Agility drill
Run to Daylight
Train reading a defender late and cutting decisively into the gap at full speed.
- Time
- 12 minutes
- Players
- 2 to 20 players
- Intensity
- High
- Equipment
- Partner, cones
- Space
- 8m x 5m
- Positions
- All positions
Setup
A start cone, a second cone 8m away, and two more cones 5m apart at the far end forming two gates. Your partner stands between the gates.
How to run it
- Sprint flat out from the start cone towards your partner.
- Once you are committed and close, your partner steps to one side to open a gap - they must leave it late and never signal early.
- React, plant one decisive foot and accelerate through the open gate.
- Run the approach at full speed; slowing down to give yourself time to decide is the mistake that ruins this drill.
- Do 4 reps with 1-2 minutes rest, then swap roles.
Coaching cues
- Eyes up and scanning the whole way in
- Run the approach at real speed
- One decisive plant - commit, don't shuffle
Common mistakes
- Running in slowly to leave yourself time to decide
- Your partner moving too early, which turns it into a pre-planned cut
Related drills
- 5-0-5 TurnDevelop the 180-degree turn off one foot used chasing kicks and retreating to reload.
- 3-Cone L-DrillCombine hard stops, tight turns and a curved weaving run in one sequence.
- Pro Agility ShuttleTrain repeated hard braking and re-acceleration off both feet over short distances.
- Run and CutBuild the 45-degree cutting step that beats a defender, in the safest possible knee position.
- Accelerate-Decelerate RunwayTrain hard braking, which loads the body more than sprinting and underpins every change of direction.
- Curved Sprint ArcDevelop speed on a curved running line, which is how most attacking lines are actually run.