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Chain gang races

Objective: To practise running with the ball and working as a team.

Age range: Chain Gang Races is suitable for children from the age of four but I’ve used it with all age groups, even 13-year-olds, and they all loved it!

Set up:

Mark out two lanes about 20 yards long and five yards wide.

Place a large cone or pole at one end of each channel.

The players are divided into two teams and start at the opposite end.

How to play:

The first player dribbles a ball up the channel, around the cone, and back to their team mates.

The starting player then links arms with the second player on their team and they dribble the ball up the channel, around the cone, and back to their team mates.

An extra player joins the chain gang each time, until all the players are in the chain.

The whole team must negotiate the course and the turn without breaking and must keep the ball under control.

If, at any time, the chain breaks, players must start again from the line without adding an extra link.

Play five rounds and see which team wins the most races.

Progression: One or more players in the chain gang must dribble a ball.

Chain gang

Objective: To encourage teamwork.

Set up: Divide your players into teams of six or less.

Create a 30×15 yards channel for each team, using flat cones.

Place a turning cone at the end of each channel.

Each team needs one ball.

How to play: The first player dribbles a ball up the channel, around the cone and back to his team mates.

The starting player then links arms with the second player on his team and they dribble the ball up the channel, around the cone and back to their team mates again.

Another player joins the chain gang after each lap until all the players are in the chain.

The whole team must negotiate the course without breaking and keep their ball under control.

If the chain breaks, the team must start that lap again.

Change the starting player between every race.

Play the best of three or five races.

Build up

Objective: To build attacks out of defence back using quick, accurate passes.

Age group: U8s to U14s.

Set up: Create a playing area about 60×40 yards or use a seven-a-side pitch.

Place two small goals at one end. These can be marked with poles or cones. Put a full-sized goal at the other end of the playing area.

Divide your players into two teams, distinguished by training vests.

One team has an extra player.

How to play:

The team with the extra player defends the large goal and has a goalkeeper.

All restarts begin with the goalkeeper who has to pass or roll the ball out.

Coaching points: Encourage possession, (“if you can’t shoot, pass… if you can’t pass forward, pass back”) quick, accurate passing, good communication and supporting play (movement off the ball).

Variations: Give one team two extra players and restrict them to two or three touches before they must pass or shoot.

The team with fewer players gets two points for every goal it scores.

Play five-minute games. Teams can only win by one goal – see The 1-0 Game.

Break out

Objective: To improve passing, receiving and shooting skills.

Age range: U9s to U13s.

Set up: Create a 30×20 yards playing area with a 10-yard box at one end and a goal at the other, as shown below.

Divide your players into two teams of four plus a keeper.

How to play:

One team works in the box, passing the ball between themselves and attempting to keep possession from a single pressing player from the other team.

If the pressing players win possession or force the passing team to kick the ball out of the box, they break out of the box, receive a pass from you and shoot at goal.

If the passing team manages to make 10 consecutive passes, the pressing player leaves the box and another player enters.

The pressing team gets a point for every goal it scores, the passing team gets a point for every set of 10 passes.

Each pressing player has two turns in the box then switch the teams around.

Progression: Allow the passing team to send one player to chase any pressing players that are about to shoot at goal.

Replace the box with another goal and play a small-sided game (SSG) where a ‘goal’ is awarded for 10 consecutive passes.

First touch

Basic ball control drill to develop players’ first-touch soccer skills

Age group: All ages

Set up

Cones, 1 ball per group of 3 players, players are in groups of three with a ball to each group, two players with the ball on one side of the square and the third player on the opposite side

Action

Player 1 (the player with the ball) passes to the opposite player (player 3) and sprints around the back of him.

Player 3 taps the ball to the side, first touch, as the sprinting player 1 comes around him.

The sprinting player passes first or second touch to the player facing him (player 2) who repeats the action.

After a couple of minutes change player 3.

Coaching points

Make this drill competitive by seeing how many passes each group can make in a minute or how long they can go without making a mistake.

