50 Fun Soccer Drills [PDF]

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50 Fun Soccer Drills and Games for Youth Coaches www.SurefireSoccer.com

Copyright Notice All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical. Any unauthorized use, sharing, reproduction, or distribution is strictly prohibited. © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

Limits / Disclaimer of Warranty The authors and publishers of this book and the accompanying materials have used their best efforts in preparing this book. The authors and publishers make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this book. They disclaim any warranties (expressed or implied), merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. The authors and publishers shall in no event be held liable for any loss or other damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. This manual contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited.

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Skill Codes for Each Drill Here’s an explanation of the codes associated with each drill. Even though each drill targets one specific skill or idea, most of the drills build a variety of skills, so we used codes to signify all of the skills that each drill will develop. Use the table of contents below and this key to find the drills that fit your needs.

AP=Aggressive Play BC=Ball Controlling C=Conditioning CK=Corner Kicks CM=Communication

D=Defense DR=Dribbling GK=Goalkeeping H=Heading O=Offense

P=Passing S=Shooting ST=Slide Tackling TI=Throw-Ins TP=Team Play V=Volleying

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TABLE OF CONTENTS How To Make Your Youth Soccer Practice Fun…………………………………………………... 6 Shooting Drills…………………………………………………………………………….. ……... 24 Power Goals (S)……………………………………………………………………………………. 25 Rapid Fire (S)………………………………………………………………………………………. 27 Knock Out Shots (S)……………………………………………………………………………...... 29 Championship of the World (P, S)..................................................................................................... 31 Striking Distance (P, S)……………………………………………………………………………..33 Up and Shoot (AP, BC, C)…………………………………………………………………............. 36 King of the Circle (P, S)………………….…………………........................................................... 39 Four-Goal Turmoil (P, S)…………………………………………………………………………... 41 Dribbling Drills…………………………………………………………………………………… 43 Dribble Tag (DR)…………………………………………………………………………………... 44 Sneak Attack (DR)…………............................................................................................................. 46 Dribble Charge (DR)………………………………………………………………………………..48 Thieves (BC, DR)………………………………………………………………………………...... 50 Circle Dribble (DR)………………………………………………………………………………... 52 Relay Races (DR, TI)......................................................................................................................... 54 Pinny Tag (BC, DR)……………………………………………………………………………...... 56 Criss-Crossing (BC, DR)…………………………………………………………... ………………58 Ball Suicides (BC, C, DR)................................................................................................................. 60 Crab Trap (C, DR)............................................................................................................................. 62 Passing Drills ………………………………………………………………………………………65 Through the Uprights (P)………………………………………………………………………....... 66 Marbles (P)………………………………………………………………………………………….68 The Long Pass (P)………………………………………………………………………………….. 70 Short and Concise (P)……………………………………………………………………………… 72 Tennis (P, V)……………….............................................................................................................. 76 Two on One (AP, BC, P)…………………………………………………………………………... 78 Win the Ball (BC, P)……………………………………………………………………………….. 80 Table Soccer (P, TP)……………………………………………………………………………….. 83 Avoid the Middle (P, TP)……………………………………………………………………….......85 Point Passer (P, TP)………………………………………………………………………………... 87 Neutral Passing Game (P, TP)……................................................................................................... 89 Hot Rock (BC, P)............................................................................................................................... 92 ________________________________________________________________________ http://www.surefiresoccer.com © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

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Offensive/Defensive & Team Drills……………………………………………………………… 94 Poke Away (D)….............................................................................................................................. 95 One Player Out (D)………………………………………………………………........................... 97 Mark the Man (D).............................................................................................................................. 99 Can’t Turn (AP, D)………………………………………………………………………………… 101 Transition (O, S, TP)……………………………………………………………………………..... 104 Defend the Cone (D, P)…………………………………………………………………………….. 106 Five Seconds (AP, D)……………………………………………………………………………… 108 Three-Way Scrimmage (TP).............................................................................................................. 110 Run Around the Clock (C)…………………………………………………………………………. 112 Three’s a Crowd (C)……………………………………………………………………………….. 114 Corner-Kicking, Throw-In, Heading, & Slide-Tackling Drills…………………………………116 Corner Scoring (CK, H, V)………………………………………………………………………… 117 Dodge Ball Throw-Ins (TI)………………………………………………………………………… 119 Heads Up (H)………………………………………………………………………………. ……... 121 Single Combat (ST)………………………………………………………………………………... 123 Goalkeeping Drills…………………………………………………………………………………125 Goalie Game (GK, S)………………………………………………………………………………. 126 Keeper Pitching (BC, GK)…………………………………………………………………………. 128 Goalkeeper Punting (GK, S)……………………………………………………………………….. 130 Keeper Diving (GK, P)……………………………………………………………………………. 132 Goalkeeper Bowling (BC, GK, S)…………………………………………………………………. 134 Side Block (GK, S)………………………….................................................................................... 136

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HOW TO MAKE YOUR YOUTH SOCCER PRACTICE FUN All youth coaches fight this battle. You want your players to practice hard, develop skills, and become better soccer players. But you also want them to have fun. Unfortunately, skill development can be monotonous and NOT very enjoyable! So what do you do? Follow these seven simple, yet highly effective steps and we guarantee that your players will love you for it…

7 Critical Elements to Make Your Practice FUN #1 – Make your practices fast paced. Kids enjoy fast paced drills and practices. They don’t like waiting around and they lose focus when things are moving slowly. So you must keep them moving at all times. Your players should not be standing in lines waiting. They should move from drill to drill efficiently, and they should participate in drills that are highly active and fast paced. #2 – Set your players up for success. Position your players to experience success, otherwise, they’ll become discouraged and lose their enthusiasm. The simple fact is that ALL young players need to enjoy success at some level, and it’s your job to set them up for achievement, be it large or small. #3 – Establish discipline.

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7 In order for your players to have fun, there must be order and discipline. This will allow you to run a smooth and organized practice, giving everyone the opportunity to learn and enjoy themselves in a safe and productive environment. #4 – Get your players’ attention. Young players have very short attention spans, so it can be difficult to grab their attention and hold it. However, it’s important to be able to do so in order to run a productive practice. #5 – Structure your practice properly. It’s tricky for new coaches to know how to organize a practice—when to give breaks, when to use certain drills and for how long. But a good structure can break up the monotony, save time, and keep things flowing smoothly. #6 – Stay positive and upbeat. Your mood can be contagious. If you’re down, your players will pick up on it, which makes for a miserable practice. Everything starts with you, so keep a positive and upbeat attitude and the team will follow suit. #7 – Make your drills fun. In order to develop soccer skills, you MUST run drills. There’s just no way around ‘em. Drills should account for at least 75% of your practice time. So if your drills are boring, 75% of your practice will be boring. To help, we have provided you with a bunch of exciting drills and games to incorporate into your practices. But don’t stop there. We’ll also give you some tips on how to make your own existing drills more enjoyable.

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Element #1 - How to Keep Your Practice Fast Paced and Fun Kids love to stay active and keep moving, so it’s imperative that you structure a practice that is fast paced and fun. Here’s how… Plan Ahead of Time The #1 key here is preparation. You must have a well thought out practice plan. If you don’t already use a written practice plan, start now. This will allow you to keep things moving quickly and keep your players on track. Transition to New Drills Quickly This goes back to preparation. You need to have a plan and know exactly what drill is next. The last thing you want to do is have to think in between drills and try to figure out what to do. Get everyone running to the next spot and keep things moving. Choose Drills That Are Fast Paced Kids enjoy drills that require them to run around and be active. Things like dribbling through cones and kicking to each other or against a wall are great ways to keep them moving. Use Multifaceted Drills It’s more fun to use drills that incorporate a variety of skills. For example, a drill where kids dribble through cones, pass, and shoot is more entertaining than a simple passing drill. Not to mention a better use of practice time. Consider Using Stations Stations work great for a large group of young players. Simply set up stations on different parts of the field with a coach or parent at each one. Split the team into small groups and explain how each station works before letting them have at it. When the time expires, the whistle goes off and the kids rotate clockwise to the next station. If you have 6 stations, then it takes about a half hour to complete the entire sequence. You can experiment with the time, but with large summer camps, we have found that 4 minutes is just enough time to demonstrate the drill and let the kids practice for a few minutes. Kids really love it because things are constantly changing and moving quickly. ________________________________________________________________________ http://www.surefiresoccer.com © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

9 Use Assistant Coaches or Parents to Serve as Passers and Rebounders. Some drills move faster if you have some capable helpers to keep things moving, so put your assistant coaches and parents to work for you to keep practice flowing as smoothly as possible. Keep Everyone Busy. No Waiting in Lines. You’ll need to choose drills that complement the number of players and balls that you have, but there will be times when you have an activity that doesn’t allow for participation of the entire group. If you have some drills where you just can’t keep everyone occupied, give your players “busy work” drills that can be done on the side with little supervision. Here are 10 ideas for “busy work” drills and/or activities to keep your players active and learning at all times. • • •

Pass back and forth Shoot against a wall (if you have access to one) Small sided (like 2 on 2) games

You can almost always come up with the right combination of drills to keep everyone busy.

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Element #2 - How to Make Your Players Feel Successful It’s critically important to make sure that all of your players experience success. Without some level of achievement, it’s nearly impossible for them to enjoy themselves. Success helps to keep players motivated and enthusiastic about playing soccer. Success can come in a variety of forms. Most people think of winning as success. But that’s not what we’re talking about here. We believe that you should forget about winning and focus instead on learning, celebrating each player’s individual improvements along with the triumphs of the team as a whole. Here are just a few ways that you can celebrate those small, but meaningful accomplishments: •

Run a mix of drills that vary in difficulty so EVERY player has the opportunity to succeed. Sometimes, just completing a drill can create a feeling of victory and satisfaction for your players.

