Kids soccer drills must be fun and lively. You can introduce many variations to the following ideas listed out here:
- Jogging
Have your players jog in a marked off area in the field. Surprise them with soccer instructions, which they must carry out. You can vary this by getting them to copy an action performed by you.
After each variation, have them jog around for a few seconds. The instructions should be given at varying intervals so that they can develop the ability to respond quickly.
- Passing Drills
Have your players stand in a circle with one player in the middle. They can practice passing the soccer ball. A variation is to have half the players in the middle, with conditions that allow only one touch play, specific side of foot, part of the body at which the ball is thrown etc.
Place three players in a triangle form. Each player must pass the ball and then run between the other players. You can reduce the size of the triangle and have the player pass, one touch across the other player’s body to the other player.
This drill helps them open up, using right and left foot in alternation. One more variation here is to practice volleying where two players take turns to serve the ball to player 3 who volleys it back. Vary the height of the ball from the ground here, increasing it gradually. This develops quick service.
- Tunnel drill
This drill is best done after some warming up. Group your players with five or six in each group. Each group must form a tunnel except the one player. To form the tunnel, the players must stand side-by-side bend over forward to place hands on the ground.
When you blow your whistle, the free soccer player sends a ball through the player-tunnel, sprints to the other end and receives it, sends it back via the tunnel and positions himself at the end.
The player at the other end of the tunnel takes a turn now, goes to the other end and joins the tunnel. Each player gets a chance at receiving the ball and joining the tunnel at the other end. You can make it a contest to measure which group achieves this fastest.
These kids soccer drills should prove animated and promise a lot of fun while helping in their ball skill development.
