Cone Touch Reactive Call | Friends

Quick Intro

Cone Touch Reactive Call is a call-and-react drill. Cones are set out around a central point, for example four cones at the front, back, left and right. One partner stands at the centre. The other stands to the side and calls a cone at an unpredictable moment, by direction, number or colour. The reacting partner sprints to touch it and returns to the centre before the next call. After an agreed number of calls the roles swap. As a contest, the faster average time from call to touch wins.

Reacting to a called direction and moving quickly to the right point is covered at Star Drill — Reactive. This guide covers the partner drill: setting out the cones, calling well, timing it and the handicap.

What You’ll Need

Four to eight training cones.
A flat, non-slip area about six metres across.
A stopwatch or phone for the caller, if you are timing.
Coloured cones or numbers if you want to call by colour or number.

How to Play

Set out the cones around a centre point, two to three metres away. Four cones at front, back, left and right is the simplest layout.
Agree the number of calls per round, often eight, and any handicap.
The reacting partner stands at the centre in an athletic stance.
The caller stands to the side with a clear view of the layout.
The caller waits a random moment, calls a cone and starts the stopwatch.
The reacting partner sprints, touches the cone and the caller stops the watch at the touch, then notes the time.
The reacting partner returns to the centre. The caller waits until they are back and settled before the next call.
After all the calls, swap roles. Each partner’s average time is their score, and the lower average wins.

What Counts

The called cone is touched with a hand. Touching the wrong cone counts as a miss; add a penalty of two seconds to that call, or simply run it again.
Start from the centre for every call, set and still.
No moving before the call. A false start is rerun.

The caller judges and times. Being consistent with the stopwatch matters more than being exact.

Calling Well

The caller’s rhythm makes or breaks the drill. Call clearly, using words or colours that sound different from each other. Vary the wait before each call. Never call before the reacting partner is back at the centre and ready, since a rushed call turns reaction work into a tired scramble.

Four cones called by direction is the easiest start. More cones, called by number or colour, make it harder, because the reacting partner has to decide where to go before they can move.

Playing Without a Score

The drill also works as a feed with no contest at all. The caller sets the pace, picks the cones and keeps the reacting partner working for a set time. Tracking times over several sessions shows improvement without needing a winner.

Making It Fair

The handicap is the layout. A less experienced reacting partner works with fewer cones, spaced more widely, so each call is easier to read. For a contest between partners of different speed, the handicapped partner uses the simpler layout and both are timed. For more on handicaps, see Training With a Friend.

Staying Safe

Clear sprint paths to every cone, with nothing in between.
A non-slip surface. The cuts back to the centre are sudden.
Enough rest. Short sprints with sudden direction changes are tiring; eight calls per round is enough.
Stay low on the change of direction. It protects the knees and ankles.

Common Mistakes

Calling too quickly. Wait for the return to the centre.
Similar-sounding calls. Use clear words or colours.
Standing tall at the centre. It slows the reaction. Stay low.
Running past the cone. Touch it and change direction.

Fitting It Into a Session

The drill works early in a session once the warm-up is done. It also makes a short reaction block between harder sets. Two rounds each is enough. The Building a Partner Session guide shows where a reaction block like this sits best.

Getting Better Over Time

Keep a note of each partner’s average time. As it falls, add cones or switch from directions to numbers or colours.

Cone Steal is a race to one cone against a partner.
Mirror Sprint has one partner match the other’s direction changes.
Star Drill — Reactive is the solo version, with a coach calling.
Lateral Shuffle Stop on Whistle is a call-and-react game built on stopping.

FAQ

How many cones should we use?

Four is a good start. Six or eight make the drill harder.

How do we time it?

The caller starts the stopwatch on the call and stops it at the touch. Average the times.

Can we play it with no score?

Yes. The caller simply sets the pace and keeps the reacting partner moving.

Related to Star Drill — Reactive, Cone Steal and Mirror Sprint.