•

Verbally reward and praise improvement. Give your players lots of compliments when they’re doing well and let them know how much they have improved. Congratulate them on the progress they’ve made. It’s easy to forget how much they have grown as players, and it’s your job to remind them.

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Reward hard work because this usually results in improvement too.

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Measure performance and reward development. Your options are unlimited here. This can be as simple as tracking the number of shots they make during practice, then showing how much they improved a few weeks later. It’s a “small” success that makes players feel good and motivates them to keep working. A few other things that you can measure include: o o o o

Number of goals scored Number of defensive stops Number of clean passes Great communication to a teammate

You see, not everything is about winning. •

Don’t be overly critical. If you see that a player isn’t executing a drill properly, be sure to mention what they’re doing right as well. Players will respond better to criticism if it’s “sandwiched” between a couple of favorable comments. ________________________________________________________________________ http://www.surefiresoccer.com © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

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Element #3 - How to Establish Discipline and Keep Players Under Control One of the best ways to get your players to enjoy themselves and get the most from this experience is by establishing the right kind of discipline. That's right! Discipline, structure, accountability, and follow-through. Kids actually have more fun if they have a good set of rules in place. They respond well to structure because it makes them feel more secure. They know what to expect and how to perform. True, some will test you. Expect it! But remember to be consistent and always mean what you say. If you tell your team that talking during a team meeting means a lap around the field, then enforce it—always, and for EVERYONE. Have you ever watched the TV show Super Nanny? It's funny because her teachings are really effective and reinforce many of the things that we incorporate into soccer practices. We recommend watching her TV show to help with your practices. But in the meantime... 1. Set rules. 2. Communicate those rules both verbally and in writing. 3. Have a written schedule. 4. Have a written practice plan. 5. Follow through with your rules.

It's actually quite simple. Kids are smart. They know what they can get away with. So you must establish some very basic rules and expectations. You owe it to your players, their parents and especially to yourself. Do you really want to coach 20 kids without any discipline or structure in place? When rules are broken or expectations are not met, then there have to be consequences, every time. Not some of the time. Every time!

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12 The behavior of your players will very quickly change if you are consistent. This is where most coaches screw up! They let things slide here and there. They are not consistent in handing out discipline. Most coaches (and parents for that matter) continually give out verbal threats, but there's rarely any action behind their words. Kids quickly pick up on this and will begin to ignore your directions. That's why there must be disciplinary action EVERY time. Don't be wishy-washy, and very soon, you won't even have to give out discipline because your players will learn that they can't get away with misbehaving. Set a precedent on the first day of practice. This really works! When you're ready to start practice, blow the whistle and tell the kids to bring it in. It never fails. A few kids will hustle in and several others will mill around and slowly walk to you. Some might not even listen at all. At this point, you immediately discipline them. Have them all get on the end line and start running sprints. Then, blow the whistle and call them in again. Trust us; they’ll sprint to you this time. This will most likely be the last time that you’ll need to make them run for a while. Occasional reminders may be necessary, but your players will generally know that you mean business. Don't let them get away with things that are detrimental to themselves or your practice, and you’ll still have tons of fun! Because that's what it's all about! Now, you might be worried about establishing discipline because you don't want to be the bad guy and you want them to have fun. We don't blame you. Well, don't worry. They will actually like you even more for it. Trust us. We've been there!

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13 Here are some basic rules that have worked for us. •

No talking when a coach is talking.

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No lying. Period. There are very severe consequences for this.

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Always be on time.

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If you can't make practice, always call.

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Unsportsmanlike behavior is never acceptable.

It's also important to have a written schedule and consistency. Structure your practices with some regularity so that your players will know what to expect. Kids enjoy the organization and it helps to keep them in line. For example, if your players know that practice will probably start with some hard defensive drills and then after 30 minutes they’ll get 15 minutes of fun games that they really love, they’ll be more likely to work through the tough stuff so they can move on to something more enjoyable. Especially at the risk of NOT being able to participate in the games if they break the rules. As far as discipline goes, running sprints and reducing playing time are always surefire ways to effectively reprimand or correct your players’ behavior. Just be certain that whatever you choose is age appropriate (you wouldn’t have a 6 year old run a mile for talking while the coach is talking) and that your players’ parents are well aware of all rules and consequences. If you're in the middle of your season, you can still have a "transition day" where you start fresh with a set of rules. Then, stay consistent with your discipline from there on out. Because without the discipline, you'll be cutting your players short and struggling to reach your goals.

The Group Clap Trick Here’s a silly little trick that will help you keep your players organized and well behaved. This trick works best when you’re working with large groups, like youth camps. To this day, we still find it unbelievable that this works, but it does. Here’s how… At the very beginning of the camp/practice, split the players into 4 groups. Have each group sit down in a neat line on four different parts of the field. Let the players know that whenever you blow the whistle, they all need to sprint to their groups and get in straight line facing the specified direction. ________________________________________________________________________ http://www.surefiresoccer.com © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

14 The group that gets lined up first gets two claps. Yes, that’s right. Everybody simply claps twice. It’s simple, but it really helps you get players to behave and stop messing around between drills. Once each group is in line, give instructions for the next drill. For camps, we like to blow the whistle and give two claps between every drill that needs to be demonstrated.

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Element #4 - How to Grab and Hold Your Players’ Attention If you can’t get your players’ attention on a consistent basis, you’ll struggle to run a smooth and enjoyable practice. Even worse, you’ll end up frustrated and yelling at your players, which is not fun for anyone! To get some ideas for getting your players’ attention, we solicited advice from a school psychologist. They use special techniques to keep the attention of kids that have trouble focusing. Many of these techniques can be applied to coaching. Here are a few techniques to get your players’ attention and keep them focused: 1) Do less talking and more showing. Young kids have a very short auditory attention span, so you should limit talk to a max of 2 minutes. Then start showing. All too often, coaches talk, and talk, and talk. But it doesn’t do ANY good because no one is listening! It’s easy to forget that young kids aren’t much different than you as an adult. For example, how many times have you ignored the written assembly instructions on a piece of furniture or a toy and just focused on the illustrations to get the job done? The truth is that we tend to learn more from the “showing” than the “telling”. 2) Use all the senses. Again, do more than just give verbal instructions. You can get their attention by tapping into visual senses and actually showing them how to do something on the court. You can use cue cards, chalk boards, and so on. Another sure way to get a player’s attention is to put your hand on their shoulder. You obviously can’t be everywhere and use this technique in all situations, but keep this in mind when you need to quickly GRAB a floundering player’s attention. If an assistant coach is nearby, they can do the same. 3) Use point sheets. Start a reward system where players can earn points by paying attention. Keep track of their points on sheets. Then, as players earn points they can earn rewards like play money that can be used to buy Gatorade, drinks, or other items that you have on hand. 4) Choose topics that are of interest to your players.

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16 This might seem like a trivial tip, but few coaches seem to remember it. Kids are more interested in things that they can relate to. So, if anything, keep this in mind when structuring your practice: Mix some interesting stuff in between the boring stuff. For example, when working on shooting you can say, “Did you know that Landon Donovan takes practice shots every day?” Learn about your kids’ favorite players and talk about them. This little trick will keep them both interested and enthused. 5) Provide frequent breaks. It helps to provide frequent breaks between drills and activities. If players know that breaks are coming and you don’t push them too hard, they’ll pay more attention during practice. 6) Explain and show the reason why. A great way to get your players on board is to explain the reason why you do certain things. Most coaches neglect this super effective tactic and instead they just jam the tactics down their players’ throats. Explaining the “reason why” is a proven psychological trigger that causes people to take a desired action. Humans, by nature, want to know the reason why they are doing things. If your players don’t understand the reason you want them to keep their knees bent, always be ready to help, see man and ball, apply ball pressure, and so on, then they will NOT give 100%! 7) Constantly change things. Don’t dwell on the same drill for too long or your players will completely lose focus. Continually change things and move onto new drills every 2-5 minutes. 8) Use a timer. A common technique used by school psychologists is to use a timer. You can do the same thing during your practices. Set a timer that beeps every two minutes so you know when you’ve been talking for too long and when to move onto the next drill. A stopwatch is also effective and less distracting to players. 10) Ask questions to keep things interactive. ________________________________________________________________________ http://www.surefiresoccer.com © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

17 When you’re talking, be sure to ask the group and individuals questions. This type of interaction is much more interesting than just listening to someone talk, and it keeps players attentive, as they’ll want to be prepared in case they’re called on. 11) Use their first names frequently Nothing grabs a player’s attention more than calling out their name. In fact, anything that is about “you” or has your name in it will draw your attention. If you don’t know all of your players names, heaven forbid, learn them!! 12) All eyes on you. During the brief moments that you’re talking, make it a non-negotiable rule that ALL eyes are on you. This makes it a lot harder for players to lose their focus.

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Element #5 - How to Structure Your Practice The organization of your practice can have a profound effect on the entire experience for you and your team. A good structure will help you keep your players attentive, having fun, and everything running smoothly. A well-organized practice gives everyone the opportunity to have fun. Our first and most important suggestion is to prepare well ahead of time and develop a written practice plan. Take the time to strategically plan out and script your entire practice. You should know exactly which drill to run next by looking at your practice plan, which will help you dramatically improve the efficiency of your practice. Beyond that, here are 10 suggestions to help you better structure your practices: 1 – Introduce new drills and concepts at the beginning of practice when players are most attentive. 2 – Limit each drill to a MAX of 3-5 minutes. Young players just don’t have the attention span and brain development to benefit from drills longer than this. 3 - If you have a tough or boring drill coming up, be sure to follow up with a fun one, and let players know what’s coming. Many times, just knowing that something fun is around the corner will help them get through a difficult drill. 4 – Start to develop a consistent pattern and be sure that you don’t go too long without something fun. If you work on intense stuff for too long, your players will get rambunctious and they’ll never recover. 5 – Choose drills that are fast paced and incorporate conditioning. Avoid running players at the end because they will become anxious about the end of practice. Your normal drills should be so fast paced that you don’t need conditioning at the end. 6 – Logically organize drills so there is little down time. If a particular drill requires lots of time to set up, then run that drill directly after a break so you can set up while players are getting drinks. 7 – Use your players to help you set up drills, so they’re constantly involved. For example, you can teach them how to get cones and set them up for certain drills. Have them run to set up the cones between drills so there is no down time. You can even make a game out of it. The player that gets their cones set up first gets two claps.

