Pirate Treasure Hunt | Dribbling Drill For Kids

In this fun dribbling drill for kids, players will pretend to be pirates hunting for some treasure. Players will use inside cuts and outside cuts to dribble the ball around some cones before finding the ‘treasure’ and taking the bounty back to their team. Let’s take a look at how to set up the drill.

Dribbling Drill For Kids – Pirate Treasure Hunt

Set Up The Drill

Set up 3 slalom circuits using small or tall cones as shown in the drill diagram. Use approximately 4-5 cones in each line/circuit for the players to dribble through. The cones should be approximately 1 yard apart. Next, place 1 cone approximately 5 yards from each circuit that each team can stand behind before starting the drill. Finally, place many flags (or pinnies/bibs/cones, etc) at the end of the circuits. These flags are the ‘pirate treasure’.

Instructions

Divide players into 3 teams and have them line up behind the cones at the end of each circuit. Give each team 1 ball. Upon hearing the coach’s whistle, the first person from each team should dribble through the slalom, pick up one piece of ‘treasure’ (a flag), and then quickly dribble back to their team with the treasure.

That player then hi-fives the next player who then completes the circuit, grabs a piece of treasure, and brings it back to their team. Repeat until there is no treasure left. The team with the most treasure at the end is the winner.

TOP TIP

To make it even more fun, have the players make pirate noises before the start of the drill to get them excited and cheer on their team! Ask ‘Pirates are you ready?’ to which they can respond “Aye Aye Captain’. The team that responds loudest wins in the event of a tie breaker!

Progression

After completing the drill one time, you can then play again, but this time tell the players they can only use there right foot. Then, left foot only.

Coaching Points

Demonstrate the use of inside cuts and outside cuts with each foot. While demonstrating this technique, encourage players to;

• accelerate after using a cut
• keep their heads up
• take a touch, take a look
• push the ball, don’t kick
• keep balance forward to maintain control of the ball