A fun one-on-one game for your defenders and attackers. Pair them up with 1 ball and 1 cone and spread them out all over the field. The object is for the attacker to knock the cone over with a swift, deft pass while the defender marks and tries to stop him.

The coach should encourage the attackers to feint the defender while the defender learns to keep his body between the ball and the goal at all times. I usually 'interfere' if a pair gets in a real up-close battle by making the attacker start from farther out and make a quick attacking run on the cone. The defender learns to come out and meet him, yet retain his body position. After all have 'scored' have them switch positions and start again. Limit the length of this drill to 3 or 4 minutes before starting over.

For the coach, its a great way to assess the inherent offensive or defensive skills each player exhibits in his ability and character!