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19 8 – Use your imagination to keep players busy at ALL times. If a certain drill requires only 5 players, have the rest of your players work on ball handing or jump rope on the side to keep them busy. No standing and waiting. 9 - End each practice on a positive note. Team oriented drills give them a feeling of togetherness as they leave the field. 10 – Break up the monotony. It helps to break things up throughout practice to avoid boredom. Players generally lose focus after working on the same thing for too long, so the more variety the better. For example, you could do 5 minutes of defensive drills and then change things up to a competitive drill that they enjoy.

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Element #6 - How to Keep Your Attitude Positive and Upbeat This comes down to your attitude and how you interact with your players. Do you continually yell at players to keep them in line? Do you criticize players more than you compliment them? Here are a few techniques to keep things positive and upbeat: Use the sandwich technique. When correcting players, be sure to start and end with a compliment. For example, if Billy doesn’t do a good job of marking his man say, “Hey Billy, way to hustle down the field. Next time the offensive player comes at you with a ball be sure to contain him. But good job with the hustle. Keep it up.” You see how this is more positive than simply correcting the kid? If you correct and critique kids too much, they’ll get discouraged and that’s the last thing you want. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself by worrying about winning. Too many coaches fall into the trap of feeling like they need to win all of their games. This added pressure can cause stress and a negative attitude. Remember that your goal is to make a difference in your players’ lives, not to win the national championship. Offer occasional non-verbal rewards. For a fun way to keep things interesting and provide a little motivation, try giving out rewards after practices. We used to give a Gatorade to players every time they went up for a header during a practice. This helped with "top of mind awareness", so they were often thinking about headers. But the players also had a lot of fun with it. One of the first things they'd say after games, with a big SMILE on their face, would be, "Did you see that header coach? You owe me a Gatorade!" Players can be motivated to achieve goals by occasionally offering tangible rewards or by utilizing a tactic of the great Morgan Wooten. Wooten offered "Permissions" to his players. Permissions are rewards granted to players for outstanding efforts or reaching set goals. The permissions are earned throughout the practice and then totaled up at the end. Each permission resulted in one less lap or other conditioning drill. ________________________________________________________________________ http://www.surefiresoccer.com © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

21 Show players that you care. Demonstrate that you care about players by showing a sincere interest in what they do both on and off the field. For example, you could attend their choir concerts, basketball games, baseball games, or whatever they participate in. This will show them that you really care about them and will help you build a better relationship. It all comes down to three simple rules to keep in mind: Smile. Enjoy yourself. Set a good example.

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Element #7- How to Make Your Drills Fun We have supplied you with 50 fun drills that you can use to make your practices fun, yet educational. But don’t stop there! You can make almost any ordinary drill fun. Just use your imagination. You can do things like: -

Turn the drill into a game. Nothing says, “FUN” like a game. You can turn a simple shooting drill into a game by keeping track of missed shots. If you miss you’re out. The last player standing wins.

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Gimmicks. Tricks like offering points will make any drill enjoyable. Allow players to earn redeemable points for paying attention, properly executing a drill, helping out a teammate, or whatever you choose. Points can get player’s rewards that range from a Gatorade to a few less sprints.

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Take a few tips from your childhood. Remember your favorite childhood games like “Mother, May I”, “Red Rover” and “Tag”? They’re still being enjoyed by kids today and you can incorporate basic soccer skills into almost all of them to create fun new activities for your team.

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Add props. Using simple props like cones, chairs, mats, and other common items can take ordinary drills to a whole new level. Have players dribble through cones to improve their ball handling skills or aim at mats for throw-ins.

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Occasionally Add Competitive Twists to Your Drills. We use the word “occasionally” because you shouldn’t use competition too much. In fact, some young kids do not respond to competition and are DEMOTIVATED by it. But as long as you’re careful, adding competition to your drills can be a great way to spice things up, make things fun, and keep players working hard. As an example, you could establish teams for a shooting drill and reward the team or individual player that makes the most shots. With a little imagination, you can come up with ways to make almost all your drills competitive. Just remember that comparisons

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23 between teammates can make some players feel badly about themselves and can spur rivalries between teammates. In short, it can squash a player's motivation. If you need to compare teammates, do so only to model a desired behavior or skill. For example, "Watch how Joe follows through with his chip shot, try that next time you're at the line and see how it feels."

Developing Skills and Having Fun As coaches, we all know that we can’t play games the entire time. Otherwise, the players wouldn’t develop their soccer skills properly. There are moments that you’ll have to teach and spend a few minutes having the kids run a drill that may not be so “fun.” A great way to do this is to teach a skill and follow it with a game that works on developing that particular skill. For example, spend a couple of minutes explaining how to make a chip shot. Have the kids work on it for 3 or 4 minutes. Then, have them see who can make the most chip shots in 2 minutes. Show them how to do a chest trap. Have your players partner up and do chest traps for a couple of minutes. After that, see who can get the most chest traps in 30 seconds. Try using this formula: Lecture (2 minutes) + Skill Building (2 to 4 minutes) + Game (1 min to 3 min) = 5 to 9 minutes, which is about the perfect amount of time to spend on a particular skill.

The drills and games in this ebook are an excellent jumping point for incorporating both fun and focus into your practices. Pick and choose according to the skills being enforced or just start from the beginning and work your way through. Either way, you’ll be pleased. When you get to the end, switch things up a bit and try one of the many variations offered for each drill/game. Your players are sure to love them and you’ll be amazed at all of the progress they’ll make.

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Shooting Drills

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Power Goals Drill Purpose Power Goals is a popular drill with young players. Young players like elimination games and it encourages them to focus as they try to become the “last man standing.” They enjoy the creativity of trying to score any way they can without defensive pressure. This drill develops one-touch accurate shooting and finishing skills.

Instructions 1. Players are to line up at the 18 yard line. The coach should be on one side of the goal with all of the balls. There is no goalie in this game. 2. Roll a ball to the first player who takes a strong, powerful shot on goal. During the same run, the player comes in close to receive a second ball which must be a finesse shot to the corner. Shots are to be taken from outside of the 6 yard goalie box. 3. If the player makes one of the two shots, he or she goes back into the line. 4. If the player misses both shots, he or she is out and then helps the coach retrieve the balls. 5. If the player makes both shots, he or she picks out another player who now also must make both shots to stay in the game.

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Teaching Tips Players should begin to think about the placement of their shots to the corners where goalies have the least chance of blocking the ball.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, allow players to take shots from within the 6 yard box.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, require shots to be taken with the opposite foot.

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Rapid Fire Drill Purpose Rapid Fire is a game that enables players to rise to the occasion of being the center of attention and be able to take a good shot. Players like the variation of passes from which they have to find creative ways to score after only one bound. This drill helps develop a goal scoring skill from a variety of positions.

Instructions 1. Players position themselves at the top of the penalty area. Each player has a ball. A goalkeeper is in the net. 2. A ball is tossed or passed to the shooter and the shooter must take a shot.

3. The toss to each shooter can be different (straight, chipped, volleyed, etc.) and the shooter must quickly take a shot either on a one-touch or no more than one bounce.

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4. If a player misses his or her shot then that player is out of the game until the next round. 5. The last remaining player wins.

Teaching Tips Players must learn to handle any type of ball that comes their way. Often a shot must be taken that is in an uncomfortable position for the shooter. If the shooter waits too long to control the ball, a defender may kick it away.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, allow the player more than one bounce to control the ball and allow shot to be taken off of a dribble.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, toss the ball to the opposite foot.

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Knock Out Shots Drill Purpose Players have a lot of fun playing elimination games and Knock Out Shots lets them try to eliminate their teammates from the match. Each participant gets a chance to be the final winner. This drill helps develop accurate long distance shooting skills in low pressure situations.

Instructions 1. Players should line up outside of the 18, each with a ball. A goalkeeper is to be used in this game. 2. Player 1 shoots from anywhere outside of the 18. If the player scores, then that player goes to the end of the line. 3. If player 1 misses the shot, he or she retrieves the ball and keeps shooting until a score is made. If the keeper stops the shot, player 1 gets the ball back and shoots again. 4. The next person in line shoots with the second ball. If player 2 scores before player 1, then player 1 is out. 5. If player 1 scores first, he or she goes to the end of the line and player 3 comes in to try to knock out player 2. 6. The winner is the player that knocks out all of the other players.

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Teaching Tips Players often fall into the trap of trying to make the “perfect shot”. If a good shot can be taken from distance then a player should be encouraged to take it. Often rebounds after a long shot lead to goal - a shot on goal is better than no shot on goal.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, allow players to take shots from within the 18.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, require shots to be taken with the opposite foot.

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Championship of the World Drill Purpose This drill develops passing, teamwork, and shooting skills. Every player has his or her favorite country and this is a game that lets them be creative and play for their “country’s glory.” Players get to work on critical skill sets while having a lot of fun in trying to become World Champions!

Instructions 1. Players on the team are divided into pairs. Each pair of players decide on the country they would like to be. 2. The game is played inside the 18 with a goalkeeper playing against all the teams. 3. On the whistle, the coach throws out 3 balls and teams try to score. When a player shoots they must call out their country’s name. Teams without a ball try to steal a ball away from another team. 4. Shots are not allowed to be taken inside the 6 yard goalie box. 5. If a goal is scored then that team is out and waits outside of the playing area. The last team remaining sits out the next round.

