Too Few Balls Drill

Field size: half field or sixty yards

Number of players: 8 players working

Age range: 10-12

Description: Players race to get a ball and then try to dribble back to the end line.

Place six balls at the half way line. On the coaches call or whistle, eight players race to the half way line to get a ball. Players who don’t get a ball can steal a ball from one of the players who are dribbling back. 

The focus of this drill is to work on dribbling at speed with a defender chasing them down.  Coach can make rules where players can only dribble with the right or left foot or players can’t take the ball from players who are dribbling back once they reach a certain point – see half way back to the endline they’re now safe.  All players have to race to the center circle though, no players can wait and try to just steal a ball from a player dribbling back.

Vary the distance of the drill, perhaps make the distance just twenty or thirty yards away, but if you want to work on fitness too, then make the distance longer or half field.  It also depends up the age of the players you’re coaching, whether you make it longer or shorter.

Equipment needed: Cones and practice vests.