Shooting Agility Drill
One flowing combination — pass wide, weave the cones, and meet a lay-off for a first-time shot — with every player rotating through winger, target, and shooter.
Passing combination and agility run on the same clock here — precise passes timed to a player moving at speed — which is what makes it an excellent pre-game warm-up for passing and shooting.
20 min tonight · Two wingers, a target, a keeper, and a line of shooters
- Ages 9+
- Two wingers, a target, a keeper, and a line of shooters
- 20 min as the drill is written
- Cones, practice sticks, balls, full-size goal
Grab Cones or practice sticks for the slalom, plenty of balls, and your full-size goal.
Build About 35 yards out, line up 5 or 6 cones about a yard apart.
Place A keeper in the goal, a winger on either side of the field, a target player near the top of the penalty area, and everyone else in a line behind the cones with the balls.
- 1
Organize the players
Put the keeper in the goal, a winger on either side of the field, and a target player near the top of the penalty area. Everyone else lines up behind the cones with the balls.
“Line up behind the cones, balls ready. Wingers wide, target at the top of the box — everybody gets every job today.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk the combination — the first player passes outside to the winger and immediately weaves in and out of the cones; at the same time, the winger plays to the target, who lays the ball off to the first player as they come out of the cones for a first-time shot on goal, if possible.
“Pass it wide, then weave — quick feet! Winger finds the target, target lays it off, and you hit it first time.”
- 3
Play
Keep the reps rolling and coach the timing — it matters most, along with speed through the cones. Passes precise with proper weight and timing, the ball properly laid off for a first-time shot, and the shooter striking accurately on one touch.
“Time it — you and the ball arrive together! One touch, hit it clean!”
Look for The timing — passes weighted so the shooter comes out of the cones exactly as the lay-off arrives for an accurate one-touch strike.
- 4
Switch and repeat
The rotation runs itself — the shooter moves to the right or left winger position to receive the next player's pass, the former winger becomes the target, and the old target shags the ball and gets in line. In later rounds, change the agility — backward or sideways slalom — or have the winger and target make check runs before receiving.
“You shot? You're a winger now. Winger to target, target — shag that ball and get in line. Next round we weave it backward!”
If the combination keeps breaking down, freeze it and ask — what has to arrive together at the end of the cones? Let them say it, then run it again.
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Why it works
The pass, the weave, and the lay-off all happen at once, so the timing of the passes and the speed through the cones carry the whole drill — passing combination and agility in one rep, which is why it works as a pre-game warm-up for passing and shooting.
What they learn
Passing combination with agility — precise passes with proper weight and timing, speed through the cones, a proper lay-off, and an accurate one-touch shot.
Where does this come from?
SoccerXpert — their published drill library.
A published drill library. Useful and widely used, but not a governing body — so it fills gaps rather than leading.