Pirates of the Pugg

John Bychok 696,169 Views Rating 4.27 (384 Reviews)

This soccer dribbling drill is a great soccer drill using a Pugg Goal that can be tweaked to focus on many aspects of the game. For younger players ages 8-11, the primary focus should be on proper dribbling technique in traffic which requires vision and awareness. The coach can also focus on the transition from offense to defense if the ball is lost, or recovering from a tackle and finding safety. Defensively, this allows defenders to steal the ball from attackers and play to a particular goal or target.

Soccer Drill Diagram: Pirates of the Pugg

Pirate Game, Pirates of the Pugg Goal

This drill is an excellent drill for younger players ages 8-11 and focuses on dribbling technique in traffic which requires vision and awareness.
Drill Setup

  1. Build a circle approximately the size of the center circle. The actual size of the circle will vary depending on the age and skill level of the players.
  2. Place a Pugg Goal in the middle of the circle.
  3. All players start in the playing area.
  4. Dedicate 9 players with the ball, and 3 players without a ball are the "Pirates."
Drill Instructions

  1. Instruct the "Pirates" without the ball to defend the players with the balls.
  2. Once the Pirate wins the ball, they attempt to score on the Pugg Goal in the middle of the circle.
  3. If the Pirate scores the goal, that player becomes a Pirate.
  4. Play continues until the last player with the ball wins.
  5. If the pirates have a hard time getting started, the coach can help the pirates at first.
Drill Variations

  • N/A
Drill Coaching Points

Attacking: keep the ball close with head up so the players are aware of defenders and safety areas (space). If the ball is lost, recover quickly and fight to win it back.
Defending: Transition quickly from defense to offensive and stay focused once the ball is won, and find the target.

Top Rated Soccer Drills


7v7 Scrimmage

Chris Johnson 150,232 Views Rating 4.4 (5 Reviews)
It's always good to finishing a soccer training session with a 7 vs. 7 scrimmage to focus on team play.

Sharks and Minnows

Chris Johnson 549,147 Views Rating 4.3 (166 Reviews)
The Sharks and Minnows dribbling drill focuses on using the body to protect the ball by placing their body in between the ball and the defender.

1v1 Diamond Shooting Drill

Chris Johnson 467,301 Views Rating 4.3 (10 Reviews)
Spice up your shooting combination drill by finishing with a 1v1 to goal. Add a fun little twist, and the kids love it.

Pirates of the Pugg

John Bychok 696,170 Views Rating 4.27 (384 Reviews)
This drill is an excellent drill for younger players ages 8-11 and focuses on dribbling technique in traffic which requires vision and awareness.

Alien Tag Soccer Game

Chris Johnson 328,737 Views Rating 4.27 (11 Reviews)
Alien tag is a great Under 4 soccer game for 3, 4, 5, and 6 year-olds. Your kids will like flying around and crashing in their spaceship.

4v4 Soccer to a Small Gate

Chris Johnson 236,836 Views Rating 4.24 (75 Reviews)
4v4 in soccer is the smallest game focusing on all aspects of a full sided soccer match.

The Flag Game - Dribbling in Tight Spaces

Chris Johnson 189,378 Views Rating 4.23 (48 Reviews)
The flat game soccer drill is designed to focus on young soccer players learning to dribble in tight spaces.

Four Corners Passing Game

Chris Johnson 772,150 Views Rating 4.2 (284 Reviews)
The Four Corners Soccer Passing Game is a great soccer passing drill to focus on changing the point of the attack, and timing of runs and passes.

1v1 Competition

Chris Johnson 328,069 Views Rating 4.2 (147 Reviews)
This drill is great to focus on 1v1 play. It is flexible and can be used to work on the offensive side or the defensive side.

Ouch!

Chris Johnson 675,006 Views Rating 4.18 (268 Reviews)
A FUN soccer drill for younger players (U6, U7, and U8) to introduce dribbling, looking up and correctly striking the ball at a target.