Drills and Things For Your Players
On this page you will find various practice subjects to help you get started or keep practices moving. Remember that there are many more web sites that go into greater detail for the advanced players. As we are still building the site, keep checking back here as we will expand each subject. Use these to help plan your practices. Don't show up at practice session not knowing what you are going to do. Be prepared.
These drills are not listed in order of suggested use. We also try to describe them with terms that are more understanding.
Anson Dorrance, University of North Carolina Women's Soccer Coach, who is the most winning coach in college soccer and an icon in American soccer overall, talks about drills and attitude. He makes the point that during practice, players must work on the things that they don't do well, and use the things they do well in the game.
The connection to that is that players need to practice with repetition. Though it is fun to scrimmage, and should be part of every practice, these should be used to strengthen the drills you worked on during practice. So when you use these and other drills, keep this in mind. Players may not like it, but repetition is the necessary part of making players better.
When practicing with players who use longer distance drills (20 yards and more), you need to teach players recovery periods. As much as you must insist that every player warm up at the beginning of practices and games, and cool down at the end, they must recover. During practices (and games), when a player does a hard run or dribble, be sure they use a recovery period, which is not to stop immediately after, but to keep moving (walking) for a bit to ensure muscles don't try to tighten up and then cramp. When you watch a track meet, you always see runners walk after the run, which is done for that reason.
Dribble Discussion
The Short (distance) Dribble
The short dribble is used to control the ball within a short area and distance. When a players must keep the ball close because there is opposition close by trying to take the ball away, a short dribble is used.
For beginning and inexperienced players, much of the short dribble should be done with the inside of the foot. To push the ball to the left, use the right foot into the path of the left foot. Then use the left foot to push it towards the right foot. Practice, practice, practice. This is the one drill they must get down to prevent them from instinctively using their toe when moving up in age.
Once they are very comfortable with using the inside of the foot, start introducing the outside of the foot concept. When using strictly the inside of the foot, the ball has a tendency to "zigzag" rather than take a straight line. By using the outside of the foot nudge, by pointing the foot in, a player can steer the ball in a straight line.
A well developed player is very comfortable using both feet, using inside and outside to move the ball in a short dribble.
(((Long Dribble Discussion coming soon)))
Ball control and possession
Dribble drills
Short dribble then shoot. Here is how to explain it to Our Soccer Stars:
Concentrate on the objective
Use the quick dribble approach. The quick dribble is a fast moving ball that stays within one to two feet of the dribbler.
20 yard quick dribble. Start 40 yards from goal (or target). With or without keeper in goal.
Dribble 20 yards and shoot on goal or target.
The objective is to keep close control of the ball.
Do not slow the ball when taking the shot. To properly shoot the ball, either push it to the outside of your dominant foot before shooting or move to the inside of the ball, allowing the swing of the foot to swing through the ball.
Shoot the ball using the instep of the foot.
Repeat the drill. Once player completes the drill properly a number of times, use the power kick. This is done by pointing the foot down, straight behind the ball (as if doing a toe kick) and pushing the foot through the ball with a powerful swing
Don’t let the player take the easy way out and be lazy. Have them complete each drill as if they are in a game trying to score and as if there is an opponent on your heels.
Long dribble then shoot
Long dribble then pass
Long dribble then feign (fake)
Long dribble then change direction abruptly
Long dribble then stop quickly
Long dribble then stop ball, change direction
(Ball) Control drills
Juggle ball
Step and top-touch ball without moving ball (good part of warm-up drill)
Side step and top- touch, step over, step top-touch with other foot, then reverse (good part of warm-up drill)
Chip shot
Lofting pass
Trapping drills
Foot
Chest
Leg
Keeper inclusion drills (Keeper drills will be a future subject)
Two players. Keeper in middle (One in front, one behind). Player #1 passes ground ball to keeper. Keeper turns 180o and rolls ball to player #2. Player #2 passes ground ball back to keeper. Keeper turns and rolls ball back to player #1. Repeat. Be sure they do this at a quick pace.
Variation. Players chip ball to keeper.
Variation. Keeper throws ball at players chest level who must trap and return ground ball.
Variation. Four players, two balls. Keeper points to next passer.
Angle elimination
Getting set while players shoot on goal during the dribble drills for other players
Taking control of the area around the goal while players dribble around the area
Passing
Dynamic passing and receiving and the space pass
Let me discuss two types of passing and receiving standards: Passive and dynamic. Passive relates to not moving in both passing and receiving, while dynamic refers to being on the move. There is a place and time for both and at times for either during a pass-to-receiver action.
Associated with dynamic passing and receiving is what is referred to as the “space” pass. The space pass, either passive or dynamic is the pass that is sent to a dynamic receiver into the space he or she will occupy when the ball is passed.
Before a player can properly execute a dynamic reception (ball passed in the space occupied), the space passing must be mastered. This is why you should first work on the space pass.
One of the common reactions when less advanced players practice passing and receiving, is to pass to a player rather than the space the receiver will occupy. Usually the receiver wants to face the passer and wait for the ball, let it come to the player and stop the ball. Players must not face the passer for these exercises; instead the receiver must face in the general direction of the movement of the pass, glance over the shoulder and then not stop the ball but move to gain best advantage of the reception by pacing to the speed of the coming pass.
Space pass:
It takes two players for this exercise, one to pass and another to receive. To start from a basic level, the passer may be passive (not moving). As in the majority of passing in game and scrimmage situation, passes are not done in a straight ahead line. The receiver is usually at some angle to the passer. It is thus important that the receiver lines up at an angle from the passer for the pass for this exercise.
The receiver start to move forward and the passer passes the ball so the ball is sent just in front of the receiver so as not to have to slow down or speed up to control and continue dribbling the ball. Repetition is key to success, so the only way to master this is to practice it often.
Once players are comfortable that they have mastered the space pass, they can practice the dynamic pass and reception.
Space recognition
When I talk about "space recognition," I am addressing the fact that players need to know what is going on in the space around them as well as on the rest of the playing field. Whether they have the ball or not, players need to be taught to react with anticipation. We'll see players during scrimmages and games who stand around, watching the game rather than participating in it.
Teach them to not concentrate on the ball. That is usually why players bunch up or just watch. They don't have the concept of space recognition and anticipation down. Many have a tendency to focus on that ball because in their mind there is only one thing to do: score. What occurs is that a group of players "chase" the ball wherever it goes, regardless of spaces needing coverage.
Start with a team instruction (remember to keep it short) and telling them not to focus on the ball, but rather have an awareness of where it is. Then begin to think ahead of the play, i.e. anticipating. By anticipating where a player with a ball will likely go or do with it, many times the advantage is gained.
This relates to both defense and offense. In defense it allows the player to be at a better advantage to take the ball or intercept the ball from an opponent. In offense it places the player in a position of advantage. Usually this means that they get farther away from their teammates with the ball and in an excellent supporting position.
To this properly, they must recognize the spaces on the field and determine if they should shift, sag or move.
Forward passing and rear receiving
Cross passing
Chip passing
Loft passing
Passing decision making (when to and not to pass)
Throw-in (considered as a pass)
Team play
Discussion
Practice
Leadership
Discussion
Observation
Framing and positioning
Offensive framing
Defensive framing
Offensive positioning
Defensive positioning
Anticipation
Weather conditions and affects
Other Drills
Shielding ball
Dual player defense to steal ball
Stretching the defense by offensive positioning
Containment of the offense by the defense
Shift/Sag concept
Goal scoring (ball placement into goal)
Corner kicks
Long corner
Short corner
Other set plays
The Simpler Side of Soccer
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