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Teaching Tips Players at all levels need to learn to communicate with each other during the course of play. Talking to a teammate to direct them or alert them to something they may not see is part of the game. The more hectic a game scenario becomes the more important it is to communicate.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, allow players to take shots from within the 6 yard box, and add one or two more goalies.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, require a certain number of passes to be made before a shot may be taken.

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Striking Distance Drill Purpose Players enjoy Striking Distance because it’s a game that includes periods of pressure and then periods of non-pressure. It takes some strategy and develops camaraderie amongst players as they try to map out a plan to score. This is also a drill that develops shooting ability.

Instructions 1. Players position themselves in 2 zones at the ends of a 45-yard long playing grid. There is a neutral zone (zone 1) in between the two zones with a goal at each end. Play begins with only one defensive player of each team in the other team’s zone 2. All of the others are in zone 2 also.

2. Play begins in one team’s zone 2. The goalkeeper (one of the defensive players) distributes the ball to one of his team’s players, or the coach throws in the ball to a specific player to begin the game.

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3. That player dribbles or passes in an effort to get the ball into the neutral zone. 4. All players stay in their zones except the attacker with the ball, who can move into the neutral zone to shoot. Defenders in zone 2 attempt to intercept the shot.

5. The one attacker positioned in zone 2 works to steal the ball back and shoot it. 6. The attacker in zone 2 can also attempt to shoot rebounds or deflections, whenever his team shoots from the neutral zone.

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Teaching Tips Accurate shooting under pressure is an important component of the game. A player should train him or herself to learn to keep shots and passes low to the ground with as much velocity as needed.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, defenders cannot intercept shots.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, remove the neutral zone, create a halfway line, and restrict teams to shooting from their own halves.

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Up and Shoot Drill Purpose One-on-one games that change the pace of a typical practice are always welcomed by the players. Youths like the quick get-up-and-go action of this simple and fast game. This drill also develops dribbling skills and teaches players to become more aggressive.

Instructions 1. Two players should lie down on the field near the 18-yard line with their feet towards the goal. 2. Roll the ball in front of them and at the same time yell “Go.”

3. The players then scramble to their feet and race to the ball, fighting to be the one to dribble and shoot on the goal.

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Teaching Tips During game situations, players from both teams are going to be battling each other for the ball. Contact in soccer is inevitable and shouldn’t be avoided in the quest for control of the ball.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, start the game at the 6-yard line.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add more players and increase the starting distance from the goal.

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King of the Circle Drill Purpose All young players enjoy this game and have fun being the King. They enjoy their temporary power of being able to “free” their teammates while developing passing and shooting skills.

Instructions 1. The players are divided into two teams. One player from each team is a king (and wears a pinny on his or her head). The king stands in the half-circle above the penalty box. 2. The remaining players assemble in the penalty area, each with a ball. 3. On this whistle, players on one team try to hit the other team with the balls. 4. If a player is hit with a ball, that player is “captured” and must stand still with his or her legs spread out. 5. The king frees the player by crawling through the player’s legs. Then that player becomes the new king and the original king gets a ball and tries to hit other players. 6. A team wins by hitting the king with the ball when he or she leaves the castle because if the king is frozen then he or she is unable to “unfreeze” a teammate.

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Teaching Tips In order to become a great soccer player, it’s important to know what’s happening in other areas of the field. A full-field-mindset takes time to develop but is one of the most beneficial skills a young player can have.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the playing area.

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Four-Goal Turmoil Drill Purpose Soccer is a game of scoring points and players enjoy any drill that allows them to score often. Four-Goal Turmoil is a game that allows players a great chance of success and so they try very hard to score a goal. The chaotic atmosphere of the game is a lot of fun for them. This drill helps encourage players to turn and change direction.

Instructions 1. Play takes place in a 30-by-20-yard playing area. Teams are composed of 4 players. Three-yard-wide goals are set up at the center of each of the four sidelines. There are no goalkeepers. 2. To start, players position in the center of the area and the coach drops the ball in the middle. 3. One team attacks goals A and B and defends goals C and D. The other attacks goals C and D and defends goals A and B. 4. Teams are awarded 1 point for each pass, dribble, or shot through the goals. 5. Each time a point is scored, the coach restarts the game by dropping the ball in the middle, as when the game began. 6. When the ball goes out of play, the game is restarted with a throw-in.

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Teaching Tips Players need to “keep their heads” in the game as this exercise can become very confusing quickly. Teamwork will be essential and encouraged.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, allow both teams to score on any goal.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, reduce the space to 20-by-20 yards, play 2 vs. 2 in a 20-by-15 yard area with four goalkeepers, or increase the area to 50-by-40 yards and play 6 vs. 6.

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Dribbling Drills

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Dribble Tag Drill Purpose Dribble Tag is a very popular game for players. Based on the game of tag played as very young children, it’s competitive, fun, and a great way to work on dribbling skills. This drill stresses improving the players’ dribbling technique and tactical awareness. It also improves the players’ speed off the mark and lateral movement.

Instructions 1. All players stand in the center circle. Two players have balls at their feet. 2. The two players with balls dribble around the circle and the other players try to avoid them. 3. On the whistle ball carriers must tag another player (without the ball) with their hands. Once tagged, the player leaves the center circle. 4. The player doing the tagging must have control of the ball when tagging players. 5. The last player remaining wins.

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Teaching Tips Players need to realize that in an uncontrolled game situation there are many things happening at once. The ability to control a ball as well as think about strategy is very important.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area and use only one player as the tagger.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the playing area and add another tagger.

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Sneak Attack Drill Purpose Sneak Attack is a drill that ranks among children’s favorites. Players enjoy the gamesmanship of trying to eliminate fellow teammates from the area of play. At the same time, this is drill develops dribbling skills as well as entire-field awareness.

Instructions 1. This game is played in the penalty box. Players are divided into 2 teams and each player has a ball. The 2 teams should wear different colored pinnies and are called team 1 and team 2. 2. Two “safe zones” are marked off at the corners of the penalty box with cones. 3. Players begin dribbling around the box. 4. A number is called out, 1 or 2, which indicates players on that particular team. They are to dribble their ball into one of the safe zones. 5. Players on the team that wasn’t called are to leave their balls and try to kick away or steal the balls from the players of the team trying to get into the safe zone. 6. Players reaching safe zones cannot have their balls taken away. 7. If a ball is kicked away or stolen, that player must leave the playing area. 8. The last team remaining wins.

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Teaching Tips Younger players, when dribbling, usually don’t take their eyes off of their feet. In order to develop full-field vision, the skill of observing the field while dribbling becomes important. Having an understanding of what’s happening around them is a great skill for players to develop.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a larger area and add another safe zone.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play the game with one safe zone in the middle of the playing area.

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Dribble Charge Drill Purpose This is a simple drill that develops and encourages dribbling with both feet. Players enjoy trying to “get around” an opponent in any way that they can.

Instructions 1. Two teams of 6 players each congregate in an area 30 yards long by 20 yards wide. 2. Offensive and defensive players (3 of each) pair up and position anywhere inside the playing area. 3. Attacking players must dribble past the defending players. 4. The defending players should try to gain possession of the ball and then dribble past an opponent. 5. Players may dribble in any direction inside the playing area to start, and play can progress to a variation in which the coach gives the attack a direction. 6. The offense earns 1 point whenever a player is able to dribble past a defender. 7. The offense is allowed to pass past a defender in an effort to advance the ball but receives no points for doing so.

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Teaching Tips Offensive players will need to be creative in trying to dribble around a defender. They should work on positioning their body between the ball and their opponent. Defenders should concentrate on containing the offensive player and being careful not to “throw the leg” unless they are confident they can win the ball

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play 3 vs. 2 or 2 vs.1.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, award an additional point for offensive players who dribble past a defender while using their weak foot or award points only for dribbling past a defender with the weak foot.

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Thieves Drill Purpose Players enjoy being the “thief” as much as they do trying to escape the thief. Thieves is a player favorite and they enjoy the keep-away aspect of the game. It also serves as a drill that develops dribbling skills and teaches players to avoid defenders while keeping control of the ball.

Instructions 1. The entire team assembles in the penalty area. All but three players have a ball. The 3 players are the “thieves.” 2. On the whistle each thief tries to steal a ball from a player that has one. If the thief steals the ball then he or she attempts to score on the goal. The player whose ball was stolen tries to prevent a goal from being scored.

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3. If the thief scores the goal, the player whose ball was stolen becomes a thief also. 4. If the thief misses the goal, then the original player gets the ball back and the play continues. 5. Play continues until only one player contains a ball.

Teaching Tips Players, particularly those on defense, will need to develop skills in taking the ball away from offensive players. It’s ok to be aggressive as long as no fouls are committed.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, begin with only one thief.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the playing area and add a goalie.

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Circle Dribble Drill Purpose Although not a game as there are no points awarded or eliminations, Circle Dribble is fun for players if run in a quick fashion by the coach. Players enjoy the aspect of “what’s coming next” and try to succeed at the skill presented to them. This drill develops dribbling skills in highpressure confined areas.

Instructions 1. Each player on the team, with a ball, should dribble slowly around the center circle. 2. As the players dribble, the coach shouts out commands… Jog – Players should dribble at a comfortable speed. Full Speed – Players should dribble at top speed. Cut – Players should cut the ball in the opposite direction and travel around the circle. Cross – All players should cut across the circle avoiding contact with other players and their balls.

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Teaching Tips Changing dribbling speeds is a great way to maneuver past opposing defenders. Players should also learn to keep their heads up and eyes off of the ball as much as possible.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, widen the circle area to make a bigger circle or use fewer players.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, allow players to kick away each other’s balls during the Cross.

