Soccer Drills – Page 9

Goal wars

Objective: to improve dribbling and shooting skills

Age group: U5 upwards.

Number of players:Whole team.

Set up: You need a minimum of one ball per child and preferably more.

Place two goals next to each other on the same line, about five yards apart.

Place a cone (or an adult/coach) about 15 yards in front of the goals, and centered between them.

Place half your footballs next to goal A and half next to goal B (making sure there is at least one ball per child).

How to play: Divide your players into two teams and have each team line up next to a goal each.

Players dribble a football round the cone, then shoot at the opposite goal (for instance, team A shoot at goal B and vice versa).

After several minutes, the whistle blows, and the team with the most balls in “their” goal wins.

Key soccer coaching tips: This game improves ball control and encourages players to keep their heads up while dribbling.

Youngsters will figure out they can score more quickly if they start with a couple of big kicks that get them to the cone, then use more control to approach the goal and take a shot at the goal.”

No way past!

Objective: To practice individual tackling and defensive skills.

Age group: U7s to U12s.

Set up: Create a 20-yard square with a goal at one end.

Three or four defenders stand next to the goal and three or four attackers stand at the end of the playing area opposite the goal.

How to play: On your signal, a defender passes a ball to one of the attackers. As soon as the attacker touches the ball, the defender runs out quickly and tries to stop the attacker shooting at goal.

The defender is awarded a point if he/she successfully tackles the attacker or manages to keep the attacker from shooting for 10 seconds.
The attacker gets a point if they can get a shot at goal.
Attackers and defenders change places every three or four plays.

Coaching points:

You can either play this as team game and play first team to 10 points wins or set individual targets.

Emphasise the need for defenders to close down attackers quickly and for attackers to shoot as soon as they can.

Progression:

1. Award two points to defenders who can keep an attacker away from goal for 15 seconds without tackling.

2. If a defender wins the ball, he/she can shoot at goal.

3. Play two attackers against one defender.

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Triangles

Objectives: To practice support play, passing and receiving.

Age group: U9s to U15s.

Set-up: Create a 20-yard square for every five players in your squad. Mark out a triangle with cones, poles or flags in the centre of each area.

Split your players into groups of five (four attackers and one defender).

Note: You can play this game with two or three attackers plus one defender if necessary.

How to play: Attackers pass the ball around the area, keeping the ball away from the defender. They score a point every time they can pass through the triangle to another attacker.

Make it competitive by challenging each group to get to a certain number of points first or see how many points they can score in a set time.

Coaching points: Good communication (both verbal and visual) is important. Attackers must “stay out of the defender’s shadow”, pass the ball around rapidly and make decisions quickly if they are to succeed.

If your attackers find the game difficult, make the triangle bigger or add more attackers.

If they find it too easy, make the triangle smaller or add a defender.

Progression: Restrict the attackers to two touches (one to control the ball, one to pass).

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.

Pass!

This game is a great way to improve passing and receiving skills as well as the ability to spot and execute a through-pass.

Age group: U8s and upwards.

Number of players: Whole squad.

Set-up: Create 20-yard square playing area.

Divide your players into two equal teams of between five and seven players.

Note: If you have more than 14 players, create four teams and play two games of Pass! It doesn’t matter if teams are not equal in size.

How to play: A player from team A stands on one end line and a player from team X on the opposite end line.

The rest of the players compete for the ball and try to pass to their team mate on the end line. If they succeed, they join their end player on the line.

The team that gets all its players on their end line first is the winner.

Note: To be counted as successful, a pass must be controlled by the end player.

Progression:

The end lines are now called jails.

The game begins in the same way as before – with one player from each team in jail (i.e., on their end line) – but now if you make a successful pass, you don’t join your team mate on the line.

Instead, you get to send a player on the other team to their end line – in other words, send them to jail.

The winning team is now the team that can send all the players on the other team to jail first.

Coaching notes

Generally, the more players you have, the bigger the playing area needs to be.

If I had ten U10s playing this game, I would begin with a 20-yard square playing area. If I had 16 players, I would use a 30-yard square.

