on your side; about 5 yards out, pass the ball past the inside of the cone, run around the outside, and shoot first time — then the other line goes.

1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Split the team into two groups, one at each corner flag, with a ball each. Point each line at the cone on its side.
Coach says
Two lines, ball each. See your cone? That's where the shot happens.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk one rep — dribble toward your cone; about 5 yards out, pass the ball to the inside of the cone and run around the outside; then shoot without taking another touch. The right-side line shoots left-footed, the left-side line right-footed.
Coach says
Dribble in. Five yards out — ball inside the cone, you go outside. Then hit it. No extra touch!
3Play▾
Coach does
Alternate the lines — the first player in the other group starts the moment the shot is taken. Watch the prep pass around the cone, remind shooters to follow their shot, and keep the keeper honest on positioning.
Coach says
Around and hit it — then follow your shot! Next!
Look for: Hips squared to the goal quickly — the shooter coming around the cone already turned to face the target.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
Switch the sides so everyone shoots with both feet — and make it a competition by keeping score of the goals.
Coach says
Swap lines — other foot now. And we're counting goals!

If it's not working

If nobody can find the target, walk the cones in a few yards for a shorter shot, then move them back out as the strikes clean up.

Want to go deeper? Optional — not needed to run the game.

Why are we doing this?

The pass inside the cone and the run around the outside split the player from the ball for a step, so every rep asks for the real skill — arrive, square the hips to the goal quickly, and strike first time with the correct foot for your side.

What are they learning?

Shooting on the turn — a good prep pass, squaring the hips up fast, striking with the correct foot, and following the shot.

How can I change it?

Easier: Move the cones closer to the goal.

Harder: Move the cones farther back.