A ball and four cones are enough to give a short solo session some structure. The point is to make the task clear, repeat it and notice what happens to the ball.
These are soccer ball-control activities, rather than AFL kicking drills. The layouts below are practical starting examples, not an official Marcr test or age-group standard. Adjust the space to the player and surroundings. A younger player should practise with an adult supervising.
Start with the space you actually have
Choose a level, clear area with room to stop beyond the drill. Keep away from roads, glass, parked cars and people walking through. Check the surface and use suitable footwear. If there is not enough safe space, choose gentle stationary ball work instead of squeezing a running drill into a narrow area.
You need a ball, four low markers and a way to measure the gaps. Take a few minutes to move comfortably with the ball before starting. Begin slowly. The distances and repetitions here are examples you can shorten or simplify.
Drill 1: Straight cone weave
Setup: place four cones in a straight line, with 2 metres between neighbouring cones. That makes the first-to-last cone distance 6 metres. Leave extra clear space at both ends.
Start just before the first cone with the ball under control.
Weave through the line, passing alternate cones on opposite sides.
Go around the final cone and weave back through the same gaps.
Stop the ball under control at the starting end.
Try one slow rehearsal, then three controlled attempts with a pause between them. Count cone contacts and occasions when the ball moves beyond comfortable reach. On a later set, try using only the left foot, then only the right. Keep each variation separate in your notes.
Make it easier: widen the gaps and walk the route. Make it harder: keep the same spacing and use the weaker foot more consistently. Faster is only useful if you still complete the route.
Drill 2: Two gates
Setup: make two gates, each 2 metres wide, with their centres 4 metres apart. Use two cones for each gate. Keep the space beyond both gates clear.
Dribble through the first gate towards the second.
Take the ball fully through the second gate, turn in the clear space beyond it and return.
Dribble back through the first gate and finish under control.
Choose a turn you can already perform comfortably. Repeat it in both directions, then compare how close the ball stays after the turn. Do not add a timed challenge until the route is clear.
What to record: gates completed without touching a cone, which foot turned the ball and whether the first touch after turning stayed under control. Widen the gates or shorten the journey if you keep losing the ball.
Drill 3: Box turns
Setup: place the four cones at the corners of a 4 metre square, with clear space outside it.
Start at one corner and dribble along the outside of the square.
Guide the ball around each corner, keeping it close enough for the next touch.
Complete one circuit and stop at the starting corner.
After a pause, repeat in the opposite direction.
Watch the ball leaving each turn. If it keeps running away, slow down before changing anything else. Try a larger square if the corners are too tight. If you change the size, record the new layout.
Choose one useful measure
For a first session, count clean completions rather than chasing a time. Write down the layout, foot used, errors and one observation. At the next session, repeat the same version so the comparison means something.
Use the free training log template. If you film a run, follow the phone recording checklist and keep the full route visible.
Remember what cones cannot show
Solo drills give you a clear task without a defender. Matches also involve opponents, teammates and decisions. Keep individual practice alongside coached sessions and play, rather than treating a cone time as a complete measure of football ability.
For coaching context, FIFA’s ball-control session moves from unopposed work into opposed activities and a game. The three home layouts above are separate examples created for this guide.
Need to change the layout? Read how to choose cone spacing. Marcr AI is being developed around recording and reviewing training. See the app and join the early-access list.