Soccer Training Drills

Soccer training drills are specifically designed to help soccer players develop skills they will need in competition play. These drills are meant to allow coaches the flexibility to change the difficulty level of the moves without drastically changing the moves themselves, giving more life to each drill.

Soccer training drills are also meant to be somewhat repetitive. By making drills that force athletes to perform the same move several times, coaches have the chance to observe an athlete’s play style, looking for patterns and identifying areas of weakness to focus on. This encourages good technique by allowing athletes time to practice what the coach advises and increases the chance for retention with every move.

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Zig Zag Pass

Players should line up in two vertical lines splitting the middle of the field, with enough room in between to make fairly long passes. Players should stand not directly across from each other but in the “window” between two players, making a zig zag pattern.

A smaller line of players should stand vertically at the end of the two lines, ready to receive a ball from the coach. The player with the ball passes to the first player in line, who then passes it back. The player in the middle then passes to a player in the opposite line and receives it back. This goes on until the player in the middle has passed to each player in the outer lines and received the ball back.

This fun soccer drill primarily teaches passing skills and helps athletes develop timing, aim, and distance perception to help with the power they put behind passes. The drill can be made more difficult by putting more distance between the two outer lines, increasing the distance of the passes.

Catch or Control

To help with goalie training, coaches can use the Catch or Control drill. Players should be split into pairs, with one player being the goalie and one being the offender. There should be a small goal for each team to defend. The offensive player tries to get the ball in the goal, while the goalie gets one touch to either catch or control the ball.

The goalie should then kick or throw the ball back to the offensive player and the drill starts again. The offensive players should be encouraged to try new ways to score a goal, forcing the goalie to adapt and improve their skill.

Soccer Training Drills to Build Skills

Coaches using soccer training drills should keep in mind several key points about drills in general. Drills should be somewhat repetitive, allowing for practice of a specific skill. They should be customizable, allowing coaches to make them easier or harder depending on the team’s needs. Finally, soccer training drills should practice skills that players will use in everyday competitive situations.

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