Coach in short cues
See the target · Useful weight and direction · Pass, then help again
SOCCER DEVELOPMENT HUB · DRILL EXPLAINER
Connect the team: Gate quest
Passing · reinforces support the player
Deliver a pass the receiver can use immediately, then move to create the next option.
Players judge target, timing, and weight while the requirement to move prevents passing from becoming a static technique exercise.
Watch for: The receiver can play the pass without chasing or waiting. The passer looks before striking the ball. The passer moves to a new supporting angle.
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Set it up
20 × 20 yards
Use pairs or groups of three with one ball; begin eight to twelve yards apart. Build eight two-yard gates, scatter them in different directions, and leave at least four yards between gates.
- Players
- 6–16
- Equipment
- soccer balls · 16 cones
- Demonstrate how one repetition begins, scores, and clears the gate; then release players from different starting spaces.
- Pairs complete a pass through a gate, both move to a different gate, and alternate which player chooses the route.
- Run a 45-second discovery round followed by three 60-second rounds with a 20-second coach reset. During play, coach only this action: See the target, plant beside the ball, lock the chosen surface, and pass to the teammate's available foot or useful space.
- Progression: Add a defender who first blocks a lane and then becomes live, forcing the passer to adjust angle, timing, or weight.
- Ask, “What makes a pass useful to the teammate receiving it?” Listen to two answers, then replay so players can test an idea.
Soccer Development Hub original activity; design reviewed against U.S. Soccer player-centered session guidance and FIFA grassroots small-sided learning principles. · Editorial review