Up and Out
One defender under serve after serve — off the goal line, meet the ball, and clear it high and wide to a teammate before it bounces.
A ball that lingers in front of your own goal is danger — a first-touch clearance, high and to the outside, is the fastest way out.
Starting at Core — your team is set to mixed.
15 min tonight · One defender working — 4 servers, targets wide and high
- Ages 12+
- One defender working — 4 servers, targets wide and high
- 15 min as the drill is written
- Cones, balls, full-size goal
Grab A big supply of balls, cones, and a full-size goal.
Build Set up on half of a full-size field — the goal and its penalty area are the working space.
Place One defender on the goal line. Four servers scattered along the sidelines, each with balls. A few teammates wide and high up the field as clearance targets.
- 1
Organize the players
Put the defender on their goal line, spread the four servers along the sidelines with their ball supplies, and post the targets wide and high.
“One defender on the line. Servers — spread out with your balls. Targets — wide and high, be findable.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk one serve — a flighted or low driven ball into the penalty area; the defender moves off the line quickly and clears it to a target, and every ball has to clear the penalty area before it hits the ground. Then the defender sprints back to the goal line, ready for the next serve.
“Servers, take turns — into the area. Defender — attack it, up and out to a target, then back on your line.”
- 3
Play
Rotate the serves through the four servers, 8 to 10 per defender.
“Don't let it bounce! High and wide — find your target!”
Look for First-touch clearances — the defender reading the flight early and attacking the ball instead of letting it drop and linger.
- 4
Switch and repeat
After 8 to 10 serves, rotate the next defender onto the line.
“That's your set — next defender on the line!”
If a first touch gets mishandled, don't reset the rep — demand the second effort that still gets the ball out, then talk about attacking the flight earlier.
Go deeper · 2 notes
Why it works
Serve after serve into the area builds the thing this job runs on — being comfortable in front of your own goal. The defender learns to predict the flight, move early, and end danger with one decisive touch, with a second effort ready when the first is not clean.
What they learn
Clearing high and to the outside of the field, reacting quickly and predicting the ball's flight, first-touch clearances backed by a second effort, and comfort in front of your own goal.
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.