Soccer Coaching Blog

Soccer Coaching Exercises – Soccer Passing Drills That Build Teamwork

By Admin on February 16th, 2011

When players are out on the field, the single-most important factor that drives their success of failure is the ability or inability, respectively to coordinate with each other. If they do not understand the psychology of their teammates or have issues with them, you can be assured of your team’s defeat in the game. There are several soccer coaching exercises and soccer drills that present the players opportunities to work together. Such drills help the players in sharing the responsibilities as also develop greater understanding among them.

It is very important in soccer that the players learn to tackle both sides of 1v1. Parallels can be drawn between 1v1 and 2v2. However, the biggest difference between the two is that in 1v1, the format of the game forces the players to act quickly to beat the players or else stand the risk of failure. This can produce high levels of stress for players of all age groups, more so kids.

2v2 is more flexible and the players have the choice to select the moment when they take on their opponents. They can even choose to retain the possession of the ball. This induces a relaxed approach more suitable to learning and skill development.

Try and inculcate the spirit of brotherhood in the team. When players understand that they are working towards a common objective, they are more likely to understand the dynamics of team spirit. Make each and every player aware of his/her qualities and how it makes them capable of winning matches, however, when you praise, do so for the entire team. This is also true for situations where the team performs badly and the responsibility for it needs to be divided among the entire team.

Every player has a distinct personality and it is a mix of such individual traits that make a great team. When planning soccer coaching exercises, ensure that they require each player to work with the other to execute the game plan properly.

Following are a couple of drills that inculcate a sense of brotherhood and team spirit among players while at the same time helping them develop movements required on the field.

Killer Soccer Passing Drills and Movement

This is a nice short drill that teaches various aspects of the game. Make the players line up in a formation. The motive is to score a goal on the opposition. The players must attempt to score as many goals as possible. The focus should be on effective passing to score goals rather than speed for this drill.

Make sure that each player gets to tackle the ball and score. Encourage the players to play as if they are in a real game. Ask them to make effective passes that result into goals that simple dribbling. Finally, the players should get to the goal with the help of as few passes as possible.

Bull’s Eye

This is yet another interesting drill that tests the shooting skills of the players amidst strong defense. Divide the players into 2 groups and give them numbers. Designate one group to attack and another to defend. Call out a number say, 3 and that player must try to dribble through the maze of defense to shoot a goal. The defense must put all efforts to snatch the ball and not allow the player to score.

Put certain restrictions on the defenders so that it does not become one-sided. Soccer passing drills test the stamina of the player as well as the passing skill since there is a lot of running involved and at the same time, he has to manipulate his passes.

Try to create your own soccer coaching exercises and variations for the drills above and let me know of your results.

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Yours in soccer,

Andre Botelho

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