Cones are the most undervalued coaching tool. The right cone setup creates the movement pattern. The wrong setup — or one that takes eight minutes to explain — wastes training time.
Here are the six cone patterns that appear most often in well-designed sessions and what each is best suited to train.
1. The Slalom
The slalom is the simplest cone pattern, focus on change of pace not just direction.
Setup: Six to eight cones in a straight line, 1.5 metres apart.
What it trains: Close control, change of direction with either foot, balance at speed.
Tip: The typical slalom error is going too fast and losing control. Use a "controlled and accurate" cue before adding a speed element.
2. The Gates
Walk through the pattern once before adding speed, especially with younger groups.
Setup: Pairs of cones placed 1 metre apart, scattered randomly across a 20×20 area. Eight to twelve pairs.
What it trains: Scanning, change of direction, close control under autonomous decision-making.
Tip: Gates work best with a competitive element. "How many gates can you pass through in 60 seconds?" creates intensity without the coach needing to run the drill.
3. The Square
Setup: Four cones in a square, 10 to 15 metres per side. Place a cone at the centre (optional).
What it trains: Passing in a shape, receiving and turning, movement off the ball.
Tip: The square is the most versatile cone shape. You can build almost any passing pattern, possession drill, or small-sided game inside it.
4. The T-Drill
Setup: One cone at the start, one directly ahead at 10 metres, one to the left and one to the right at 5 metres from the centre cone. Cones form a T shape.
What it trains: Change of direction speed, lateral movement, acceleration and deceleration.
Tip: The T-drill is primarily a physical exercise. Combine with a finishing run to make it game-relevant.
5. The Triangle
Setup: Three cones forming a triangle, approximately 8 metres per side.
What it trains: Third-man combinations, give-and-go patterns, movement after passing.
Tip: The triangle is the fundamental unit of combination play. A three-player triangle drill can extend to six players (two triangles linked), then to nine, and eventually a half-pitch positional pattern.
6. The Diamond
Setup: Four cones forming a diamond shape, approximately 8 metres between each point.
What it trains: Four-player combination play, central midfield patterns, receiving on the half-turn.
Tip: The diamond is the natural extension of the triangle. Add a defender in the centre to create a 4v1 possession game, then progress to a 4v2.
Drawing Your Cone Setup Before Training
The best way to communicate a cone setup is to show a diagram with cones and players marked. Describing the T-drill verbally takes two minutes. Pointing to a diagram takes ten seconds.
On Clubroom, you can mark cone positions on the pitch canvas using the cone element and zone tools. Save it as a drill, and players can see it on their phones before they arrive.