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Relay Races Drill Purpose All children are familiar with the idea of relay races. As a coach, it’s great to take advantage of something that kids like outside of soccer and apply it in a game during practice. This is a drill in which the coach can choose the types of drills that target skills the team needs. Several examples of relay drills are given here that develop throw-in, running, and dribbling skills.

Instructions 1. All players on the team participate and are divided evenly into 2 groups. 2. Two “skill stations” are set up for each group – one at the 50 yard line and one at each side line. 3. Players are to form two lines on the end line. 4. On the whistle, players sprint to the 50 yard line, with a ball, and dribble through a series of cones without touching them. Any cone that a ball makes contact with means the player must repeat the drill until completed successfully. 5. After dribbling through the cones, players dribble their ball to the side line where they pick up their ball and make a throw-in that must land between 2 cones. If the ball does not land between the cones the player must run to pick up the ball and repeat the throw-in. 6. After successfully completing the throw-in, the player runs to the end line and the next player begins the obstacle course. 7. The team that completes the relay first is the winner.

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Teaching Tips Dribbling skills while under pressure are important to match play. Throw-ins must be of proper form – both hands over the head and both feet on the ground when the throw is made.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, shorten running and throw-in distances and make the cones wider for easier dribbling.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add more cones which are closer together and set up the throw-in cones closer together and farther away to make a throw-in more challenging.

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Pinny Tag Drill Purpose Pinny Tag is a very popular game for young players. They like the “tag” aspect and the challenge of stealing the pinny from a teammate. This drill develops dribbling skills and teaches players to avoid defenders while keeping control of the ball.

Instructions 1. Each player will need a ball and a pinny. They then set up in the penalty area. Pinnies are to be tucked into the shorts in the back. 2. On the whistle, players dribble around the goal box and try to grab the pinny out of the shorts of other players. 3. A player is eliminated from the game if the pinny is removed from his or her shorts by another player. 4. The last player left with a pinny is the winner.

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Teaching Tips Avoiding defenders is an important skill for offensive players. During a game situation, defenders attack from all directions and it’s necessary to develop the composure to handle such onslaughts.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play it as teams and use 2 different colored pinnies.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the playing area.

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Criss-Crossing Drill Purpose If players could list their favorite drills, Criss-Crossing might be at the top of the list. It’s a game that is a lot of fun and players like the individual and team aspects. This drill develops dribbling skills in highpressure confined areas.

Instructions 1. The team is divided into two groups. Each player should have a ball. 2. The teams line up at opposite ends of the short sides of the goal box. 3. On the whistle, all the players dribble across the penalty box to the other side, trying to avoid the other team coming at them with their balls. 4. The team that reaches the other side first, lined up on the line, with their feet on their balls, is the winner.

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Teaching Tips If possible, players should learn to dribble quickly in small areas and at the same time be aware of where they’re going by making effort to take their eyes off of their feet when moving forward.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, use a smaller number of players for each team.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add another layer of pressure by monitoring the amount of time it takes to reach the end.

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Ball Suicides Drill Purpose Kids like races in general and Ball Suicides is no different. The coach can be creative with this game and add different “flavors” to it to keep it interesting. This drill helps develop fast dribbling and quick-stopping skills.

Instructions 1. Each player on the team positions along the end line with a ball 2. On the whistle, the players dribble to the 6 yard line, stop the ball on the 6 yard line and then dribble back to the end line. 3. In a continuous motion, the players then dribble to the 18-yard line and so on. 4. Players that do not stop the ball on the appropriate yard line (at the discretion of the coach) before dribbling are given a 10 second penalty. 5. The first player to finish wins.

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Teaching Tips Players must learn that soccer is a game of stopping and starting. Dribbling and coming to a complete stop is a great way to confuse defenders as they are used to defending an offender traveling with the ball at only one speed.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play to the 50 yard line only. In order to change the pace so it’s not a constant sprint, the coach can yell out “walk” or “half-speed” in order to give the players a break.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, try an entire field suicide.

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Crab Trap Drill Purpose Children enjoy games in which they have the ability to “knock” their teammates out of the game. Crab Trap is fun for both the dribblers as well as the crabs. This drill helps develop speed and footwork while dribbling the ball.

Instructions 1. Two players are to set up “crab-style” in the penalty box. These are the crabs. The crabs have to move on all fours, stomach up. 2. The rest of the players, each with a ball, line up on one side of the penalty box. 3. The players try to dribble across the penalty box to the other side without that ball going out of bounds or being touched by a crab.

4. If a crab touches the ball, then the player who lost the ball becomes a third crab, and so on.

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5. The last player with a ball wins.

Teaching Tips Players need to develop ball handling skills in small areas under high pressure. This can be essential when trying to set up a shot or when attempting to get the ball out of a dangerous defensive area.

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Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, start the game with only a few players with a ball.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, begin with more crabs and use the 18 yard penalty area.

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Passing Drills

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Through the Uprights Drill Purpose Any simple game that has a degree of competition is a lot of fun for youth players. Elimination events are very popular and Through the Uprights is no different This game stresses the importance of crisp, accurate passes.

Instructions 1. Players are divided into pairs and each pair has one ball. 2. One player should stand on the end line and the other on the 6 yard line. 3. The player on the 6 stands with legs apart as far as possible and may not move. 4. The player on the end line passes the ball through the legs of his or her partner. 5. If the pass goes through the legs, the partner does the same thing back. 6. If the passer is unsuccessful in passing through the legs, the pair is eliminated. 7. The last pair remaining wins.

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Teaching Tips Players need to learn their own passing strength. If a pass doesn’t reach a teammate, a player from another team can easily take the ball away. Passing through a tight target requires a harder pass so that the ball makes it through in a straight line. Each playing surface is different and a player should learn to temper the strength of their passes based on field conditions.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, have the players stand closer together (closer than 6 yards apart) when making passes.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, players should set up farther apart.

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Marbles Drill Purpose Marbles is a player favorite and often generates a lot of laughter. Players enjoy recreating a child’s game in a way that’s competitive against their teammates. This drill develops strong, controlled passing skills and shots.

Instructions 1. Each player on the team assembles in the center circle with a ball. 2. The idea is to kick an opponent’s ball outside of the circle by bumping their ball with your own ball. 3. If a ball shot at another ball misses and leaves the center circle, the player who shot the ball is out. 4. Any ball bumped out of the center circle “marble-style” is also out. 5. The last player left is the winner.

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Teaching Tips A player needs to realize that a pass that’s too soft and doesn’t reach its target or a pass that’s too hard that over-reaches its target is not useful. Controlled passes in congested areas of the proper power are a necessary aspect of game play.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the playing area.

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The Long Pass Drill Purpose Being given the opportunity for scoring a point for making a pass makes The Long Pass a favorite among players. Everyone gets a chance to score points in this game so it’s a lot of fun. This drill develops and encourages long passing techniques by getting the ball to the target player.

Instructions 1. Play takes place in a 30-by-20 yard field divided into 3 areas. Two teams of 4 players each set up in the middle area 2. The game begins in the center area, and players must pass from behind the zone line. 3. Teams are awarded 1 point for a successful pass into a zone. After a successful pass, the game restarts with a free pass from within the zone to a player from the scoring team, and defenders must freeze while the free pass is made. 4. If the ball goes out of play, possession changes and the game restarts with a free pass. 5. Again defenders must freeze while the free pass is made. 6. Players may not make a pass to a zone directly from a restart.

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Teaching Tips Players will begin to develop a sense of their “own strength” when making passes and not pass too strongly or too softly. Clean passes under pressure will be critical in a game situation.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, allow players to score points by lofting or driving the ball into the zone.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, give each player only 2 touches to play when in possession, increase the field size, or play 5 vs. 5.

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Short and Concise Drill Purpose Players that may not feel they’re good at scoring goals do well in Short and Concise because passing is the name of the game. Players like being able to win a game simply by passing and in this game passing is more important than scoring. This drill helps develop short passing technique.

Instructions 1. Two teams of 3 players each take to the field. The playing area is 20-by-30 yards with one goal set up at the far end. 2. Offensive and defensive teams consist of 3 players each. The field is divided into 2 zones. 3. The 3 offensive players and 1 defensive player position in Zone 1, and the remaining defensive players position in Zone 2, one of them acting as a goalkeeper.

4. Play begins with a kick-in from the goal line. The defensive player kicks-in to an offensive player in Zone 1 and players play 3 vs. 1 in zone 1.

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5. The offensive team must pass three times before moving into zone 2, where they will again play 3 vs. 1 and make three passes before shooting on goal.

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6. Defenders must stay in their zones. 7. The offense receives 2 points for successfully passing in zone 1, 2 points for successfully passing in zone 2, and 1 point for a goal. 8. If a defender wins the ball, the game restarts with a free pass between attackers.

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Teaching Tips Players need to be reminded of the importance of making passes that their teammates can easily trap. They also should learn to get themselves open to receive a pass.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play 4 vs. 1 in each zone.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, allow the defender in zone 1 to move to zone 2 once the ball is in zone 2, or play 3 vs. 2 in each zone.

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Tennis Drill Purpose All youth players are aware of the game of tennis. Playing soccer with a different game’s mindset is a great mental break for players and they unconsciously develop skills at the same time. This drill helps develop proper handling of balls in the air.

Instructions 1. A line of cones is set up and 2 players assemble on each side of the cones. The cones represent the “net.” 2. Team 1 serves the ball. The ball can be served as a drop-kick.

3. Team 2 controls the ball and kicks the ball back. 4. The ball should go over the cones in the air and only once bounce is allowed on the other side before the team returns the ball. If the team can return the ball without letting it bounce that’s fine as well.

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5. This volley continues until either the ball does not go into the air or the ball bounces twice. 6. Scoring is the same as a tennis match.

Teaching Tips Players will benefit from developing passing skills on balls that have not come to a complete stop. Accurate control of the ball in the air is a great asset to have.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area and allow more than one bounce.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the playing area.

