Coerver moves circuit: scissors and step-over on cones
Classic Coerver progression for U8-U12: ball mastery in 3x3 yard grids, 1v1 moves (scissors, step-over, croqueta) on defender cones and a 1v1 to a gate to finish. Hundreds of touches in 20 minutes.
Step 1Conducción al cono
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Cada jugador conduce hacia su pica, que hace de defensor.
Objective
Groove three basic 1v1 moves (scissors, step-over and croqueta) with both feet, linking the feint, the change of direction and the acceleration, and transfer them into a real 1v1.
Organisation
20x20 m square with a 3x3 yard grid per player and a ball each. Inside, poles or tall cones act as defenders, one for every two players. On one side, a 5 m gate marked with two cones for the 1v1 phase. Blocks of 4 minutes of work and 1 minute of explanation and demonstration.
Development
- 1Ball mastery (4 min): each player, in their 3x3 grid, does toe taps, bells (ball between the feet) and sole drags; the coach changes the exercise every 30 seconds.
- 2Move on the cone (8 min): players dribble at their pole, treat it as a defender and perform the requested move (scissors, step-over or croqueta) one metre away, exit diagonally with the outside of the foot and accelerate for three strides; then turn and repeat on another pole. Change the move every two minutes and alternate strong and weak foot.
- 3Free dribbling on command (4 min): everyone dribbles around the square and, on the coach's call (“scissors!”), performs the move on the nearest player or cone.
- 41v1 to the gate (6 min): in pairs, one player passes the ball to their partner and becomes the defender; the attacker must beat them with one of the three moves and dribble through the gate for a point. If the defender wins the ball, they attack. Three attempts each, then change partners.
Coaching points4
- Sell the feint with the body: dipped shoulder, bent knees and eyes to the fake side.
- The exit touch is with the outside of the foot and comes with a clear change of pace.
- Perform the move one metre from the cone; too early and a real defender recovers.
- Head up after the move: see the free space before accelerating.
Common mistakes3
- A slow scissors with no deception from the upper body.
- Exit touch too heavy, losing the ball.
- Practising only with the strong foot.
Variations3
- Add the Cruyff turn and the drag-back as fourth and fifth moves.
- Competition: how many clean moves on different cones in 60 seconds.
- In the 1v1, two gates to choose from to work on decision making.
Progressions2
- Replace poles with passive defenders who may only move their arms.
- Continuous 1v1: whoever wins the ball attacks the opposite gate immediately.
Regressions2
- Bigger grids and slow dribbling until the move is mastered.
- One move only (scissors) for the whole session.
Tips
- Demonstrate each move face-on and side-on before every block.
- Give each move a fun name so the kids remember it.