Mid Season and Off Season Soccer Training

Hi, I am Coach Dan Drost.  This website will show you skills and drills that will help your child get an edge during soccer season.  My opinions are based on many years of coaching U8, U9, and U10 soccer.  I have noticed that there are skills and moves that separate good soccer players from great soccer players.  Great soccer players, the ones that stand out in games and seem to have an easier time moving the ball, can do certain things with the ball better than others.  I will show you some of those skills (and drills that help master them) here.  Keep in mind that there are other aspects, unrelated to foot skills, that make players great – like thinking, creativity, and desire.  However, having great foot skills gives players better and easier opportunities for success.  We can’t make our kids mature and care…yet.  That often takes time – some kids just have it earlier than others.  But what we can do is put a ball at their feet, have them practice the right skills, and focus on the right types of movements.

Amazing Very Young Kids When They Work Hard (4:30)

JUGGLING

Juggling is a classic “fun” soccer thing to do.  I have heard many coaches say that juggling does nothing for a soccer player.  In one way that is correct, players don’t juggle in games!  And, good juggling does not automatically translate to good players.  But there are well established reasons that juggling helps young players with soccer.  Probably the most important two reasons, in my opinion, are: 1) making quick successive movements with the ball, and 2) making quick minute adjustments for more accurate touches.  These skills are critical to good ball control.

JUGGLING DRILL – ONE BOUNCE JUGGLING

Challenge – How many can you do in a row?  Video and post to our group site.  Let’s see who can get the most in a row without an error!  As you progress, make sure to use either foot.  Players can also strike using other body parts.  One body strike – one bounce – one body strike and so on!

JUGGLING DRILL – NO BOUNCE JUGGLING

 

Challenge – How many can you do in a row?  Video and post to our group site.  Again, your video must show juggles in a row, without errors!  Every touch – knee, chest, head – counts.  On average, most good players U8, U9, and U10 can get 3 to 5.  Some players can get 10 or more.  Others can get well over 10.  One soccer player I trained committed himself and went from 5 in a row to 250 in a row within 3 or 4 months (his video of 250 was nearly five minutes long without an error!).  And he was 8.  Just depends on the commitment. 

Good Tutorial (5:27)            

Good Tutorial (4:01)

  

GROUND CONTROL

Now comes the critical skill work with the ball on the ground.  These individual skills will involve moving the ball quickly from one foot to another.  Though these skills might not be specifically used in game situations, they are all parts of critical and more complex ball movement skills that make players VERY successful with the ball.  The goal for the skills I am presenting to you is to learn them and then get faster and more accurate.  Even pros use these to train – they are just MUCH quicker and Way more accurate!

GROUND CONTROL – SIDE TAPS

Side taps (also called tick tocks or happy feet) are a bit like juggling.  They get players used to making rapid foot movement to stay in contact with a soccer ball.  The ball should be between the feet - then tap the ball back and forth - right-left-right-left and so on.  The moves should start slow but speed is the key.  Critical elements - bend the knees a bit (don't stand up straight) and stay on the toes (don't stand flat footed).  There are lots of variations of this and they all work well.  Get those feet moving FAST!!!

Good Example (1:38)

Advanced Side Taps and Other Great Touch Drills (3:37)

Lots of Ground Control Touches (4:12)

GROUND CONTROL – ROLLIES

Awesome skill.  I have always been partial to this drill as it really teaches a player to move the ball in other ways than just using the side of the foot.  Try to see how many your child can get in 30 seconds.  Then set a goal to beat it every practice session!  Make sure to do the drill with the right foot and also then the left!

Basic Example (0:11)

Another Example (0:36)

GROUND CONTROL – ROLLIES REVERSE

Just another way to do rollies.  The goal is to do it very quickly.  Getting quicker seems to activate an internal feel for quick movements...at least that is the goal!  Again, set a goal to beat a 30 second count every time you practice!

Example (1:10)

 

GROUND CONTROL – ROLL AND STOP

Basically a side roll (a rollie) and stop.  This can start out slow but should get faster.  This drill is great because it results in a player getting a feel for varying quick movements.  Once again, 30 second scores and then subsequent attempts to beat that score every practice session works well.

Advanced Variation (0:50)

Another Advanced Variation (0:42)

Very Advanced Drills (8:04)

 

GROUND CONTROL – IN OUT

An awesome drill for activating quick movements around the ball.  Make sure you do these drills with both the right, and then the left foot.  I suggest 30 second drills for each foot.  Go for best scores to improve your quickness.

Great Example (1:34)

In Out Example this example is moving forward (1:33)

 

GROUND CONTROL – TRIANGLES

Basically this is a continuation of the previous drills, just adding a different touch.  Once again, 30 seconds for each foot.  If your child can do this one quickly, you might have a future soccer tar in your midst!

