1. Drills
  2. Football
  3. Blocking

First Step Race

Race a partner off the line on a clap, staying low for three steps before you rise.

By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026

Set up

Line up side by side in your blocking stance, cones 3 big steps ahead.

Core: Jogs. Beat your own run of balanced mirrors.

Ages
14 and up
Time
6 min
Players
Just you
Space
Yard or field
Bring
2 cones
Level · skill
Beginner · Blocking

The steps

How it works

  1. Line up side by side in your blocking stance, cones 3 big steps ahead.
  2. On a clap, take three short, low steps to the cone.
  3. Whoever stays lowest and gets there first wins the rep.
  4. Do 10 races.

Coaching point

Low for three steps.

Safety: No contact in this drill; any contact work is only with a coach. Head up and to the side, eyes on the target. Never lead with your head.

Make it fun

Play it, don't drill it

Game version

Mirror footwork: a partner slides with their hands up and you stay square and balanced, with no contact. Swap often.

Challenge

Pick a level: Less (partner walks), Core (jogs), More (changes direction). Beat your own run of balanced mirrors.

Story

You are a door that closes whichever way the wind blows.

My best

Beat your own count

Beat your own run of balanced mirrors. Only your own number counts: today against last time.

Practice makes progress

Print it now, or save it free

Free for families and teams

Save this drill to your child or team, free

Sign up and the free football week for this age opens in your child's planner, kept to healthy limits. A coach can send this drill to the whole team as homework, and parents see every session logged.

14 days free for a family, no card · Running a team is always free

Does your child's coach know about this?

An email from you to the coach, with the words ready. Nothing is tracked and nobody is rewarded.