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Two on One Drill Purpose Players enjoy games that are somewhat “off the beaten path” of normal practice activities. Two on One enables players to score points while making passes to each other or trying to steal the ball. Players like this game because they can all be successful. This drill helps develop the mindset of getting clear to receive a pass from a teammate.

Instructions 1. Two players are on offense and one player is on defense. 2. The two offensive players move inside a 15-by-15 yard area. 3. The offensive players pass the ball back and forth, trying to make as many passes in a row as they can. The defender should try to steal the ball, then give it back, and the drill starts again. 4. The offensive players should keep the ball moving at all times. When a player receives the ball, he or she should redirect it away from the defender and create space to give him or herself time to make a good pass to a teammate. 5. For a total score, each time the defender steals a ball one point is awarded. Each time 4 passes are made between offensive players, 1 point is awarded. 6. The offensive player that loses the ball becomes the new defender.

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Teaching Tips Players need to realize that good soccer players need to pass the ball away before they’re in trouble and not after. The receiver must always be moving to a position so that the defender is not in a passing lane.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a larger area.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play in a smaller area.

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Win the Ball Drill Purpose Win the Ball is a game that often ends up with the team cheering each other on. Players have a lot of fun trying to gain possession of a ball and passing it back to a teammate. Since there are only 4 players at one time, each player gets the spotlight. This drill stresses the importance of winning the ball and never giving up.

Instructions 1. Players are divided into two teams. Both teams stand on the outside of the 18-yard box on either end. 2. A ball is fed into the center of the box. The first 2 players sprint into the box and battle each other for the ball.

3. The object is to control the ball long enough to pass it back to the teammate waiting on the end line.

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4. The ball must stay in the penalty box area and may only be passed over the sides of the box where the teammate is standing. 5. After every player has had an attempt to win the ball, the team with the most retrieved balls is the winner.

Teaching Tips Players need to understand that controlled aggression is an aspect of the game and needs to be developed. There is nothing wrong with playing rough as long as the player is trying to take control of the ball and not breaking any rules or attempting to hurt another player. ________________________________________________________________________ http://www.surefiresoccer.com © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

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Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the playing area.

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Table Soccer Drill Purpose Table Soccer is a player favorite because it reminds the athletes of the foosball table soccer game. It’s a game of skill and chance and players can’t get enough of it. This drill stresses the importance of accurate passing and the need to stay open to receive a pass.

Instructions 1. Players are divided into 2 teams and the field is divided into 6 zones. Teams are alternated within each zone. Zones can be marked off with cones or chalk. 2. Players must try to score, but are not allowed to dribble out of their zone. 3. In order to move the ball down the field, they must pass the ball through or kick it over the opponent’s zone in order to get the ball to a teammate. 4. The team that scores a goal wins.

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Teaching Tips Young players should begin to learn that soccer is a total team sport and that they are never alone on the field. Communication with teammates is a vital part of the game. Finding open space so that a passer can give a clean pass is as important as making the pass yourself.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play half-field and make the zones smaller.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, allow one enemy player in each zone.

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Avoid the Middle Drill Purpose Avoid the Middle is no different from a typical scrimmage except there is an area that can’t be used. Players enjoy the slight variation and have fun trying to find ways to be creative playing on a field with an off-limits zone. This drill helps develop a mindset of feeding the ball to the outside when on offense or defense.

Instructions 1. Players are divided into 2 teams and play a half-field scrimmage. A goal is set up at the 50 yard line with cones. 2. An area of about 30-by-30 feet is marked off by cones in the center of the field. This is a dead zone for both teams and the players or the ball are not to enter this area. 3. During the scrimmage, players work around the dead zone. 4. The defense should work to bring the ball to the outside and the offense tries to bring the ball down the wing.

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Teaching Tips Younger players often neglect to use the spacious areas to the outside during the game. They should keep in mind that a pass to the outside is safer when on defense and is great for setting up a cross when on offense.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area and make the dead zone smaller.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play the game with a larger dead zone.

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Point Passer Drill Purpose Point Passer is a fun drill that involves collecting points without having to shoot on goal. Players enjoy being the Point Person as well as being able to participate in the scoring by passing to the Point. This drill helps players learn to get free, receive the ball, and look for open teammates.

Instructions 1. The team is divided in half and one team starts on offense and the other on defense. Play takes place on one half of the field. 2 Each team designates one player to be their “Point Passer”. The Point Passer’s job is to get free from defenders and receive the ball under control from a teammate. Every time the Point Passer receives a ball a point is given to his or her team. 3. The Point Passer then passes the ball back to a teammate for another point. Points are given when the Point Passer is involved in receiving or distributing a pass. 4. If the defense steals the ball, they go on offense and attempt to pass to their own Point Passer. 5. Points are also awarded if a team is able to make 5 passes in a row amongst themselves (5 different teammates) without the participation of the Point Passer. 6. Whichever team scores the most points after a given period of time wins.

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Teaching Tips Trying to find an open space in order to receive a pass is a vital “off the ball” skill. Players need to develop the abstract thinking of passing the ball to where their teammate will be rather than where he or she is right now.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area or allow more time for the match.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add two point passers and play in a larger area.

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Neutral Passing Game Drill Purpose Players enjoy scrimmages in general and scrimmages that help them learn are beneficial to the entire team. This drill helps players develop sharp passing skills as well as stresses the importance of feeding the ball out wide to the flanks when moving down the field.

Instructions 1. This game is played similar to a scrimmage but with a smaller number of players on each team (about 5 or 6). 2. The game is played on half of the field. With cones, outside lanes (which basically extend the 18 yard line) are marked off. These represent “safe” zones where a player can’t be challenged. One player is in each safe zone. These players are neutral and don’t represent any team.

3. A team needs to pass the ball into the safe zone at least once before being allowed to go to the goal and take a shot.

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4. The safe zone player needs to pass the ball back to the same team he or she received the ball from.

Teaching Tips Passing the ball to the outside is a great way to disrupt the defense. Typically, younger players bunch-up in the middle of the field and rarely utilize potential help on the wings where a player can receive a ball and ________________________________________________________________________ http://www.surefiresoccer.com © Copyright 2010 Surefire Soccer

91 make a run down the field towards the goal or make a cross to the center.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, add more players to each team and add a second neutral zone player.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, make the goals smaller and the neutral zones smaller.

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Hot Rock Drill Purpose Hot Rock is a challenging game that’s great for skill-building and is a lot of fun as well. Players enjoy collecting points and trying to beat their opponents. This drill develops receiving with the foot, thigh, or chest.

Instructions 1. Six players (3 vs. 3) position themselves in a playing area of about 35-by-25 yards. 2. Play begins with the drop of the ball. 3. The focus is on controlling the ball and there are no goals to shoot upon. 4. One point is awarded for every pass received and controlled by the foot and 2 points for every pass received and controlled by the thigh or chest. 5. Any ball that goes out of bounds is put back into play with a throw-in.

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Teaching Tips It’s important that players master receiving under pressure. They need to be able to break down a play in their minds and trap first before passing. Often a player will try to do everything at once and end up losing the ball.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play 3 vs. 1 or 4 vs. 2 or increase the playing area.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play 2 vs. 3 or 3 vs. 4 or decrease the playing area.

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Offensive/Defensive & Team Drills

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Poke Away Drill Purpose A poke tackle is simply a toe-touch by a defender on a ball to disrupt the offensive player’s progress. Players enjoy the action involved with this game and disrupting a fellow teammate’s forward progress with a slight defensive maneuver is always great fun. This drill develops poke-tackling techniques and instills being “in the right place at the right time.”

Instructions 1. Players position themselves in a playing area with a goal set up at each end. The game consists of 4 offensive players and 2 defensive players. 2. The attacking team starts play with a kickoff. 3. One point is awarded for each poke tackle made by the defense. 4. After the defense makes a tackle, the ball is returned to the offense.

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Teaching Tips A poke tackle can be very useful when the defender is in a position where other means of defense aren’t possible, such as when chasing from behind. The ability to simply poke a ball away from an offender can potentially save a goal.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, decrease the size of the field or add a defender.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the size of the field or add another offensive player.

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One Player Out Drill Purpose Any form of “staying alive” in a game is great fun for youth players. They are all familiar with musical chairs and One Player Out is the same thing but in soccer form. This drill helps develop dribbling skills and the ability to think ahead.

Instructions 1. All players assemble in the center circle each with a ball. 2. Players begin dribbling around the center circle area.

3. The coach yells “Change” and players must leave their ball and find a new ball. 4. During the change-off the coach kicks one ball out of the circle.

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5. The player who ends up without a ball is out of the game. 6. The last remaining player is the winner.

Teaching Tips Understanding what a fellow player is doing with the ball or where he or she intends to run next is an awareness skill that develops over time. Players need to realize that during a team game such as soccer that all players are all playing a role whether they have a ball in their possession at the moment or not.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a larger area and don’t kick a ball away in every round.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, kick 2 balls away during switches.

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Mark the Man Drill Purpose Mark the Man is a fun game and youth players enjoy how simple it is yet at the same time they don’t realize they are working on valuable skills. It’s a great diversion exercise and takes a player’s mind off of trying to score into a goal. This drill develops one-on-one defending skills.

Instructions 1. Two teams of 2 players each assemble in a playing area of about 30-by-10 yards. 2. Each team has an end line to defend and the two end lines act as goals. 3. Play begins in the middle of the playing area with a drop ball. 4. Players must stay between the attacker with the ball and the goal they are defending. 5. To make this game defense-oriented, only the defense can score points. 6. One point is awarded when an attacker cannot advance the ball past the defender and must pass or kick it away. Two points are awarded if a defender intercepts or takes away the ball. 7. When the ball goes out of bounds, play is restarted with a throw-in. 8. The game may be played to 5 points before teams switch ends.