Good Example (1:36)

Good Example see the first drill, and then there are more! (9:18)

 

CRITICAL MOVES

There are many amazing soccer moves that are super effective.  You can find examples almost anywhere on the internet.  Check out Youtube, there are tons.  Look for "soccer moves for kids" or you will find many that are far too advanced.  Players at the elementary level don't need crazy moves, they need effective moves.  Below are some good ones.  How good a player becomes depends on how well and how much they practice it.  And then, it needs to be practiced against actual people!  I have seen players learn moves but then NOT use them because they never actually "felt" the impact against another player.  I suggest getting players used to the move and then practicing against a real person!

Key - stay with the ball when you make your move.  If you simply move the ball, and the ball leaves you, you lose your edge on the defender.  The player and the ball should always move together!!!

 

CRITICAL MOVES – CHOP

So in my opinion, all the best soccer players in elementary school ages use this move.  It is nearly impossible to defend.  The critical elements of the skill involve an attempt to move pasts a defender in one direction a quick wind up to shoot or pass, and then a completely unexpected cut and move in the other direction.  Common errors include - not selling the fake shot/pass, not chopping at the ball with a bent knee, and not cutting the ball enough in the opposite direction.  I am telling you - if a player can do this well and unexpectedly, the player will hardly ever have to worry about defenders!

Good Example (2:24)

Chop Example (5:20)

A Chop Variation (1:21)

 

CRITICAL MOVES – CRUYFF

This move is much like the chop.  It is harder but equally as effective.  The good part about this move is that the redirection is impossible to guard by a defensive player because the ball is protected by a leg/foot.  The move is more difficult to sell as it involves an even quicker fake.  Common errors include - not selling the fake movement in one direction, not planting the opposite foot far enough ahead of the ball, and not chopping the ball with a curved foot.  Just another way to maintain possession without having to worry about a defender.

 Cruyff Example (0:59)

 

CRITICAL MOVES – STRIKING STATIONARY BALL

Strike a ball that is not moving is not really an authentic soccer skill.  Here's why - IT NEVER HAPPENS IN SOCCER (except in on a free kick, which hardly ever happens).  But, striking a stationary ball is 1) where you get your form straightened out and 2) how you develop leg strength. So, pay attention to three critical parts of the strike: 1) plant foot beside the ball, 2) striking foot loads behind your backside with bent knee, and 3) body is upright and NOT bent forward.  If a young child is not striking well, I will bet you that he/she is not doing one or more of these striking parts.  Also note the strike comes from a 45% angle, not from straight behind the ball.

Simple Example in Slow Motion (0:42)

Another Good One (1:55)

And Another Good One (3:22)

CRITICAL MOVES – STRIKING MOVING BALL

The key to striking a moving ball correctly is that the strike must occur beside the plant foot.  Kids commonly do not strike with the plant foot beside the ball.  Of course, there are many other parts of the strike but for kids, this is a critical necessity.  Keep in mind that strike should happen almost immediately after the plant foot so the ball does not roll away!  See the below examples.

Five Great Drills (3:57) See Drill 2 through 5

Some Decent Drill Examples (3:04)

CRITICAL MOVES - STEPOVER

Great Example (2:52)

 

CRITICAL MOVES – FIRST TOUCHES

First touches are super critical.  As young players begin to move the ball via passing, receiving the ball well becomes a priority.  All first touches should be done with the inside of the foot (no bottoms, only sometimes the outside of the foot). The point of passing is to increase the speed the ball moves around the field.  If a pass is not controlled, the whole point of the pass fails.  Good touches involve 1) being able to stop the ball at the feet or 2) being able to touch the ball to a new location.  Team success often relies on whether a team can control the ball on their first touch.  Touches are very easy to practice...just make sure you focus on how the ball is received.

Good Touch Drills, Can Change From Wall to a Partner (8:38)

Touches and Turns (2:28)

Awesome Touch Drills (7:14) 

CRITICAL MOVES – BODY FEINT

Body feints (also called lunges) are great because they don't require the ball to move much.  The key is to confuse the defender by simply making body movements.  Keep in mind a good body feint move depends on SELLING the feint - make the defender think you are going one way and then go the other.  Young players are not great at selling the feint so practice making it look real!

Great Intro (2:25)

Example with Explanation (4:24)

Five Amazing Examples (5:08)

 

CRITICAL MOVES – EXPLODE PAST

Sometimes it takes more than a move to beat a defender.  At times, quickly pushing the ball past a defender and then racing past him/her can be very advantageous.  This move does not allow the defender to interfere since the ball is almost instantly past.  Plus, a quick move forward that forces the defender to turn and then move gives the advantage to the offensive player who doesn't have to turn, jus race forward!  The key points - unexpected ball touch forward past defender, speed explosion, and stay close to the ball (not letting it get disconnected).  

IF YOU WANT MORE!

Good Stuff Here (7:03)

Tons of Moves (30:29)

Good Quick Example (starts with Stepover then is 11 minutes of additional moves)

Advanced Moves (25 attack skills in 2:41)

More Good Moves (7:03)

Motivational-U10 Girl (9:39)