Youth Soccer Dribbling Drills
Soccer dribbling drills are critical to mastering the art of dribbling. Dribbling is one of the essential skills in soccer and is useful in taking on defenders, maintaining possession, or reducing pressure.
Dribbling is one of the first skills coaches should teach players at an early age.
Purpose of Dribbling in Soccer
- Players can dribble to space to maintain possession.
- Players can take on defenders to advance the ball towards the opponent's goal.
- Players can dribble to releave pressure by creting time and space.
Soccer Dribbling Requires
- Good footwork
- Command of the ball at all times
- Ability to change direction
- Good with all parts of the foot (inside, outside, bottom, top, shoelaces, etc.)
- Good with both feet
- Proper touch (not too hard, not too soft)
Youth Youth Soccer Dribbling Drills Coaching Points and Techniques
Here are a few coaching points to focus on when coaching dribbling drills:
- Low center of gravity.
- Keep arms up and out for balance.
- Keep the head and eyes up. The eyes should not be on the ball.
- Scan the field as you are dribbling. This will improve your vison and awareness.
- Dribble with the shoelaces when dribbling.
- Keep the ball close in pressure and away from you in space.
- Dribble with confidence.
- When taking players on, get to the space behind the defender.
- Use your body to protect the ball.
- Change of speed and change of pace to lose the defender.
- Accelerate once you have beat the defender.
- Don't do too many moves, or attempt to beat the same defender multiple times.
Browse the Latest Soccer Dribbling Drills
Four Corners Aggressiveness and Fitness Drill
This soccer drill focuses on aggressiveness in winning 50/50 balls and fitness. This drill will be more beneficial for players under 8 and older.
Diagonal 1v1 Soccer Drill
This 1v1 soccer drill is great to focus on 1v1 play whether it is on the offensive or the defensive side. On the offensive side, you can get attackers to attack the defenders with speed, quick change of pace with an explosive touch to get away, and getting behind the defensive players. On the defensive side, you can focus on closing down quickly, forcing the attacker to the side and closing down the attack.
Pirates of the Pugg
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.
1v1 Competition
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. On the offensive side you can get attackers to attack the defenders with speed, quick change of pace with an explosive touch to get away, getting behind the defensive players and shooting at half chances. On the defensive side, you can focus on closing down quickly, forcing the attacker to the side and closing down the attack.
Tunnel of Death
This drill can be used to focus on either attacking or defending. It teaches players to take advantage of an off balanced defender by attacking with speed or could be used to focus on good defensive posture and transition.
Criss-Cross Dribbling Game
The Criss-Cross dribbling drill focuses on the younger player. This dribbling drill assists players play with speed while keeping their heads up. Be warned, this drill can be dangerous for players who have a tendency of dribbling with their head down.
Knock Out
This drill is a great warm-up drill for dribbling sessions as it focuses on dribbling and ball control, keeping the head up, change of direction and change of pace.
2v2 Challenge
This 2v2 soccer drill focuses on putting players in 2 vs. 2 situations while attacking the goal. The dynamics of the games works on transitioning, and fitness demands on the players can be intense at times.
4v4 Playing Wide Out of the Back
This drill is designed to get players to play balls wide when playing from the back, the defensive third of the field. Players recognize that they find more time and space on the outsides of the field and they are relieving the center of the pitch from dangerous play.
Sharks and Minnows
This drill focuses on the U6 and U8 player and their ability to dribble out of pressure. This drill can be used to focus on the player using their body to protect the ball by placing their body in between the ball and the defender.
