Zig-Zag Dribbling Drill
Players dribble around the outside of a 20-yard zig-zag of cones, sprint the course's distance home — and then the rules start deciding which foot rolls the ball.
The zig-zag works dribbling with speed off the inside, the outside, and the sole of the foot — every cut trains a different surface.
Starting at Core — your team is set to mixed.
15 min tonight · One line, a ball each
- Ages 4–12
- One line, a ball each
- 15 min as the drill is written
- Cones, balls
Grab Cones for the course and a ball for every player.
Build Set cones about 5 yards apart in a zig-zag pattern stretching about 20 yards.
Place The players line up at the last cone with a ball each.
- 1
Organize the players
Line everyone up at the last cone with a ball each — the first player in line runs the course.
“Line up right here, ball each — you're weaving the cones, then sprinting home.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk the course — dribble around the outside of the cones in the zig-zag pattern; at the end, sprint the distance of the course and return to the line. Give them a few runs through to get comfortable with their touch.
“Weave it — outside the cones, all the way down. Then sprint home and get back in line!”
- 3
Play
Start layering the rules — moving to the right, they dribble normally; moving to the left, they roll the ball with the sole of the right foot. Then flip the pattern — normal going left, rolling with the sole of the left foot going right.
“New rule — going left, roll it with your right sole! ... Now flip it!”
Look for Controlled touches staying near the dribbler — inside, outside, and sole all doing work.
- 4
Switch and repeat
Keep the line cycling. For later rounds, add dribbling skills — a complete circle around each cone, or moving the ball through the whole pattern with the sole of the foot only.
“This time, a full circle around every cone — don't lose it!”
If the course keeps winning — the ball ricocheting off every cone — slide the cones a couple of steps farther apart while the line keeps moving, then walk them back in.
Go deeper · 2 notes
Why it works
Weaving one direction and rolling the ball back the other puts the inside, the outside, and the sole of the foot to work at speed, with a sprint finishing every run — one course, every surface.
What they learn
Dribbling with speed with the inside of the foot, the outside of the foot, and the sole — controlled touches kept near the dribbler.
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.