Let’s face it! When you Coach Youth Soccer, it becomes a challenge to come up with challenging and interesting drills for the kids. While teaching soccer, the biggest problem is to keep coming up with new ideas so that the kids are always interested in the game.
Here are some exercises that you can teach youth soccer players. These help them not just focus on the game, become proficient in soccer, but also enjoy the game.
Get the kids going with dribbling and shooting: This is a simple drill that involves all the players at the same time. Instruct the players to stand on a single goal line. Now, disperse the balls all over the ground. Then, make the kids move with the ball as if they are attacking the opponent’s goal. They should also shoot the ball as soon as they have an opportunity.
This drill helps them build stamina, confidence, and also improves their dribbling skills. Since the kids do not have any opposition while they dribble, it also brings out their individual style.
Youth Soccer Coaching
How to pass the ball: Ask the kids to stand in a line at a far-away corner of the field. Tell them to run towards you as fast as possible as soon as you have finished counting till 3. When they are running for you, they also have to capture the ball from the other player who has the possession of the ball. When you yell stop, the player in possession of the ball must pass it instantly to one of his mates.
In order to coach youth soccer, these games help the kids display their abilities in passing and dribbling. At the same time, they learn the skill of clinching the ball from others which is also vital.
Touch and Go: It’s an exciting game that kids enjoy playing. It requires the kids to stand in two rows under 40 meters away from the position of the goal. Also, the goalie should defend the goalpost. You should stand someplace between the two rows.
You pass the ball to one line and subsequently coach them to shoot or pass the ball with one stroke only. The idea is to translate the ball into a goal. Now the goalie should return the ball and continue with the practice.
If you have more than one goalkeeper in the team, keep them alternating between different sessions. This game involves team effort and also improves the shooting skills. Also, the goalkeepers learn to save the ball from hitting the goal post.
Retaining the possession of the ball: This drill helps the players learn to move forward with the ball saving it from opponents. Get two players so that one plays as attacker and second guards the ball. Now let them both play their roles in the field and the one who succeeds to take over another wins a point.
These are the easiest ways to coach youth soccer. Make your kids practice them and you will help them learn and have fun at the same time. If you would like more such tips and know about drills, join our youth soccer coaching community.
Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make training fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Youth Soccer Drills