Tips*
[Strong Soccer skills videos, NASL Soccer drills]

• Touch. The more often a player touches the ball, the more instinctive the movements become. As movements become more instinctive, they become faster and less prone to error.
  • Juggling is an excellent exercise to improve a player's "touch" with the soccer ball. Juggling improves timing, rhythm, speed, and control. Players who enjoy this activity, and practice it outside of regular practices, tend to develop foundational motor skills, making it easier for them to learn other moves.
    
    Beginners should start by dropping the ball onto their laces and kicking it back into their hands. Then, they can try to kick the ball twice before catching it with their hands. Repeat these steps with the opposite foot. If a player is experiencing difficulty, they can juggle on a hard surface and allow one bounce in between juggles. Next, try dropping the ball and bouncing it off of the laces of both feet before catching it. Players should try to keep the ball below their chest and their ultimate goal should be to try to keep it below their knees at all times.
    
    Players who grow bored juggling with their laces can try juggling with their knees, insides of their feet, outsides of their feet, head, etc. In one popular variation, known as the waterfall, the player heads the ball, juggles it with a knee, and then with the foot. Players can try to see how many waterfalls they can do. They can also attempt reverse waterfalls (laces, knees, head).
    
    Players who become proficient jugglers should begin to lift the ball with their feet instead of using their hands. The easiest lift is to do a drag back and scoop the ball onto the toe, flipping it into the air. More complicated lifts include dragging the ball back onto the toe of the opposite foot, or simply cradling the ball between the toe and the shin before popping it up. Players who want to develop a sense of balance with the ball can attempt to cradle it as long as possible before popping it up. Another kind of lift, known as a rainbow, can be performed by dragging the ball onto the heal of the opposite foot, lifting it into the air with a heal flip. The only limit to lifts is a player's imagination.
    
    Players should keep track of their personal records and try to improve incrementally each week.
  • Wall vollies. Players can bounce a ball off of a wall or fence, repeatedly striking it before it hits the ground. The can try this with laces, insides of feet, outsides of feet, knees, etc. This builds touch much in the same manner as juggling.
  • Mini-ball. Training with a small size 2 ball or "mini" ball builds quickness and agility. Players can practice quick dribbling moves with a mini-ball, and this activity works well on any smooth surface indoors. The emphasis should be on quick, repetitive touches. These can be toe taps, toe taps moving forward, toe taps moving backward, in betweens (a/k/a side to sides), side-rolls, combinations of in-betweens and side rolls, scissors, step-overs, and combinations of all of the above.
    
    As a player becomes quick enough for a mini-ball, they can progress to a tennis ball. A good agility drill with a tennis ball is to dribble it "basket ball style," but using only the bottoms of each feet.
    
    Likewise, players who become comfortable with juggling a full-sized ball can challenge themselves by juggling progressively smaller balls, even tennis balls. Again, the idea here is to build quick, accurate touches.
    
    When they go back to practicing with a full-sized ball, they carry some of the quickness and control that they've learned from the small ball training.
     
• Vision. Many players have difficulty raising their field of vision when they are on the dribble. This makes it impossible for them to have an awareness of the players around them, and a sense of space on the field. The exercises below can help players to raise their eyes while they are on the ball.
  • Follow the leader. A player can be asked to play "follow the leader" with a parent, coach, or fellow player. The leader will proceed at a slow jog and make random turns. The player who is following will be dribbling a soccer ball. They will need to raise their head in order to maintain a visual reference with the leader. As a player's skill improves, the leader can run faster and make sharper cuts.
  • Dribbling in traffic. A cluster of players in a small grid can be asked to dribble through another cluster of players.
  • Marker passing. A player can be asked to dribble through a corridor filled with randomly spaced cones. On either side of them will be target players who are running at the same pace, each carrying a marker cone. At random times, the target players will raise a marker cone, thereby, demanding a pass. The player on the dribble will receive a point for each successful pass. After five successful passes, the players can change positions.
  • Agility hurdles. Set up a series of small mini-hurdles. Players can practice various patterns stepping over the hurdles. After they have cycled through the hurdles a couple of times, they can be asked to make continuous eye contact with a parent or coach while stepping over the hurdles.
• Power. Striking the ball properly is an important goal for any soccer player.
  • Technique. Proper striking technique is essential to kicking the ball with power. The ball should be struck with the laces portion of the foot, with the ankle locked. The plant foot should obscure the ball for observers who are watching from the side. The foot should follow through the ball. The head should be lowered and the player should be encouraged to rotate their hip through the ball.
  • Practice striking the ball off of the dribble. Most players naturally want to practice shots on goal by striking a stationary ball. This does not serve them well in games as most shots on goal must be taken off of the dribble. Since the ball is moving off of the dribble, a player, who exclusively practices striking a stationary ball, will miss-hit a moving ball during a crucial moment in the game. It's a good idea to ask players to dribble around a cone (or water bottle) before taking practice shots.
  • Wall ball. Players who want to improve power can practice striking the ball repeatedly against a concrete wall. They should do an equal number of repetitions with each foot. In order to build power, they should position themselves at a distance from the wall in which the can just barely flight the ball to the wall without it hitting the ground. As they improve, they can move further and further from the wall.
    
    If a player has a partner, they can chalk a goal on the concrete wall, and alternate taking turns striking the ball on the move. If a player misses the goal, it's a point for their opponent. The players must establish a line for the first serve. This is an enjoyable game with many variations.

*By using the information on this website, you hereby agree that you do so at your own risk, and, in consideration for the information provided herein, expressly hold harmless any, and all, persons affiliated with Emerald City Football Club and Emerald City FC M95 Green and White Teams, including, but not limited to coaches, assistant coaches, parent volunteers, the webmaster, and team manager. Rigorous exercise, should only be done under the care and supervision of a qualified physician. Players who are not having fun or who experience pain should discontinue training activities immediately. The contents of this website are provided as-is, and are offered without any warranty, express or implied.

© 2006 Matt O'Neal
Webmaster