Game version
Rocket run: count down together and blast off to the grown-up and back. Swap who counts.
Count down from 3 and blast off: a short run to a grown-up and back, then a rest. Short, fast runs build speed.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth soccer coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Put a marker about 10 big steps away and stand by it.
The steps
Coaching point
Praise the effort: “Wow, you zoomed like a rocket!”
Safety: Play on grass or a soft, flat, clear space with nothing to trip on. Stop for a drink and a rest whenever they want one.
Make it fun
Game version
Rocket run: count down together and blast off to the grown-up and back. Swap who counts.
Story
You are a rocket zooming to the moon and back.
Practice makes progress
Free for families and teams
Sign up and the free soccer 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.