Passing Warm-up Drill

Pairs trade two-touch passes across a cone lane, adding a quick move after every pass — around a cone, chest to the ground, a backpedal — and finish in one-touch.

A great start to every practice and before a game — a lot of touches, with the focus on receiving and passing while the warm-up does its work.

Ages 7+Pairs, one ball per pair15 minCones, balls

Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive

Grab: Cones for every pair — the lane plus one of a different color — and a ball per pair.
Build: For each pair, set cones creating a 5-yard passing lane about 10 yards apart, with the different-color cone about 5 yards from the lane, making a triangle.
Place: Partners take their spots at the passing lane, across from each other, one ball between them.

Show me the setup picture

Pairs facing each other across a 5-yard cone passing lane, with a different-color cone about 5 yards off each lane making a triangle.

One thing to remember: Receiving and passing while warming up — quality first touches that keep the ball in front, good pace and accuracy on the pass, and communication between the two players.

How it runs — the whole game in one sentence

Partners trade two-touch passes across the lane, the passer earning each one with a quick move — around a cone, chest to the ground, a backpedal — with a new move every few minutes.

1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Split the team into pairs with one ball per pair, partners facing each other across their passing lane.
Coach says
Partner up, one ball between you. Face each other across your lane — this whole warm-up lives right here.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk the menu — start with plain two-touch passes, on the balls of the feet and moving. Then, round by round, the passer adds a move immediately after each pass — alternating around the cones to the right and left; chest to the ground and quickly back up; turning to run around the cone behind and checking in to the middle; butt to the ground and quickly back up; backward to the cone and checking in — and the last round is one-touch passes.
Coach says
Two touches, stay on your toes. When I call a move, every pass costs you one — pass, do it, and be back up for the next ball.
3Play▾
Coach does
Run a few of the rounds for 3 to 4 minutes each. Watch the quality the whole way — first touches that keep the ball in front of the player, good pace and accuracy on the pass, and the two partners communicating.
Coach says
Keep it in front of you! Talk to each other — good pace, right to their feet!
Look for: The first touch — quality, keeping the ball in front of the player even with a move just finished.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
Call the next move every few minutes and finish with the one-touch round. Then be creative — add other activities of your own to mix things up.
Coach says
New move! Pass, chest to the grass, and up before the ball comes back!

If it's not working

Odd number at practice tonight? Run one group as a trio — every paired activity needs its trio version.

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

Why are we doing this?

Every pass buys a movement, so players get a lot of touches and can focus on receiving and passing while getting in a good warm-up — the conditioning hides inside the passing.

What are they learning?

Receiving and passing while warming up — quality first touches that keep the ball in front, good pace and accuracy on the pass, and communication between the two players.