Colour sprint

Goal

Improve reaction speed and change of direction by making a decision before each touch.

Description

No ball. Two equal lanes of 30 m, one per team, with three rows of coloured cones (red, blue and yellow, each row in a different order) and a finish cone at the end. The coach calls out three colours in succession, e.g. “red, blue, yellow”, and the first player from each queue runs to touch the cone of that colour in each row, in order, then sprints to the finish. The first to arrive without a mistake wins. It’s genuine reaction speed: first you have to listen, remember and decide, then run.

Step by step

1. 1

   E says “red, blue, yellow” and A and B tap the red cone in the first row.

   1. 1.1 A.
   2. 1.2 B.
2. 2

   They tap the blue cone in the second row.

   1. 2.1 A.
   2. 2.2 B.
3. 3

   They tap the yellow cone in the third row.

   1. 3.1 A.
   2. 3.2 B.
4. 4

   They sprint to the finish.

   1. 4.1 A.
   2. 4.2 B.

Rules

Players start when the coach finishes saying the third colour. You must touch the cone of the called colour in each row with the hand, in order. If a colour isn’t present in a row (coach’s trick), skip that row. First to the finish without error scores 2 points; first with an error scores 0 and the point goes to the other side.

Equipment

• 18 coloured cones (6 red, 6 blue, 6 yellow)
• 2 finish cones
• Cones for the start line

Physical focus

Recommended times by goal

• Reaction speed: 2 × 5' · rest 1'30" · High intensityOrientativo

Rotation and restart

After each sprint, the two walk back around the lane to the end of their queue and the next two go. Every 5 sprints the teams swap lanes.

Coaching points

• Repeat the three colours quietly before you go.
• Lower your body to touch the cone and push off with your outside foot.
• Look at the next row before you reach the one you’re touching.

Common mistakes

• They leave before the third colour is finished and then hesitate.

  How to correct: Only start on the final word: you win more by thinking than by sprinting early.

• They come to a full stop at each cone.

  How to correct: Short, low touch, then move straight to the next without stopping.

• They watch what the player in the other lane is doing.

  How to correct: Each row has a different colour order: copying the other leads to mistakes.

Questions for the players

• “What helps you remember the three colours while you run?”
• “Why does the player who starts a little later sometimes win?”

Levels

• A · easyOne colour for all three rows (“all red”).
• B · standardThree different colours, as described.
• C · advancedReverse rules: tap the cone that was NOT called, or the one to the left of the called colour.

If you have fewer or more players

• With 2 fewer: A single lane against the coach’s timer. (1 player against the cloc)
• With more: Three or four lanes at once: the coach calls the colours for everyone. (4 lanes, 4 queues)
• With odd numbers: The odd-man-out acts as finish-line judge and joins the next sprint.

Age

Variations

• With ball. Done while dribbling: you must tap the cone with the sole of the foot not controlling the ball.
• By numbers. Each row has numbered cones and the coach calls out a sum; you must tap the cone showing the result.