How to Set Up and Explain Football Drills to Players

You can have the best drill in the world, but if you can't set it up quickly or explain it clearly, the session falls apart. For a new coach, organisation is half the job. Here's how to set up and explain drills so your sessions run smoothly.

Know the setup before you arrive

The worst feeling as a new coach is standing with twelve kids while you work out where the cones go. Avoid it: know exactly what each drill looks like before training — the grid size, where the cones are, how many players per group. Picture it, or sketch it on your plan. Arrive early and set it out before they get there.

Keep setups simple

A good drill needs minimal equipment — a few cones, balls, and a clear space. The simpler the setup, the quicker you get going and the more time players spend actually playing. If a drill needs a complicated arrangement, simplify it. Simple setups mean more touches and less standing around.

Get them in before you explain

Organise the players into position — in their groups, in the grid — before you start explaining. A scattered, chatting group won't absorb instructions. Get them where they need to be, quiet and looking at you, then explain. Managing the group is a skill, and it starts with positioning them first.

Show, don't tell

This is the single most important rule for explaining drills: demonstrate it rather than describing it. Walk through the drill yourself, or use a couple of players to show it, while you narrate the key points. Kids understand a 20-second demonstration far better than a two-minute speech. Show the picture, don't paint it with words.

Give one or two clear instructions

Don't overload them. Explain the one or two things they need to know to start — 'pass, then follow your pass' — and let them go. You can add detail once they're playing. Too many instructions at once and they'll forget half and stand around confused. Keep it short, let them start, coach as they play.

Check they understand, then let them play

A quick 'everyone clear?' and a glance around tells you if they've got it. Then get them playing as fast as possible — the more time on the ball, the better. If a few look lost, help them individually once it's running rather than stopping everyone again.

Use session plans with clear diagrams

Clear diagrams make setup effortless — you see exactly where everything goes at a glance. DRILLPITCH manuals come with simple, honest diagrams and setup instructions for every drill, so even on your first night you know precisely how to organise your players.

New to coaching? The DRILLPITCH Coaching Academy gives you ready-to-run sessions, coaching points and a planner to take you from your first session to match day.

DRILLPITCH covers football and soccer coaching for coaches worldwide, whichever term you use for the game.