Competitive Cone Touch Dribbling Drill with 12 Variations - Fun for All Ages

Basic Instructions

1. Randomly scatter cones all over the court. 12 to 20 cones is a good number for a standard court but you can use more or less depending on the space you have to work with.

2. When coach says "GO", players dribble to each cone and touch the cone. Players have to dribble while they touch the cone or it doesn't count. So as an example, they might dribble with their left hand and then reach out with their right hand to touch the cone.

   Players have 1 minute to touch as many cones as they can.

   Players must touch at least 5 different cones in a row before coming back to the same one again. This forces them to move all over the court instead of staying in the same area.

Ways to Win

Here are a few different goals you can set and different ways to make it competitive:

Option 1 - The player that touches the most cones in one minute is the winner.

Option 2 - The top three players that touch the most cones win. Add a little incentive and players will really hustle and compete.

Option 3 - Set a goal. Players that touch 20 or more cones get a drink. Anyone under does push ups.

Option 4 - Assign teams. The team that touches the most cones wins.

12 Drill Variations and Additional Rules

When you run the drill, you can enforce specific rules to get players to focus on certain skills you believe are important and also to give players some variety.

For example, I like to require players to use left hand only for round one. And then on round two require them to dribble with right hand only.

Here are some variations you can implement...

1. Players can dribble with their left hand only.
2. Players can dribble with their right hand only.
3. Low dribble only (sock level).
4. Change hands each time you touch a cone.
5. Double cross over at each cone.
6. Triple cross through the legs at each cone.
7. Cone touch going backwards only (players have to dribble backward the entire time).
8. Alternate forwards and backwards (dribble to the first cone forwards, second cone go backwards, third cone forward, and so on).
9. Cone touch shuffling only. Players have to shuffle sideways to each cone.
10. Two ball cone touch. Players have to dribble two balls to each cone, quickly touch the cone with one hand and quickly regain their dribble with both hands.
11. Two ball cone touch with crossover. Players have to do a two ball cross over at each cone and then touch the cone.
12. Shrink the size of the area to make the drill more challenging and chaotic (which is good for simulating game like intensity).

Age Level and Final Thoughts

This is a fun way for players to improve their ball handling. The more confined and competitive you make the drill, the more chaotic, intense, and game-like it becomes.

With young teams you can do this drill frequently. With older players, it works too but use it in moderation. We occasionally run this drill with high school teams and they have a lot of fun with it.

Can You Think of Other Variations or Improvements for this Drill?

Leave your ideas, comments, and questions below...

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Related Pages & Resources

F-A-S-T Dribbling Drill
Multi-Purpose Ballhandling Drill
60 Fun Youth Drills