Check and Receive
Off-Ball Movement
Legend
- player
- cones
- ball
- movement path
How it works
Practice the check run, move away from the ball then sharply check back to receive, to lose a marker.
What you need
- cones
- soccer ball
- scrimmage vests
Your focus
The check run is the fundamental technique for creating separation from a defender without the ball. Teaching players to use their body to fake a direction before checking back builds the off-ball deception that makes them impossible to mark tightly.
Player A stands 10 yards from passer. A passive defender stands beside them.
Player A runs away from the ball (5 yards) then sharply cuts back to face the passer.
As they check back, passer plays the ball to their feet.
Player A controls, turns, and passes to a target cone.
10 reps to the left check, 10 to the right check.
Progress to an active defender who tries to follow the check.
Goal
It's clicking when the check run makes the marker genuinely late, you receive the ball facing forward with time and space, not spinning under immediate pressure.
Helpful cues
- Go to come back, sell the away run before cutting
- Check sharply, no drifting into the ball
- Open body to receive on the check, side-on, not front-on
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
No defender, pure technique practice.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Defender actively tries to track and beat the check; player must truly lose them.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.