Handling Flighted Balls
Inside players check away, move to a server on the circle, settle the tossed ball with the called body part, and play it back on the ground — always moving to the next ball.
Passing and receiving flighted balls — settling with the right body part and returning a clean pass — with the movement never stopping.
The weekly budget is the part coaches miss. A coach who runs heading twice in a week is not being reckless, they are unaware there is a cumulative cap at all — say the cap, then trust the trained adult: about 30 minutes and 15-20 headers per player per week, everything counted, including games.
15 min tonight · Two groups — servers and receivers
- Ages 9+
- Two groups — servers and receivers
- 15 min as the drill is written
- Cones, balls
Grab Cones for the circle and a ball for every server.
Build Build a circle 20 yards across.
Place One group spreads around the outside of the circle, each with a ball in hand; the other group scatters inside.
- 1
Organize the players
Split the players into two groups — no set sizes, the split is yours. Group 1 spreads around the outside of the circle with a ball each in hand; group 2 scatters inside.
“Two groups! Outside crew — spread around the circle, ball in your hands. Inside crew — find space in the middle.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk one rep — an inside player checks away, then moves to any player holding a ball. The toss comes in; they settle it with the body part you've called and return it on the ground to the thrower, then move straight to another server.
“Check away first, then go meet a ball. Settle it how I call it, pass it back on the ground, and find your next one.”
- 3
Play
Run one-minute rounds and call the skill — one-touch ground passes, inside-of-the-foot volleys, instep volleys, thigh volleys, chest volleys, or headers. Keep everyone continually moving, and encourage the hard work.
“This round — thigh volleys! Keep moving. Next ball, next ball!”
Look for Shoulders facing the thrower before the ball arrives — the body position that makes the first touch good.
- 4
Switch and repeat
After each minute, the inside and outside groups switch positions. Work down the serve menu round by round, from ground passes all the way to headers.
“Switch! Servers inside, receivers grab the balls — new skill coming.”
If the middle goes quiet, tighten the circle while they play — a shorter run to the next server keeps everyone working.
Go deeper · 2 notes
Why it works
Checking away before every serve and moving on the moment the ball leaves your foot means no rep starts from standing still — the receiving work and the hard work arrive together.
What they learn
Receiving flighted balls with the right body part, good first touches, body position with shoulders facing the thrower, ground passes back to feet with the right pace, and hard work.
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.