Red Light, Green Light soccer drill

Red Light, Green Light: setup diagram

At a glance

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

1. Players line up side by side on the start line, each with a ball. The coach stands at the far end.
2. On “green light” everyone dribbles toward the coach.
3. On “red light” everyone stops the ball with the sole of the foot and freezes.
4. A player whose ball is still rolling takes five big steps back and carries on. Nobody is sent out.
5. The first player to reach the finish line calls the lights in the next round.
6. Add “yellow light” (dribble in slow motion) and “blue light” (turn and dribble back toward the start).

Coaching points to say out loud

• “Ball close.”
• “Foot on top to stop.”
• “Little touches.”

Make it easier or harder

• Easier

  Shorten the distance, and give a countdown: “red light in three, two, one.”

• Harder

  Turn your back while the light is green, so players cannot guess. Add lights for a turn, a toe tap or dribbling with the weaker foot only.

Common mistakes

• Kicking the ball far ahead and running after it, so it cannot be stopped in time.
• Sending children back to the very start, or out of the game. Five steps back keeps them playing.
• Rounds that are too long. Three or four short rounds are better than one long one.

Why it matters in a game

A player who can stop the ball can change their mind. In a game that means stopping when a defender blocks the way, then turning into room or passing, which is what our lesson on carrying the ball asks players to notice.

The lesson that teaches it: Carry or Pass?.

Do it at home

One parent, one child, one ball and ten yards of grass. Swap jobs so the child calls the lights for the parent too.

Questions about Red Light, Green Light

• What age is Red Light, Green Light for?

  It suits U6 and U8 best, which means ages 5 to 8. Older players get more from games with a defender.

• What happens if a player does not stop in time?

  They take five big steps back and keep playing. Sending a five-year-old out of the game only takes away the practice they need most.

• What does it teach?

  Close control. To stop the ball on the call, a player has to keep it within one step, which is the base of all dribbling.

Lessons that teach this idea

• Carry or Pass? (7v7 lesson)Watch which route the defender leaves open.
• Look, Then Turn or Return (7v7 lesson)Look for pressure before receiving. Turn into room or give the ball back.

Related drills and guides

• Simon Says with a ball (drill)It trains stopping the ball, listening and balance, and it lets a new coach learn every name.
• Sharks and Minnows (drill)It trains dribbling under pressure: keeping the ball close, changing direction and using open space.
• Pirates and Treasure (drill)It trains dribbling at speed, turning with the ball and stopping it under control.
• Toe taps and foundations (drill)They train balance, quick feet and a soft touch, so the ball stays close when a player dribbles.
• Soccer age groups explainedWhat U6, U8, U10 and U12 mean
• Soccer ball size by ageSize 3, 4 or 5 for each age group
• U6 soccer drills: fun games for 5 and 6 year oldsNine games for 5 and 6 year olds, a ball each, with what to avoid
• U8 soccer drills for 7 and 8 year oldsTen drills for 7 and 8 year olds: dribbling, 1v1, first passing and 3v3
• Soccer dribbling drills for kidsBall mastery, ball-each games, turns and 1v1 for every age
• U6 soccer practice plan: first practice of the seasonA 45-minute plan that uses this drill
• U6 soccer practice plan: kicking and shootingA 45-minute plan that uses this drill
• All dribbling and ball mastery drillsOne ball each: lots of touches, turns and changes of speed.