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Teaching Tips One of the most important skills a defender can have is the ability to mark (or contain) a player with the ball. Defenders should learn to be patient and not throw their leg (that is, reach for the ball and miss which allows an offender to go around them) unless they are sure they can get the ball or recover quickly if they don’t.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, allow the offensive team more time by permitting the defense to pressure only in their half of the field.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, allow the offensive team less time by permitting the defensive team to pressure full field or lengthen the size of the playing area.

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Can’t Turn Drill Purpose During the course of a long practice, players welcome simple drills that are a lot of fun. Can’t Turn is an athletic game that allows players to have fun practicing an important skill. This drill helps develop defensive marking skills.

Instructions 1. One grid is to be set up, with cones, that measures about 10-by-20 yards. Six players participate in this drill. Two players are in the center of the grid and 2 players, the passers, stand at each end of the grid. One player has a ball. One of the 2 players in the center of the grid is an offensive player and one is a defensive player. 2. The object of the game is for one player in the grid to receive a ball, turn with it, and pass the ball to a player on the other side.

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3. The defensive objective is to beat the offensive player to the ball. If the offensive player wins the ball, then the defensive player tries to not allow him or her to turn. 4. The offensive player is allowed to pass the ball back to the original passer and try again.

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Teaching Tips Preventing an offensive player from turning is an important defensive skill. If the offensive player’s only option is to pass the ball backwards if being defended well, then the defensive player has marked him or her successfully.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area or allow more time for the match.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add two offensive players and two defensive players in the center grid to work on defensive positioning.

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Transition Drill Purpose Transition is exciting for players because there is constant action and 3 goals set up in a small area. This game helps develop a mindset of transitioning from defense to offense and keeping the ball to the outside when on offense.

Instructions 1. Players are divided into 2 teams, an offensive team and a defensive team. A goalie defends the defensive goal. 2. The defense defends the normal goal and the offense defends two small goals set up on the end lines near the 50 yard line. The game is played on an entire half field. 3. The idea of the game is to force the defense not only to clear the ball to the outside but also to begin transitioning into offense when they have the ball.

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Teaching Tips Players must realize that they are total soccer players who happen to play in defensive positions. Having the label of a defensive position does not mean that offense should be neglected. Goals are usually the result of takeaways by the defense and it’s the defense that starts the offense.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area and make the mini-goals on the side lines larger.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play the game with fewer players.

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Defend the Cone Drill Purpose Players enjoy small-sided skill challenges in which they can score points against each other. Defend the Cone is a game that builds defensive camaraderie and it’s fun for players to guard the cone as well as to try and knock it over. This is a drill that stresses defensive teamwork as well as one-on-one defensive skills.

Instructions 1. Players are to be divided into groups of 4 passers and 2 defenders each. 2. The passers try to knock over the cone from any direction. 3. The defenders try to protect the cone and also steal the ball. 4. Points are given to defenders for successfully guarding the cones for a certain amount of time and offensive players get points for knocking a cone over.

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Teaching Tips Defensive players, when marking an offender, should learn to keep their eyes on the defender’s stomach rather than on the ball. The stomach is more of an indicator of what the offensive player plans to do next.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, add 2 cones or another offensive player and/or defender.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add more offensive players.

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Five Seconds Drill Purpose Youth players enjoy timed tests of skill and trying to succeed at “beating the clock.” Five Seconds is fun for both offensive and defensive players. Each player will enjoy his or her role in this game. This drill helps develop one-on-one defensive skills.

Instructions 1. The team is divided into 2 groups. One group are the defenders and should line up on the end line by the goal. The second group should form a line at about the 40 yard line. Each player in the second group has a ball. 2. On the whistle, the offensive player begins dribbling towards the goal and the defensive player runs to intercept the ball. 3. The offensive player is given 5 seconds to score a goal. A shot can be taken from any distance. 4. The defensive player tries to stop the offensive player from moving forward and, if possible, forces the offensive player outside and away from the middle.

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Teaching Tips The defensive player should feel a sense of victory if they stop forward progress by the offensive player. If the offensive player can only pass the ball backwards or to his or her sides then the defensive player has done a good job in not letting the offensive player move closer towards the goal.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area or allow more time for a goal to be scored.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add two offensive players and keep the time allowed for a goal very short.

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Three-Way Scrimmage Drill Purpose Round-robin games are always a player favorite. Three-Way Scrimmage allows players to have fun building camaraderie and trying to be the best team that stays on the field the longest. Simulating a game situation, scrimmages are designed to help players test new and old skills in a match setting.

Instructions 1. Players are divided into 3 teams. Goalies are optional. There will likely not be enough players to field an 11 person team, so divide small teams into make-shift offenses and defenses. 2. The game should be played sideways on half of the field to keep the field small. 3. Two teams start the scrimmage and one team sits out. 4. Teams play until a goal is scored. The team that scores the goal gets to stay on the field, and the other team goes off. 5. The team that is sitting out comes in.

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Teaching Tips Players should treat scrimmages as they would an actual game but should feel free to try new skills or moves that they’ve learned in practice.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, shorten the length of the field.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play longer sessions for each round by requiring 2 or more goals to be scored before the losing team goes off.

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Run Around the Clock Drill Purpose This is a frantic game that often results in a lot of laughter. Players enjoy having to think fast on their feet and racing each other to the end. This drill helps develop quick-start player speed and team spirit.

Instructions 1. Players are paired off and each pair stands around the center circle, one behind the other, to form the 12 points of the clock. No ball is to be used in this game. 2. The pairs are numbered 1 through 12.

3. The coach calls out different times on the clock, such as “10 after 6”. 4. The players who were given these numbers sprint around the outside of the circle in a clockwise manner and then return to their original position. Four players will be running at one time.

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5. The first player to return to his or her original position wins.

Teaching Tips Players need to develop quick thinking and be able to move “off the mark” when a situation to do so arises.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller circle.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the playing circle and call out times such as “three-thirtyfive” so that 3 players run instead of just 2.

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Three’s a Crowd Drill Purpose This drill helps develop quick-start player speed, quick thinking, and team spirit. It’s exciting for the players because it’s timed (and they may not know the time while they’re playing), simple, and they enjoy the possibility of making their teammates do push-ups.

Instructions 1. Players pair off and position themselves around the center circle. No ball is used in this drill. 2. The goal of the game is to avoid being in a group of 3 when the game ends. The game is to be timed (such as 20 seconds). 3. On the whistle, the coach points to one pair of players to start the game. 4. One player from each pair must then run to any other pair (running across the circle is allowed) and tag one player. That player then runs to another pair, tags a player, and so on. A player may run to the team that has one player, but then that team must be the one to run next.

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5. When the coach yells “stop” after 20 seconds and if any of the groups contain 3 players, then that group is required to do push-ups or extra exercise.

Teaching Tips Players must develop the ability to quickly think on their feet. Lapses in concentration can often result in a goal against your own team.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller circle.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, alter the game by using a ball and the team with the ball after 20 seconds is the loser.

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Corner Kicking, ThrowIn, Heading, & SlideTackling Drills

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Corner Scoring Drill Purpose Corner Scoring is a fun set-play kind of drill in which players enjoy collecting points as well as sharpening an important skill. This drill develops skills in attacking and defending off of corner kicks.

Instructions 1. Two teams of 4 players each play in an area 20-by-40 yards with a goal set up along the length of the area on one side.

2. The offensive team gets four corner kicks (one for each player), attempting to score on each kick. Two points are awarded for a goal scored directly off a corner kick and 1 point for a goal scored before the defense can control the ball.

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3. To focus the game on the defense, 1 point is awarded for not allowing a score on a corner kick. 4. After each player has taken a turn kicking, teams should switch roles.

Teaching Tips Players must learn to develop a sense of timing when attacking or defending off of corner kicks. They must time their runs to meet the ball when it comes into the area and then quickly execute with one touch of the ball.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play 5 vs. 3 or 4 vs. 2 or don’t allow the defense to touch the ball first, even if they are able to do so.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play 4 vs. 5 or 3 vs. 5 or award points only for direct scoring from corner kicks.

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Dodge Ball Throw-Ins Drill Purpose Every kid knows how to play dodgeball and Dodge Ball Throw-Ins is a fun variation of the game they all know. This drill helps players learn to successfully and consistently make legal throw-ins.

Instructions 1. Play takes place in an area about 20 square yards in one corner of the field. 2. Players are divided into 2 teams. One team is inside the grid area and the other team stands along the side and end lines, each player with a ball. 3. On the whistle, the first player with a ball tries to make a good throw-in and hit one of the players in the grid. Only one player may make a throw-in at a time. 4. The ball must bounce on the ground before hitting the player. 5. The player that has been hit is then out of the game. 6. The last player remaining wins.

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Teaching Tips An easy way to lose possession of the ball is to use an improper throw-in. Players need to develop comfort making throw-ins and make them consistently.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play in a smaller area.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play in a larger area and allow 2 players to make throw-ins at a time.

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Heads Up Drill Purpose Many young players avoid headers for fear of getting hurt. Heads Up is a game that helps them overcome their fears. Players like the possibility of being able to score often and end up conquering their fear of headers. This drill develops confidence with heading skills

Instructions 1. Two teams of 3 players each occupy a 20-square-yard area with one goal set up in the center of one sideline. 2. Offensive and defensive teams each consist of 3 players. The defensive team utilizes a goalkeeper as one of its 3 players. 3. The offensive team has the ball, and the game begins in the center of the playing area. 4. When play begins, the offensive team attempts to score as many goals as possible in 6 minutes. A kicked goal is worth 1 point and a goal scored by heading is worth 2 points. 5. After a goal, the defensive team restarts play with a goal kick. 6. Teams play the game normally during minutes 1, 3, and 5. During minutes 2, 4, and 6, the coach calls, “Heads up!” to indicate a minute of heading for the team on offense. One specific player is designated the header and he will receive tosses from a teammate and attempt to head the ball into the goal past the goalkeeper as many times as possible during the allotted minute. All other players freeze during this time. 7. Switch teams after 6 minutes of play or when 10 points have been made.

