Three-Cone Passing Drill
Two players share a three-cone triangle — pass to your partner, then sprint to the empty cone before the return pass comes.
Passing, awareness, and movement after the pass — a great warmup for passing technique with the movement built in.
10 min tonight · Pairs
- Ages 9+
- Pairs
- 10 min as the drill is written
- Cones
Grab Three cones and a ball for the pair.
Build Build an 8-yard triangle using the three cones.
Place Both players take a cone, leaving the third empty — one starts with the ball.
- 1
Organize the players
Put the two players on two of the three cones, leaving one empty, and give one player the ball.
“One corner each — the empty corner is where you're headed after you pass.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk the loop — pass the ball, then move to the open cone; as the passer moves, their cone becomes the open one, available for the next passer.
“Pass it, then run to the empty corner — the one you left is open for your partner next.”
- 3
Play
Run the round for 2 minutes. Watch for good passing technique, crisp passes with good weight, movement immediately after the pass, and playing in two touch.
“Two touches — crisp! Pass it and move, don't stand and watch!”
Look for Movement immediately after the pass — the passer already running for the empty corner as the ball travels.
- 4
Switch and repeat
Reset and run more 2-minute rounds. For later rounds, resize the field, limit the pair to one-touch passing, or add a combination or 1-2 pass.
“New round — one touch only. Stay sharp!”
If the passing keeps breaking down, slide the triangle wider while they play — then bring it back in as the passes connect.
Go deeper · 2 notes
Why it works
With two players and always one empty corner, there is a move attached to every single pass — passing, awareness, and movement after the pass get worked on every touch, which is what makes it a great warmup.
What they learn
Good passing technique — crisp passes with good weight — plus awareness, movement immediately after the pass, and playing in two touch.
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.