--- title: "Slalom Dribbling Drill: Speed & Change of Direction" description: "Run this cone slalom dribbling drill to build speed dribbling and sharp change of direction: weave a line of cones, use both feet and explode out of the turn." url: "https://coachboard.app/library/football/slalom-dribbling-drill" sport: "Football" category: "Drill" level: "all-levels" dateModified: "2026-07-09" --- # Slalom Dribbling Drill — Football Drill The cone slalom is the oldest exercise in the football coaching book, and for good reason: a straight line of cones gives a player a repeatable track on which to groove the touch-and-turn rhythm of carrying the ball at pace. Where the close-quarters work is about hiding the ball, the slalom is about moving it — quickly, in a straight-ish line, past a row of static obstacles. Its value lives in the transition between touches. Each cone forces a small change of direction, and the player who wins is not the one with the fanciest feet but the one who loses the least speed threading the gaps. The touch nudges the ball just past the cone, the body follows, and the next stride is already accelerating toward the following gate. Because the layout is fixed, the slalom is easy to time and easy to progress. Widen the spacing for flat-out speed dribbling, tighten it for quicker feet, or race two lines side by side to add the adrenaline of a contest. It is the drill players will happily repeat, quietly banking hundreds of both-footed touches every session. ## Objective Develop speed dribbling and sharp change of direction so a player can carry the ball past a line of obstacles at pace using both feet without losing control or momentum. ## Setup - **Area:** A 15–20m channel with 6–8 cones spaced 1.5–2m apart - **Players:** Two lines of 4–6 players, one ball each - **Equipment:** 6–8 slalom cones or poles per lane, 1 ball per player, Start and finish markers - **Duration:** 10–14 minutes - **Level:** all-levels (U8+) ## How it works 1. **Lay the slalom lane** — Set 6–8 cones in a straight line, roughly 1.5–2m apart, over a 15–20m channel. Mark a clear start and a finish gate. Keep two lanes so a full group is always moving rather than queuing. 2. **Walk the weave** — Players first walk the ball through the cones, taking a touch on each side so the ball zig-zags while the body stays close. The aim is one gentle touch per cone with the foot nearest the ball's exit side — no bunched double touches. 3. **Both-feet weave** — Repeat at a jog, insisting the ball is touched with the outside of the right foot past a cone on the left and the outside of the left past a cone on the right. This alternation is where the weaker foot gets its reps, so slow the pace until both sides look equal. 4. **Speed run for time** — Now players attack the slalom at full pace and the coach times the run from start gate to finish. The instruction is to push the ball a fraction further ahead and drive with the laces between cones, only shortening the touch as the next cone arrives. 5. **Race and finish** — Set two lanes racing head to head, then add a small goal or target gate 5m beyond the last cone so the run ends in an explosive burst and a strike or a pass. Winning the race rewards the player who kept the most speed through the turns. ## Coaching points - Touch the ball with the outside of the foot furthest into the turn, so your body naturally swings toward the next cone. - Keep the touches short and frequent through tight sections, then lengthen the push on the straights to carry real speed. - Drop the shoulder and lean into each change of direction — the lower body angle lets you turn without braking hard. - Alternate feet deliberately so the weaker side banks as many touches as the strong one; a one-footed weave is a habit worth breaking early. - Explode out of the final cone: the last touch should be a positive push into space, mirroring the moment you beat a real defender. ## Variations - **Mixed-gap slalom** — Vary the spacing along the line — some cones tight, some wide — so the player constantly adjusts touch length and stride. It kills the metronome rhythm and forces a genuine read of the distance to the next obstacle. - **Slalom into 1v1** — Place a live defender just past the final cone. The attacker must exit the slalom with speed and immediately take the defender on, linking the closed skill of weaving to the open skill of beating an opponent in a real duel. ## Build it in Coach Board Place a row of cones on the Coach Board pitch and animate a player weaving through them, using the path tool to show the ball zig-zagging on alternate outside-foot touches while the player's line stays tighter and straighter. Add a burst to a small goal beyond the last cone so the loop finishes with the explosive acceleration you want players to copy. ## FAQ ### Is a cone slalom actually useful, or too unrealistic? On its own a fixed slalom is a closed skill — the cones never move or tackle — so it should not be the whole diet. But it is an excellent way to bank high-volume both-footed touches and groove the touch-and-accelerate rhythm of carrying the ball at pace. Pair it with a live 1v1 finish and it feeds directly into match dribbling. ### How far apart should the slalom cones be? Around 1.5 to 2 metres is a good default. Tighter spacing sharpens quick feet and close touches; wider spacing rewards flat-out speed dribbling with longer pushes. Varying the gaps within one line is even better, because the player has to keep reading the distance to the next cone rather than settling into a fixed rhythm. ## Related - https://coachboard.app/library/football/close-control-dribbling-drill.md - https://coachboard.app/library/football/dribbling-gates-drill.md - https://coachboard.app/library/football/1v1-attacking-drill.md --- Animate and share this drill with your team: https://my.coachboard.app