I can’t say about you but for sure there are many coaches who still struggle a lot to find effective free soccer drills for their players. It basically means that they are looking for such drills that the kids can perform all by themselves by just using the ball.
Drills which do not require any equipment are the best pick to kick start the training program. This is because soccer exercises like these can be designed to suit the player’s age, learning potential, and the skills specific to his role in the team.
The great drill to teach the players is to dribble a soccer ball and at the same time, be conscious of what is going on around them. This drill is used by many coaches and it is far better than asking your players to dribble through cones.
The players may find this particular drill rather demanding but it is this competitive nature of this drill that ensures player’s wholehearted participation in soccer practice.
I’ll guide you to conduct this drill.
To begin with, mark a square of about 20 yards by 20 yards. The number of players and their age decides the size of this square.
Have an identical number of players positioned evenly alongside the square. All players should stand facing the inner opposite side of the square and should have their own ball.
When the coach whistles , every player will dribble the ball to the opposite side and stop on the line opposite to them. Of all the free soccer drills, this drill coaches the players to dribble across the square with their heads up and and do not interfere in each others’ path and thats why this is effective.
To add more fun into the drill, make the players dribble across the square and back again, compelling them to turn 180 degrees with the ball. The number of times the players have to dribble the ball need not be constant and that can be varying. A player is eliminated for every run and this continue until only one player is left.
Also, as the number of players decrease, feel free to introduce the concept of running with the ball rather than dribbling the ball.
You can have great fun with this drill and teach the kids many important aspects of dribbling with the ball. The best of way of making soccer drills interesting is to mix some tough and some light drills together in the training. It is absolutely perfect, if some are just added for fun and not directly linked to the soccer game.
The important thing is that kids shouldn’t do too much of anything in soccer coaching.
Believe me! Once you start to apply these free soccer drills in your training programs, you will be amazed to see how quickly the kids learn the essential elements of the game.
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About the author
Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Free Soccer Drills.
Tags: Free soccer drills, soccer coaching, soccer exercises, Soccer practice