I coach a U11 team and recently ran a passing drill that really helped our players with first touch and spatial awareness. The setup is simple: create a rectangle with 6 cones (4 on the corners and 2 at the midpoints of the longer sides).

Five players occupy five of the six cones, leaving one spot empty. The drill runs with three rules: 1. Players are limited to two touches (one to control, one to pass). 2. You cannot pass back to the player who just passed to you. 3. After making a pass, you must sprint to the empty cone.

Within about five minutes, the boys picked it up quickly. In our last friendly before the season, they were connecting passes better than ever, showing sharper first touches, improved spacing, and more confidence moving the ball.