Description
Dribbling Gates is a simple, high-energy activity that gives every player lots of touches on the ball. It helps young players practise close control, changing direction, scanning for space, and moving with purpose while avoiding other players.
Set up a rectangular area with pairs of cones placed randomly throughout the space to create “gates.” Make some gates wider and some narrower to vary the challenge. Aim for roughly 1.5 to 2 times as many gates as players.
Each player has a ball. On the coach’s signal, players dribble through the gates while keeping the ball under control. After going through a gate, they must find a new gate rather than using the same one repeatedly.
Coaching Points
- Small touches in traffic, bigger touches into space.
- Head up: see gates and avoid collisions.
- Change of pace and direction after the move.
- Use both feet when dribbling.
- Avoid other players by scanning and adjusting speed.
Progressions and variations
- Players count how many gates they can dribble through in one minute. Challenge them to beat their own score.
- Add “traffic rules” (weak foot only, outside-of-foot only).
- Use different coloured cones. The coach calls a colour, and players must find and dribble through a gate of that colour.
- Add defenders who can poke balls away.