| Around the Clock | | | | until all three players on the team have been the |
| Divide the kids into groups of 5 players. The four | | | | middle man at least once. You can make it a little |
| corners of a 15 yard square should be manned by | | | | more competitive for all by awarding a reward for |
| one player a piece while a fifth player has the ball at | | | | the team with the most completed passes. |
| the center of square. The ball should now be passed | | | | Soccer Marbles |
| to one of the corners after which the child that was | | | | Soccer Marbles improves offensive and defensive |
| at the center of the square should trade places with | | | | skills. Begin by marking off a 10X10 area with cones |
| any other corner player not in possession of the ball. | | | | and dividing the kids into groups of 3. Each child has a |
| The player who has just received the ball should now | | | | ball and two are designated as defenders while the |
| pass it back to the new center player. The drill can | | | | other is the attacker. The attacker than dribbles his |
| be repeated as many times as the kids can stand | | | | ball around the space while the two defenders |
| and is great for helping improve pass quality and | | | | attempt to hit his ball with their own. Once the |
| spacing issues. | | | | attackers ball has been hit the players rotate places. |
| Simon Says | | | | After ten minutes or so, up the ante for the |
| With a ball each players dribble their way around a | | | | attackers. Let the defending players pick up their balls |
| 20x20 yard grid (you can mark it with cones) waiting | | | | and roll them at the attacker's ball. This really helps |
| for "Simon's" instructions. These can include "foot" | | | | the attacker learn about defending both the ball and |
| which would mean stop the ball with the foot (of | | | | himself. The coach should time how long each player |
| course) "change direction" "run faster" and so on and | | | | maintains procession of his ball, and the player with |
| so forth. Any player who fails to obey an instruction | | | | the best time wins. |
| prefaced by "Simon says" is out, with the winner | | | | Pass, Move, Turn |
| being the last child on pitch. Kids have a lot of fun | | | | This drill is also a great warm up before a match. |
| with this drill and it can be modified to teach any | | | | Have half your players stand within the confines of a |
| number of skills. | | | | 20x20 grid, while the other half stand around the |
| Shuttle Passing | | | | perimeter. Players in the grid have no soccer balls, |
| This is a drill for groups of three players. After the | | | | those on the outside have one each. Players within |
| groups are decided two players should stand about | | | | the grid move around freely looking to receive a pass |
| 20 yards apart from one another while the third | | | | from an outside player and return it accurately |
| team member stands in the middle between two | | | | before moving on to another challenge from another |
| marker cones. Each player has their own ball. | | | | "outsider" at the opposite end of the grid. Switch the |
| On your mark the middle player runs towards an end | | | | outside and inside players after about ten minutes. |
| player calling for the ball. The end player then passes | | | | To add more of a challenge for older players, |
| the ball to the middle players feet and he or she | | | | determine how balls should be returned. One touch or |
| must return it as accurately and quickly as possible. | | | | two touch pass? Return it with the outside or inside |
| This achieved they then run towards the other end | | | | of the foot? |
| player to repeat the process. The drill should continue | | | | |