Soccer Drills for Beginners Wanting to Improve Soccer Skills
Soccer drills for beginners are based on developing coordination, and getting familiar with the surface of the ball.
Beginner soccer players may, or may not, have good balance and coordination, which helps in learning how to control the soccer ball using the feet.
Soccer drills for beginners are best done individually, because the game itself is a great coach.
Finding a wall, garage, solid fence, or investing into a
rebound goal is a great way to get started with learning soccer skills.
Having something that can act as a rebounder can present hours of fun training environment for beginner
players. Kick the ball, receive it, and kick it again can lead to 100's of touches on the ball, and hours of fun.
Soccer, like all other sports, takes repetition and many hours to learn and build a relationship with the ball at your feet. More touches lead to better skills and control.
Playing with friends, or family, juggling the soccer ball, kicking it off the garage door, wall or rebound goal is what it takes to improve touches on the ball by yourself.
Here are some soccer training drills that can be applied by parents, or coaches, with one or more players involved.
U6 Soccer Drills for Beginners
Hit the Coach / Parent
This is a fun game for young beginner soccer players, and it can be adapted in the backyard, or on the field with one or more players.
- Mark a square with 4 cones, or whatever is handy in the backyard. Make the square smaller for individual players and bigger for small or large groups.
- Preferably have 2 or more soccer balls per player.
- Coach or Parent will be the target inside the square, as player/s try to kick the ball at him/her.
- Make it engaging so that every kick counts for the coach/parent to imitate some animal so the kids can guess which animal it is.
U6 Soccer Drills for Beginners
Red, Yellow, Green Pace with the Ball
- Players will start with the ball at their feet.
- Coach / Parent yells different light colors for different movements.
- Green Light for players to move with the ball using short touches as quick as they can.
- Yellow Light for player to go at his/her own pace.
- Red Light for player to slow down to stationary position, staying on his/her toes, and touching the soccer ball in small space.
- Keep the exercise going for 60 – 90 seconds, repeat 3 – 4 times.
U6 Soccer Drills for Beginners
Short, Short, Long Kicks
- Kids will dribble the soccer ball trying to get 2 short touches on the ball, and 3rd long touch on the soccer ball.
- Encourage them to yell “short, short, long” as they dribble the soccer ball.
- Keep the exercise going for 60 – 90 sec, repeat 3 – 4 times.
- Get CREATIVE with this exercise by limiting touches to right or left foot, inside or outside.
U6 and U8 Soccer Drills for Beginners
Through the Cones, and Coaches Legs, to Shoot and Score
- Set up 5 cones spaced 1 m/yd apart.
- Set up the goal 10 m/y away.
- The player starts with the ball, dribbling through the cones and passing the ball using the inside of the foot through Coaches/Parents legs.
- Player than runs around the Coach/Parent, and takes another kick on goal.
Many young players don’t understand what it means to kick the ball with the inside of the foot. Take the time to demonstrate and show players how their foot needs to make contact with the ball.
soccer shooting/attacking drills
- Soccer Shooting Drills will help players develop their kicks on the soccer ball. There are different kinds of shooting techniques in soccer. Knowing the right way to kick the ball is crucial to firm and precise shooting.
- Soccer Shooting Tips to learn the proper shooting technique and positive habits for shooting the soccer ball.
- Fun Soccer Drills using games with attacking drills through crossing, or shooting.
soccer passing drills
- Soccer Passing and Receiving Drills to help players get more comfortable on the soccer ball. Players will learn to receive the ball, and move after the pass is complete.
soccer ball control drills
- Ball Control Soccer Drills to help players get more familiar with the surface of the ball.
- Soccer Training Drills to improve players ball control skills. Getting familiar with the soccer ball takes time, consistency and effort.
- U10 Soccer Training Drills to improve ball handling skills, agility, coordination, and speed.
- Soccer Drills for Beginner soccer players U8 and U6. These soccer drills can also be adapted to older kids by changing the pace, and adding few skills.
- Small Sided Games to teach youth soccer players how to play soccer through the game being the Coach. Players will fall in love with the game from simply playing soccer.
- This Soccer Drill is many kids favorite soccer training drill in practice. The game is the Coach, while players enjoy competitive side of soccer in smaller spaces.
- First Touch Soccer Drills to help young players work on their passing, receiving, and moving. Smart players, with great ball control, will use their first touch to get out of tight situations, and surrounding defenders.
SOCCER FITNESS, SPEED AND AGILITY
- Agility Ladder Drills, also called Speed Ladder Drills, are very important for soccer players to develop agility, and speed.
- Soccer Agility Drills are used to improve players balance, footwork, and coordination. Change of direction is frequent throughout the game, so being agile, and able to quickly change direction is really important.
- Soccer Conditioning Drills will build up the players endurance for the WHOLE game. Players usually frown on these soccer drills, as they push them to exhaustion point; but prepare them for the game. Fit player is twice as valuable for any team in a match.
- Speed Training Drills will push players to build up their explosive speed, tight cornering, and the ability to speed up, and slow down their pace. These drills will build up the players endurance, and shorten the recovery after sprints.