Choosing the size of your playing area

So you thought that size didn’t matter….

Well, in soccer coaching anyway, it definitely does.

The size of the playing area you use when coaching can have a dramatic impact on the outcome of your soccer coaching drill session.

Basically, the larger the area the easier it is for your players to experience success. So when coaching young or inexperienced players you should always set up a relatively large grid when, for example, you’re playing games like keepaway.

A good starting point is 10 yards or meters of length for every player in the team or group. For example, a 4v4 soccer coaching drill designed for young players should be 40 yards or meters long.

The width is determined by the type of game you’re playing. ‘Soccer like’ games such as keepaway should normally be played on a rectangular pitch so that they are realistic. So your 4v4 game of keepaway with young players would be played in a 40×30 grid.

But sometimes you will have an objective in mind that requires a different shape.

For example, a really good game for encouraging players to get their heads up and pass quickly is the Four Goal Game (see below).

This game is most usefully played on a pitch that is wider than it is long in order to increase the number of decisions your players have to make.

When your players begin to experience success during a soccer coaching drill, it’s time to make the playing area smaller. This puts them under more pressure and helps them develop their soccer skills further. you can also impose restrictions such as making therm play two-touch at the same time.

So now you know what size grid you need and you’re ready to set out your cones.

But before you do that, check the field for hazards especially holes, broken glass and dog excreta.

Then place the first cone down in line with another object behind it such as a tree.

Then walk backwards, keeping the first cone and the reference object in view. Drop a cone every 5 to 10 yards until you get to the end.

When you get to the end of the first line, turn 90 degrees and drop cones as you’re walking backwards again and you’ll end up with nice straight lines and a properly sized grid!

Four Goal Game

Objective: To develop passing and encourage players to play with their heads up and switch play quickly. It’s also good for teaching pressure, cover, balance in defence.

Age group: U8s upwards.

Equipment: cones, bibs and a football.

Number of players: Whole team.

Set up: use a square grid suitable for the number of players and their skill level. For a 5v5 game with eight year olds, I would use a 40×40 grid. Place four small goals in each corner. No goalkeepers.

How to play: Each team defends two goals at one end and attacks the two at the far end. The players attempt to ‘pull’ the bulk of the defenders over to defend one goal before switching the ball suddenly towards the less well-guarded goal and trying to score there.

Progression: (a) Play one- or two-touch soccer. (b) award extra points for goals which come directly from the team switching play.

Ball control challenge

Ball control drill to get players using one-touch and shooting skills

Age group: All ages

Set up

Mark out a short, wide pitch with big (10-yard wide) goals at either end and a halfway line. Divide the players into two teams of 3 or 4. Each team defends a goal

Action

The game starts with each team spread out in their half of the pitch.

The coach stands on the centre line and rolls a football to one of the teams.

Their objective is to score a goal by shooting from within their own half.

Rules

No goalies.

Players must stay in their own half of the pitch at all times. Each player on the team must touch the ball at least once before a shot can be taken.

The ball must not be allowed to stop – if it does, possession is passed to the other team.

Simple ball control

Age group: All ages

Description

This is a simple, unopposed soccer drill designed to improve the push pass and first touch. It allows the soccer coach to work with a number of players in a fairly small area.

Set up

Make a 15-yard by 15-yard square grid with marker cones at each corner.
Between two and four players stand at each cone.
One football at two adjacent cones.

Action

Players pass – two touch – to the player diagonally opposite, then run to disc on their right.

Coaching points

Is body language relaxed and balanced?
“Play on your toes”
Eye contact and communication.
Accuracy and pace of pass.
Strike through mid-line of ball, keep it down.
Contact with inside of foot – not with toe end.
Follow through in direction of pass.
First touch – withdraw foot on contact.
Get receiving foot off the ground, “soft ankle”.
Move quickly following pass.
Encourage players to aim for a high standard.
Older players should be able to recognise and correct their own faults.