But regardless of the number of players you have (or their ages), it is good practice to progressively shrink the playing area.

Making the space smaller requires players to play faster, more accurately and is a good way to build the tempo of your coaching sessions.

With my ten U10s, for example, I would start with a 20-yard square but as they got used to the game I would gradually move the cones inwards until they were playing in a 15-yard square.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.

Gladiator

This game is one of my “back pocket” games. It’s simple, competitive, suitable for all ages, any number of players and it teaches good defending and ball control skills.

Age group: U5s to U11s.

Set up: Create a playing area big enough for all your players to dribble around in.

Every player has a ball except one – the Gladiator.

How to play: Players dribble their ball and try to protect it from the Gladiator who tries to kick the other players’ balls out of the playing area.

Players who have their ball kicked out – or allow their ball to leave the playing area – become Gladiators.

The winner is the last player still dribbling.

Progressions

Ask your players to dribble with their “wrong” foot only.

Make the playing area smaller.

Variation

Set up two playing areas.

Start the game with everyone in one playing area.
Players who have their ball kicked out go to the second playing area where a new game begins.
Once both games are in progress, there is a continual movement of players from one playing area to the other.
Play for a set time. The player who moves between playing areas the least number of times is the winner.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.

The Fabregas game

Barcelona’s Cesc Fabregas is probably one of the best holding midfielders in the game – he just doesn’t give the ball away.

This game will help your players learn how to look after the ball, just like Cesc!

Age group: U9s and upwards.

Set-up: Play 4v4 (or 5v5 with goalkeepers) on a 30×20 yards pitch with a goal at both ends.

How to play: Play “normal” football with the condition that a goal is worth two points.

Occasionally when you see a player win possession of the ball in midfield, call out “Fabregas!”
That player has to hold the ball for a minimum of 10 seconds. He is not allowed to pass or shoot. He must keep the ball by shielding it or dribbling.
If he succeeds, his team is awarded one point.

Coaching points

Before the game starts, demonstrate the technique of shielding the ball.

Variation

The game can be adapted for younger players by placing two or three safe zones in the playing area. Instead of shouting “Fabregas”, (they won’t know who he is!), call out “keep it”.

The player in possession now has 10 seconds to hold off his opponents or dribble into one of the safe zones.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.

Beep, beep!

This simple little game is excellent for improving the co-ordination and balance of very young players. It also helps them get used to finding space and changing direction.

Number of players: Whole team.

Equipment required: Flat cones, a ball for every player.

Age group: U4s to U8s.

Set-up: Create a playing area big enough for all your players to move around in freely.

Give each player a flat cone to hold. They are told to pretend that they are cars and the cone is their steering wheel.

How to play: Begin the game by telling your players to move in different ways around the playing area – forwards, with little steps, big steps, hop, move sideways, go backwards, etc.

Encourage your players to keep their heads up and avoid crashing their car. Tell them to use their horn and go “beep, beep” if another “car” comes too close.
Progress the game by giving the players a ball each. Now they dribble their ball around in the grid, again trying to avoid “crashing” into another player.

Coaching points:

Encourage players to move around the grid with their heads up and look for spaces to move into.

Ask:

How can you avoid crashing your car?
Should you look at the ball while you’re dribbling? Why not?

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.

Four way football

This game will encourage young players to play with their heads up and spot opportunities as they try to score in three goals while defending their own.

Objective: To practice shooting, football “vision”, communication and support play.

Age range: U6s to U14s.

Set-up: Create a 30-yard square with a goal on each side line.

Divide your squad into four teams. Goalkeepers are optional.

How to play: Each team defends one goal and attacks the other three.

Play first to five goals wins the game or play for a set amount of time.

Coaching points:

Encourage quick, positive play. Emphasise the need for the players to keep their heads up and switch play to unguarded goals.

Variations:

Play with two balls.
Use five teams. Play the game as described above but, when one team concedes two goals, they are replaced by the fifth team. Play does not stop, so the fifth team has to be observant and prepared to enter the game quickly. This improves transition.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.