Dribbling, control, and shooting

Setup

• Each player should have a ball
• Set cones down to make a 50×40 steps field for 12 players
  • If you have more players, make the field larger
  • Anything can be a cone (an article of clothing, a water bottle, any marker)
• Set cones every 10 steps on the perimeter to allow players to see where the boundaries are
• Do not set up any goals
• Demonstrate each drill / game before starting it

Coaching Points

• Use only your feet
  • Show the players all areas of the foot
    • Top (laces), bottom, outside, inside, heel
• Keep the ball in bounds
  • Each player should have plenty of space to play in
    • Players will bunch up, keep separating them to avoid collisions and to provide adequate space
• Keep the ball close to you

Drill 1 – 5 minutes

• Dribble the ball anywhere within the field of play
• Use the entire space
  • Do not let players bunch up
• Keep the ball close to you while running
  • Can the players run and keep the ball under control
  • Players who are walking should be urged to run
  • Players who are running too fast should be urged to slow down in order to stay under control

Drill 2 – 5 minutes

• Players will still dribble anywhere in the field of play
• Every 30 or so seconds, call out a different part of the foot the players will use to dribble
  • Inside, Outside, Top (laces), Bottom (Go here to find videos showing these dribbles)
• After 2 minutes start calling out which foot as well as which part of the foot the players will use to dribble
  • Right inside, left outside, etc.

Drill 3 – Switch – 5 minutes

• As the players are dribbling, you yell “Switch!”
  • Players stop the ball they are dribbling dead with the bottom of their foot
  • Players then go find another ball to dribble
    • They cannot dribble the ball they just stopped
  • Once they find a ball players dribble again until you yell “Switch!” again

Drill 4 – Stop and Go Move – 10 minutes

• Demonstrate the Stop-and-Go move
  • Dribble the ball at moderate pace, slightly pull it back with the bottom of your foot, and then burst into a dribble at a faster pace for several steps before slowing down to a moderate pace again
• Players will again dribble anywhere in the field of play
• Every 30 seconds or so call out “stop-and-go” and see the players perform the move

Drill 5 – Inside-Out Move – 10 minutes

• Demonstrate the Inside-Out move
  • As you dribble at a moderate pace, tap the ball with the inside of your foot, and then quickly take a big touch with the outside of your foot, bursting into an accelerated dribble for several steps
• Players will again dribble anywhere in the field of play
• Every 30 seconds or so call out “inside-out” and see the players perform the move

Game 1 – Scrimmage/Use a Move – 10 minutes

• Set up a small goal on each of the end lines of your field
  • Either use Pugg goals, or place two cones/bags/shirts about 3 steps apart from each other
• Split the players into two equal teams
  • Hand out pennies to one of the teams
• For the first 5 minutes, demand that either of the two moves must be used before a team can score a goal
• For the last 5 minutes just let the team play

Drill – Move and Shoot – 10 minutes

• Demonstrate proper shooting technique
  • Trap the ball in front of you
  • Take a touch to get the ball 2 to 3 steps ahead of you
  • Run up to the ball, lock your ankle, lean forward so your chest is over the ball, and shoot using either:
    • The inside of your foot to place the ball into the goal (more accuracy less power)
    • The laces to shoot the ball harder (more power less accuracy)
• Put a goalkeeper in the big goal
  • If you don’t have a goal to work with, place two cones/bags/shirts about 8 big steps apart
• Players line up about 20 yards away from the goal (put a cone down that players will stand behind)
• Have the goalie pass the ball to the player
• Player traps the ball, dribbles towards the goal, beats a defender (you) with a move, and shoots the ball into the goal
  • Just pretend to play defense, don’t try to take the ball from the players
  • Make sure to stand closer to the players receiving the ball than the goalkeeper
    • When the player beats you he should not be right by the goalie, but should have to take a shot from some distance (10 to 15 yards out)
• Player, not the goalie retrieves the ball and goes to the back of the shooting line

Team Talk – 5 minutes

• Select a team name
  • Suggestion: offer 3 choices and hold a blind vote to see which of the 3 choices is most popular
• Team cheer
  • 1,2,3 Go “team name”!