Dribbling and Juggling Warm-up

Inside one big circle, the team rolls through timed rounds — free dribbling, juggling, inside-outside patterns, cuts and turns — and finishes with a minute at full speed.

Touching the ball with all parts of the foot is the point — footwork and dribbling skill built at the start of practice, where this warm-up earns a regular spot.

Ages 8–14Whole team, one ball each15 minCones, balls

Set up · 3 actions · before the kids arrive

Grab: A ball for every player — and cones only if you need to build the circle.
Build: Use the center circle of the field, or build a circle with cones.
Place: Every player starts inside the circle with their ball.

Show me the setup picture

One large circle — the field's center circle or a cone-built one — with the whole team inside it, a ball at every player's feet.

One thing to remember: Touches with all parts of the foot — inside, outside, top, bottom — plus juggling with feet, thighs, and chest, quick cuts and turns with a sprint out, heads up to find space, and close control in traffic.

How it runs — the whole game in one sentence

The team works through your timed rounds inside the circle — dribbling, juggling, pattern touches, cuts and turns, juggling again — and ends with one minute at full speed.

1Organize the players▾
Coach does
Bring everyone inside the circle, each player with a ball.
Coach says
Inside the circle, ball at your feet. We'll change jobs every round — listen for the next one.
2Show the jobs▾
Coach does
Walk the sequence they're about to run — two minutes dribbling any way they want using both feet; one minute of feet-only juggling, alternating right to left; two minutes of the pattern — right foot inside, outside, inside, outside, then the left foot the same, and keep switching feet; one minute juggling with thighs and feet, still switching; two minutes of cuts and turns, each quick cut followed by a short sprint, exploring inside and outside-of-the-foot cuts and staying with the ball; one minute of juggling where the ball pops to the chest and back down to the feet; then one minute at full speed.
Coach says
Every round has one job. Do it with both feet — I'll call each change.
3Play▾
Coach does
Run the rounds on your watch and coach the habits — heads continuously lifting to check surroundings, the ball kept close in congested areas, and touches with all parts of both feet, inside, outside, top, and bottom. In the cuts round, demand a quick cut and a short sprint out of it.
Coach says
Eyes up! Ball close! Cut it sharp — now sprint with it!
Look for: Heads up on the dribble — players finding space and avoiding each other because they're looking, not lucky.
4Switch and repeat▾
Coach does
Close with the full-speed minute — pace up a notch, working cuts, turns, and avoiding collisions — and push them to work hard for the whole minute straight.
Coach says
Last minute — full speed! Everything you just practiced, all at once!

If it's not working

If players keep colliding, freeze it and ask what keeps that from happening — eyes up, ball close — let them say it, then play on.

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

Why are we doing this?

Every round touches the ball with a different part of the foot — free dribbling, juggling, patterned inside-outside touches, cuts with a sprint out — so footwork and dribbling skill build a layer at a time, which is what makes it an excellent start to each practice.

What are they learning?

Touches with all parts of the foot — inside, outside, top, bottom — plus juggling with feet, thighs, and chest, quick cuts and turns with a sprint out, heads up to find space, and close control in traffic.