Dribble and Active Stop: A Soccer-Specific Warm-Up

A soccer-specific warm-up: each student dribbles their own ball and, at every stop, does a mobility drill with the ball under their foot. It moves from general to specific without losing the ball.

How to play

1. Easy free dribbling in a 20 x 30 m rectangle, using the inside and outside of the foot (2 min).
2. On the whistle, active stop: foot on the ball plus a mobility drill (hip circles, alternating sole taps, side lunges) until the next whistle (3 min).
3. Dribbling with a change of direction at each cone: inside, outside and sole (3 min).
4. On the signal, everyone passes their ball to a nearby classmate and receives another without letting any get away (2 min).
5. Game-speed dribbling at 70-80%, changing pace between two cones (2 min).

Rules

• Head up: dribble while scanning, not just watching the ball.
• On stops, rest your foot on the ball without putting weight on it.
• Swap passes stay on the ground and under five meters.

Variations

Adaptations

• Students with visual impairments: use a sound ball or a ball in a bag with bells, in a reserved zone.
• Wheelchair users: dribble by pushing the ball with a hand or a floor hockey stick.
• Students with less control: use a softer foam ball that bounces less.

Learning goals

• Move from a general warm-up to a sport-specific one.
• Improve ball control while dribbling.
• Prepare the hips and ankles for play.

Equipment for a class of 25

• soccer balls: 30
• cones: 12

Teacher tip

Spread the balls around the rectangle before students arrive to save time. If there aren't enough balls, pair students to share, alternating dribbling and mobility.

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