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Teaching Tips Heading is a basic soccer skill and is important to master. Players should become comfortable with using their heads for passing and shooting to the point where it becomes second nature.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, eliminate the goalkeeper during the heading sessions.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play with an even number of field players.

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Single Combat Drill Purpose Many players enjoy the exciting act of slide-tackling. Single Combat gives them a fun way to work on this skill and they enjoy the fact that everyone can score. This drill helps develop defensive slide-tackling techniques.

Instructions 1. Players position themselves in a playing area with 2 5-yard-wide goals and a 4-yard-long shooting zone set up at each end. 2. Play begins at midfield, and the 2 defenders try to tackle the ball while the 2 offensive players try to move the ball down the field. 3. Once inside the 4-yard shooting zone, the offensive players may shoot on goal. 4. If a goal is scored, the ball goes to the opposing team and play restarts with a throw-in at its own end line. 5. Two points are awarded for any ball that is won by tackling and 1 point if the ball leaves the field and is awarded to the defensive team.

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Teaching Tips Slide tackling is a necessary defensive skill to be used as a weapon only when needed. Players should develop proper technique and be very careful when attempting a slide tackle so as not to injure another player or receive a foul from the referee.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, reduce the length of the field or play 2 vs. 3.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, create a dividing line halfway down the field and require the defender to tackle in the opponent's half of the field only.

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Goalkeeping Drills

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Goalie Game Drill Purpose Youth players enjoy the act of scoring goals and goalies enjoy blocking them. Goalie Game helps players develop their shots while scoring points and the goalie has fun blocking shots any way he or she can. This drill helps shooters and goalies learn to block moving shots taken from angles.

Instructions 1. Players are divided into 2 teams, one on either side of the goal. Each puts half its players on the 18 and half on the end line with the balls. 2. Team A puts one of its players in the goal. 3. Team B passes the ball from the goal line to the first player in line on the 18. That player takes a shot without controlling the ball. 4. The shooter becomes the goalie. Team A now passes the ball. 5. After all players take a shot, the team with the most goals wins.

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Teaching Tips During a game situation there are often scenarios where a good shot can be taken but there’s not enough time to stop the ball first. Learning to take a shot on goal with a ball that isn’t controlled is a great way to score goals as it catches defenders off-guard.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, line the players up closer to the goal rather than on the 18 yard line to start the game.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add a second goalie.

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Keeper Pitching Drill Purpose Keeper Pitching is a game that involves both the offense and the defense. Players enjoy the fast ways of collecting points as they practice receive outlet passes from the keeper. For goalkeepers, this drill develops the ability to distribute the ball by throwing it.

Instructions 1. Two teams of three players each set up in a 30-by-20 yard playing area with a goal at one end. A goalkeeper is present and plays for the defense. 2. The offensive team is awarded 1 point for each goal they score and for each distributed ball that they can gain possession of before the distributor’s teammates do. 3. The defense is awarded 1 point each time the goalie successfully distributes the ball by throwing it to a teammate who can control the ball. 4. Once the ball is distributed, the play begins again with the ball going back to the defense.

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Teaching Tips Goalkeepers need the ability to throw a soccer ball in an overhand fashion like a baseball in the appropriate situation. A throw to a teammate is usually more accurate than a kick and can potentially jump-start an offense.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play 2 vs. 3 or 2 vs. 4.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, add a point for a distribution that is successfully received and controlled by a player beyond 20 yards.

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Goalkeeper Punting Drill Purpose Although primarily a goalkeeping game, Goalkeeper Punting is a drill that lets offensive and defensive players have fun as well. Players enjoy racking up points in different ways. For the defense, team spirit comes in to play because more points can be made by the goalie. This drill develops a goalkeeper’s ability to distribute a ball by punting it.

Instructions 1. The playing area is divided into 3 zones with a goal set up at one end. There are 2 teams each with 3 players. The defensive team has a goalie as one of its players. 2. The offensive team attacks the goal and the defensive team defends it. 3. The defense is awarded points for shots that the keeper stops and successfully distributes by punting the ball. One point is awarded if the ball lands within zone 2, 2 points if the ball lands within zone 3 and 1 additional point for any punt that is controlled by one of the keeper’s teammates. 4. After each defensive player has had three chances to punt, the teams switch.

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Teaching Tips A strong punt from the goalkeeper is a great way to get the ball to the offense very quickly. Punting for distance and accuracy takes time to develop and is a useful offensive weapon when mastered.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, reduce the length of the field or instruct the offense to kick the ball easily to the keeper to begin play and not to try to score a goal.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, give keepers a point for catching the ball cleanly or increase the length of the field.

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Keeper Diving Drill Purpose Keeper Diving is a very simple game that allows players to work on sharp passing while collecting points. This is a drill that develops and encourages basic diving techniques for goalkeepers. Players like the fastpaced action.

Instructions 1. In a 20-by-15 yard playing area, a player and a goalie play in this game. 2. One player positions in the goal and acts as a goalkeeper, and the other player shoots at the goal. 3. To start, the goalkeeper gets five tries to dive and save using proper technique. 4. This game can also be adapted to focus on goalkeepers gathering air balls without diving for them. 5. One point is awarded for each successful dive and save and one point is awarded to the kicker for a goal.

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Teaching Tips A goalkeeper needs to develop the mindset that “all balls are his or hers” and that anything in the keeper area is the keeper’s property. Confidence in diving and smothering a ball in a dangerous situation is a critical goalkeeper skill.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, reduce the width of the goal or require longer shots.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, increase the width of the goal or add a player who tries to score goals from rebounds if the goalkeeper fails to deal with the shot effectively.

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Goalkeeper Bowling Drill Purpose Offensive players, defensive players, and goalies enjoy Goalkeeper Bowling because everyone is involved and the games are short. Point totals run high as the goalie tries to distribute the ball successfully and players try to score or receive the ball to get as many points as they can. This drill develops the goalkeeper’s ability to distribute the ball by bowling it to a teammate.

Instructions 1. Play takes place in a 25-by-20 yard playing area with a 4-yard-wide goal set up at one end. Each team consists of 2 players. A goalie is present but is not a member of either team. 2. The 2 offensive players attack the goal. 3. When a shot is saved, the goalkeeper bowls the ball to a teammate of the defensive team. Then the new team is on offense. The other team tries to take control of the shot of their own. A score wins a point for the offense. 4. One point is awarded for each ball successfully bowled. A successfully bowled ball is one that is controlled by the player to whom the goalkeeper distributes the ball.

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Teaching Tips After a shot is taken by the offense, the goalie can quickly start the momentum of an offensive play by passing the ball to a teammate in a bowling fashion. The teammate can then dribble or pass the ball upfield. A goalie position is the “quarterback” of the team and can be the starting point of a goal for his or her own team.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, play 1 vs. 3 or 2 vs. 4.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, play 4 vs. 5.

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Side Block Drill Purpose Players like Side Block because they enjoy challenging themselves with skills that are more difficult and the points awarded to them for doing so. This is a goalkeeping drill that develops a goalkeeper’s ability to narrow the shooting angle. Offensive players like to collect points by making difficult shots.

Instructions 1. The offensive team consists of 3 players and the defensive team consists of only the goalkeeper. Play takes place in a 30-square-yard area. 2. The 3 offensive players pass amongst each other, attempting to score. 3. The object is to try to shoot from the side, forcing the goalkeeper to narrow the angle to stop the shot. 4. One point is awarded to the offense for a goal scored head-on and 2 points for a goal scored from either side. 5. The goalkeeper is awarded 1 point for every shot that is stopped. 6. Rotate goalies after the shots are completed.

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Teaching Tips A goalie needs to develop the comfort of leaving the goal area if it means making a shot difficult for an offensive player. The closer the goalie is to the offensive player, the more difficult it is for the offender to take a shot.

Variations


To make the game easier for players with less skill, call out the side for the shot to come from, increase the shooting distance, or use a smaller goal.




To make the game more challenging for players that have more skill, reduce the shooting distance, use a bigger goal, or add a player who tries to score from rebounds if the goalkeeper fails to deal with the shot effectively.

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Closing Thoughts It’s amazing how much kids can absorb if they are coached clearly and given opportunities to practice what they have learned. Keep in mind that improvements will come slowly and you must align your goals with the realities of a developing child. This means that patience and repetition must dominate your approach. Let the kids play, reward hustle, and praise as much as possible. Confidence is an important part of soccer. Confidence and aggressiveness usually lead to each other. An aggressive player is not afraid to get involved and in doing so develops more confidence about his or her ability to do different things with the ball. A player with confidence then becomes more aggressive. Without confidence and aggressiveness, a child will be nervous to get into the action and this will lead to discouragement. Confidence is what ultimately improves individual ability. Counter any criticism that needs to be given with a compliment in another area and a reminder that the child will improve in time. Each kid is different and each one needs a personal approach. The least skilled players should be treated with the same respect as the best players. Start each season by telling the players that they are all friends and are all as one in a team concept. Criticism of a teammate on the field will not be tolerated. Team building is the fastest way to success. It doesn’t happen because kids happen to be on the same team. It happens because coaches work at it. Don’t underestimate your players. Fundamentals should be emphasized before bad habits form. Don’t expect too much too soon. Kids will absorb as much as there is time and patience to teach them. End each practice on a high note and preferably with a fun game. Have players look forward to returning to practice again. Remember that the whole idea of youth sports is to provide life lessons. Inspire kids to be able to draw something greater than they could have imagined from themselves in the effort to succeed. Tell them to try to be as good as they can be and to try and do their best. Winning is great, yes, but the real win is in how winning and defeat is handled. You might not remember all of the kids you coach, but every one of them will remember you so be remembered in a good way!

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