First touch gates soccer drill
First touch gates is a pairs drill in which a player receives a pass and must take the first touch sideways through a small gate before passing back. It trains a first touch that moves the ball away from pressure into space, not one that stops it dead.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
First touch gates: setup diagram
At a glance
| Detail | For this drill |
|---|---|
| Ages | U8 to U12 (ages 7 to 12) |
| Players | Pairs |
| Space | 10 x 12 yd (9 x 11 m) |
| Equipment | One ball and 4 cones per pair |
| Time | 8 to 10 minutes |
| Skill | First touch |
Change the size of the area to fit your group: bigger makes it easier for the player with the ball, smaller makes it harder. Everyone who goes out comes straight back in, and nobody runs laps.
How to run it
- The receiver stands between two gates, each 2 yards wide and about 2 yards to either side. The partner stands 8 yards away with the ball.
- The partner passes to the receiver’s feet.
- The receiver takes the first touch through one gate, with the inside or the outside of the foot, and passes back with the second touch.
- The receiver returns to the middle, and the next ball goes through the other gate.
- After ten passes, swap. Later the passer calls “left” or “right” as the ball travels, or points the opposite way as a pretend defender.
Coaching points to say out loud
- “First touch takes you somewhere.”
- “Out of your feet.”
- “On your toes as it comes.”
- “Decide before it arrives.”
Make it easier or harder
Easier
Bring the gates closer and pass more softly. Allow three touches.
Harder
The passer follows the pass as a defender, and the receiver must take the first touch through the gate on the side away from them.
Common mistakes
- Stopping the ball and then pushing it through the gate. That is two touches, and a defender would arrive.
- A first touch so hard that it runs away. It should stop within a step beyond the gate.
- Waiting flat-footed. Small bounces before the ball arrives make the touch softer.
Why it matters in a game
A defender closes in from one side, and the receiver’s first touch goes to the other side. Our first touch term page and the receiving lessons describe it the same way: the first touch is a decision about where the space is.
The lesson that teaches it: Look, Then Turn or Return.
Do it at home
Two shoes for a gate and a wall or a parent to pass. Ten touches through the gate with each foot, each side.
Questions about First touch gates
What is a good first touch in soccer?
One that puts the ball where you want it for your next action, about a step away and out of a defender’s reach. Stopping it dead under your body is rarely the best choice.
Which part of the foot should I use?
The inside of the foot to take the ball across your body, the outside to take it away to the same side. Good players use both.
How do I make it game-like?
Add a defender who follows the pass. The receiver now has to notice which side the pressure comes from and touch away from it.
Lessons that teach this idea
- Look, Then Turn or Return (7v7 lesson)Look for pressure before receiving. Turn into room or give the ball back.
- Receive: Turn or Connect (9v9 lesson)Check the space before receiving; a turn and a return solve different pressure.
- Look, Control & Choose (Futsal lesson)Look before receiving. Turn into room, or use support when pressure closes it.
Related drills and guides
- Receive across the body (drill)It trains an open body shape, so the player can see the whole field and play forward with the second touch.
- Wall passing (drill)It trains a firm, accurate pass and a clean first touch with both feet, because the wall always gives the ball back.
- Receive and turn (drill)It trains checking over the shoulder and choosing the right first touch for the pressure.
- Partner passing through gates (drill)It trains accurate passing with the inside of the foot and moving to a new place after every pass.
- First touch (soccer term)The touch you take as the ball arrives
- Central midfielder in soccerThe link player who receives on the turn
- U8 soccer drills for 7 and 8 year oldsTen drills for 7 and 8 year olds: dribbling, 1v1, first passing and 3v3
- U10 soccer drills for 9 and 10 year oldsTen drills for 9 and 10 year olds: rondos, first touch, 2v1 and first goalkeeping
- U12 soccer drills for 11 and 12 year oldsTen drills for 11 and 12 year olds: 4v2 rondos, possession, defending in pairs and finishing
- Soccer drills to do at homeSolo and parent-and-child drills for a yard, a driveway or a wall
- All first touch drillsReceiving the ball so the next action is easy.
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.