Quality age-appropriate soccer drills for kids in the U9, Under 9, 9 and Under age group.
Soccer drills for kids ages 9 and under emphasize skill development and game awareness through fun and engaging activities. This page offers drills designed to improve ball control, passing accuracy, and teamwork in a supportive learning environment.
MEDIUM
This drill sharpens a player’s ability to receive under pressure, recognize defensive cues, and dribble into space. It emphasizes decision-making, ball protection, and breaking away from pressure in tight areas.
MEDIUM
This soccer drill sharpens short-range passing, encourages constant movement after the pass, and prepares players physically and mentally for training. It reinforces clean technique and fitness through repetition.
Medium
This drill focuses on teaching players how to open up their body, scan the field, and play accurate passes while moving continuously. It helps reinforce technical habits that translate directly to in-game situations.
MEDIUM
This drill teaches players how to play accurate breaking balls into space and make well-timed runs to receive them. Players will work on combination play through quick 1-2 passes, then focus on the weight and timing of through balls. The receiving player learns when to make their run and how to time it with the pass. This drill builds the connection between passer and runner that's crucial in breaking down defenses during games.
EASY
This drill builds the foundation of possession soccer by teaching players how to keep the ball in tight spaces. Players learn to create good angles of support, move intelligently without the ball, and position their bodies correctly when receiving. The small grid forces quick decisions and sharp passing. Attackers practice opening their hips to see the whole field and using their back foot to receive passes smoothly. The drill teaches deception through body feints and eye contact that mislead the defender. Players develop the speed and accuracy needed to move the ball before pressure arrives. The consequence of becoming the defender when you make a mistake keeps everyone focused and accountable. This simple but effective drill appears in training sessions from youth levels all the way up to professional teams.
MEDIUM
This drill trains players to recognize when possession is lost and react instantly by switching fields of play. The attacking team learns to keep the ball under pressure in tight spaces while the defending team works on winning possession and immediately playing forward. The switching element teaches players to read the game and anticipate transitions. Players must communicate who stays and who goes when the switch happens, building decision making skills under pressure. The numerical advantage for attackers creates confidence in possession while defenders learn to press intelligently when outnumbered. Moving between grids forces players to stay mentally engaged even when they're not directly involved in the current action. This back and forth rhythm mirrors real games where play shifts from one area of the field to another.
MEDIUM
This drill teaches players how to handle pressure when receiving with their back to goal, a situation that happens constantly in games. Players learn to position their body between the opponent and the ball to protect possession. They develop the feel for where the defender is without looking and make smart decisions about when to turn, when to shield, and when to play quickly. Reading the pressure is the key skill here. If the defender is tight, players need patience and technique to spin away. If the defender gives space, players should recognize it instantly and turn to attack. The competitive race element builds urgency and simulates the real game pressure of winning a fifty-fifty ball. Scoring on small goals adds consequence and forces players to execute their escape move with a purpose.
MEDIUM
This drill sharpens players' ability to keep the ball when space is limited and pressure is immediate. Two attackers work together against one defender, forcing quick decisions and accurate passing in tight quarters. Players learn to use first time passes when appropriate and develop the vision to see their teammate's movement before receiving the ball. The confined area means there's no room for heavy touches or slow decisions. Attackers build chemistry by reading each other's body language and creating passing angles through constant movement. The defender learns to apply smart pressure that forces mistakes without getting beaten by a simple pass. This situation mirrors game moments when players receive in crowded areas and must quickly combine with a teammate to maintain possession and build play forward.
MEDIUM
This drill teaches players how to build attacks from the back in an organized way that mirrors real game structure. The pyramid shape represents how teams naturally position themselves with defenders deep, midfielders in the middle, and forwards high. Players learn to connect passes through different lines of the team while maintaining proper spacing and support angles. The progression from back to front develops patience in possession and helps players understand their role in the build up phase. When opponents enter to apply pressure, players must make quicker decisions while staying calm and trusting their teammates. Using the full width of the area teaches players not to bunch up in the middle where defending is easier. This drill builds the foundation for how your team will play out from the back in actual games.
MEDIUM
This drill develops players' vision and awareness by forcing them to constantly scan and recognize which goals are open for attack. The requirement to pass through the center poles before scoring teaches patience in possession and rewards teams that can control the ball and pick the right moment to penetrate. Players learn to open up their body position to see the entire field, including teammates making backside runs away from pressure. The four goals create constant decision-making about which direction to attack based on where defenders are positioned. Quick transitions become essential because once a team completes the pass through the center, they must immediately identify and attack an open goal before defenders can recover. This setup mimics games in which teams must recognize when to keep possession and when to strike quickly, and it rewards players who can switch the point of attack rapidly.
EASY
This drill builds fundamental ball mastery and comfort on the ball through unlimited touches and creative exploration. Players develop a natural feel for the ball by using all surfaces of their feet without the pressure of structured patterns or defenders. The confined space demands close control and quick adjustments, which translate directly into tight game situations. By encouraging experimentation with different moves and feints, players discover what works for their style and build confidence to try skills in actual games. Keeping their heads up while dribbling fosters awareness, helping players see teammates and opponents during matches. The freestyle environment removes the fear of mistakes and lets players push their limits, where real skill development happens. This drill is perfect for warming up because it gives players plenty of touches on the ball while allowing them to express themselves and have fun.