Links for Coaches
Practice Structure
Stages of Development
Practice Planning
Coaching Requirements
Code of Conduct
FineSoccer Newsletters
Skills and Drills
  Home | Registration | Auburn Fields | For Coaches | Links 

Dribble (U8 - U18)

Comment:A great game that teaches dribbling and how to use the bottom of the foot and the outside of the foot to stop the ball and turn. Easy set-up & everyone has a ball. This is also a great warm-up to start practice. This is 10 times better than dribbling through cones & is a good way to evaluate dribbling skill .
Teaches:Control dribbling, to look up while dribbling & how to do a "Pullback" & "Hook Turn". Players learn to use peripheral vision, to shield the ball when in traffic, and that they can speed up if they get in the clear.
Setup:
  • Use 4 disk cones to make a square about 10 or 12 steps wide (smaller or larger depending on age & number of players)

     

  • Every player has a ball

     

  • Spread players around the square, all facing inward (like below):
Drill/Game:
  • All players start on "Go" & each player dribbles across & back.

     

  • Must do a "Pullback" or a "Hook Turn" to turn. (Do a Pullback by putting the bottom of the foot on top of ball to stop it & pull it back in the direction you came from. Do a Hook Turn by pulling the toes up & turning the foot so the outside of the foot can "hook" the ball, stop it & pull it back).

     

  • Tell players to look up while they dribble so they don't run into each other (don't worry, there won't be many collisions).

     

  • The first to 12 is the winner (each time he turns is "one"). Tell players to yell "Done" when finished and ask each player his score at the end of the game.

     

  • Play 2 or 3 games. For the second game, the first to 10 is the winner and for the third game, the first to 8 is the winner. Play at the start of practice as a warm-up and at the end of practice until dribbling skills improve or your team gets tired of this game.
Note:
  • "Control Dribbling" - When in traffic, keep the ball close to your feet so you can protect it; learn how to look up while dribbling by keeping the ball close to your feet so you know where it is.

     

  • "Speed Dribbling" - When you get "open" (out of traffic), you can kick the ball & run to it so you can go faster, but you must still keep it under control so you can turn.

     

  • How to do a "Pullback" and a "Hook Turn"