Wing 1v1 with the Sole Stop
Run at a defender down a narrow wing, stop the ball dead under the sole to freeze them, then go again past them: the futsal ala's way of beating a player on the touchline.
Hear the coach on this drill
Every line the Audio Coach says in this drill, played back to back; the time beside each is when it comes in the 12-minute drill. No account needed.
Set-up
Four cones mark a channel about four steps wide and ten steps long along one side of the floor, with an end line to dribble over. The parent defends the middle of the channel, jogging at first and blocking rather than tackling.
What you need
- 1 futsal ball or soccer ball
- 4 cones
The ground: 30 × 12 ft (about 9 × 4 m). The space and equipment check lists every drill that fits the ground you have.
How to run it
- Set up. Four cones mark a channel about four steps wide and ten steps long, with an end line to dribble over.
- Run at them. The child dribbles at the parent, who defends the middle of the channel.
- Sole stop. A step or two from the defender, stop the ball dead under the sole and freeze.
- Go again. As the defender stops too, push the ball past them on the open side and accelerate.
- Cross the line. Dribble the ball over the end line to finish the run. Walk back and go again.
- Count it. Ten runs, counting the ones that cross the end line with the ball.
Coaching points
- Stop a step or two from the defender, close enough that they must stop too
- Explode out of the stop: the change of pace is what beats them
- Keep the body between the defender and the ball as you go past
What to watch: Stopping too far from the defender. The sole stop works when the defender is a step or two away and has to stop too; from further out it gives them time to settle.
Common mistakes
- Stopping too far from the defender, giving them time to settle
- No change of pace out of the stop
- Pushing the ball straight at the defender's feet
- Looking down at the ball instead of the defender's weight
- Always going the same way
What good looks like
A good target: 6 of 10 runs cross the end line with the ball against a defender who blocks.
Progressions and variations
Making it harder
- Level 1: A cone as the defender, stop and go at walking pace
- Level 2: A cone, at jogging pace, both sides
- Level 3: A passive parent defender
- Level 4: A parent who blocks, six of ten over the line
- Level 5: A narrower channel of three steps
- Level 6: Add a teammate inside for a 2v1 choice
Alone, with a sibling, or in a group
- Solo: a cone for the defender, five timed runs, chasing your best time.
- Sibling: one attacks and one defends for five runs, then swap.
- Co-op: add a second attacker inside for a 2v1, the ala choosing to go or pass.
Adjusting it by age
- U14: Use a cone as the defender until the stop and the change of pace are clean.
- U18: A defender who plays for real but fair, and a time limit of six seconds per run.
For the parent running it
- A channel about four steps wide along one side of the floor, with an end line to dribble over. The parent defends, jogging at first and only blocking, never tackling hard.
On their own: Alone, dribble down the channel at a cone standing in for the defender, sole stop a step before it, then accelerate past on either side. Time five runs.
Safety
- The defender blocks and never tackles from behind
- Shin guards once a real defender is added
More on training safely at home: Safety at Home.
Why it matters
On a futsal court the winger beats a defender with a change of pace rather than space, and the sole stop is the simplest way to make the defender stop first.
Related drills
Cone Weave Dribble
Set up 5-6 cones in a line (2m apart). Dribble through using small touches with both feet.
1v1 to Mini Goal
Take turns attacking and defending. Attacker tries to dribble past and score in a mini goal.
1v1 Channel
Attacker tries to beat defender in narrow channel to score.
1v1 Continuous Transitions
Attack, and the second the ball is gone you are the defender for the next one.
Run it with the Audio Coach
In Spatrian the Audio Coach talks your player through this drill while they play it, and each run goes on their own training record, which their coach or personal trainer can read and, for a homeschool family, counts as PE time. The beta is opening to a small first group of players and families.