Lane Race

Focus

Skills under pressure, Front & Square, Run & Carry, Fun.

Skills

GoalKicking, Kicking, Handball Long.

Purpose

This fun drill forces your players to concentrate on accurate disposal to win a race between 3 teams. Players can choose the riskier longer kick, or play the percentages by keeping the ball short.

Players

18⁺

Ages

6⁺

Balls

Cones

Distance (max)

160m

Setup
Use all your cones to mark 3 lanes down the length of the ground. Make the lanes from 5m wide (difficult) to 10m (easy), with 6 to 10 players per lane, each lane has a ball. Junior coaches, shorten to a challenging distance and lane width.
Step 1
Starting from the goal line, each team must work the ball the length of the ground by hand or foot and score a goal.
Step 2
Each team must keep the ball within their lane. If the ball leaves the lane, players must bring the ball in from the point the ball crossed the lane boundary.

More skillful kickers should attempt longer kicks

Less skilled kickers look to handball to runners

Penalise teams you catch stealing ground at the re-start by making them return to the correct position.
Step 3
The first team to kick a goal scores 1 point. Optionally, play to a set score (e.g. 5), calling out the scores after each end.

Voice is important around the goalkicker. If the other teams are not within goal-scoring range, teammates should instruct the player to get closer to goal and steady before taking the shot.
Step 4
Re-start from the other end and repeat the drill in the opposite direction. Teams swap lanes after several ends.
Step 5
Optionally for seniors, you may wish to introduce 1-2 players as competitors in each lane. These players will need identifyable opposition colours.