• Cones and Disks - the little orange disks are a great way to mark off areas and serve as little "ball tees" when working on instep power kicks. The bigger cones can be used to make goals. "Yup, those big MDOT cones start to look pretty good as you drive by, but try to control yourself"
• Soccer balls - Buy several "cheapie" soccer balls from the discount bin. You can find decent ones for about $10 - $12. Make sure they are still good enough for juggling practice. You can use these anywhere and not worry about the scuff marks from playing in the driveway. Franklin makes a cheapie polyurathane covered ball that will last a long time and has about the right weight. "I have about 10 balls in various stages of decay in and around the driveway at all times."
• Stopwatch and eggtimer- These we can use to time some of our games.
• Sidewalk chalk - We will use this for games and races.
• Soft soccer ball- Get a lighweight cloth covered or soft rubber ball like a rubber ball for pool volleyball. We can practice headers, learn the correct form, and avoid any headaches.

Passing

Keys:

-Hop into each pass and give it a little "zip".
-The best short passes are quick "rollers".
-Follow your leg through the ball in the direction you want it to travel.
-Brush up and over the top of the ball to get it rolling smoothly.
-Use the inside part of the foot to pass for accuracy.
-Learn to pass with the outside of the foot as well.

• Don't underestimate the value of just passing the ball back and forth using correct mechanics and the inside aspect of each foot.
• Use both left and right feet.
• Use 2 touch control, ( 1 touch to receive and the next touch to pass ). Count how many you can do consecutively.
• Occasionally go to 1 touch control, ( pass the ball back immediately on the first touch, without receiving it first ). Count how many you can do.
• Try all of the above only using the outside aspect of the feet.
• Try all of the above using only instep (shoelace) kicks.
• Spread out and try some really long passes. Do some along the ground but work in some aerial chips and crosses. Try to do 2 touch control and count your best efforts.
• Receive the ball, then perform a feint, (Matthews, lunge, sizzors, fake kick etc.) and then zip a pass back. Count how many you can do before a miss.
• Place some large cones between yourselves and work around them with ("give and go") wall passes. Follow the last pass with a shot at the rebounder net (or the garage door or even a large trash can). Alternate shooters, keep score and see who wins.
• Experiment with the length of the pass. Start about 20 yds. apart and then have one player move in little by little until the players are only 5 yds. apart. Notice the difference in the "weight" of these passes.
• Stand in place with the ball between your legs and do 4-6 inbetween touches and then fire a pass to your partner 15 yds. away, who does the same.
• Practice some "give and go" passing. Player 1 starts by passing to player 2 and quickly starts moving down the field. Player 2 returns the ball in 2 touches or less. The return pass should be in front of the running player 1, (i.e. a "lead" pass). Then player 1 could shoot at the rebounder net or the garage door etc. Use cones to make some targets in the corners of the goal, then have the shooter call which target they are shootin at. Do the give and go and if the shooter hits the target they get a point.
• If you have 3 players try my triangle passing pattern with shots at the garage door.
  (Click here for triangle passing )

Receiving (traps and controls)

Keys:

-Keep the ball moving! Instead of "stomping" on it, (or "trapping" it ) you should deflect it softly to either side, or even behind you, as it continues to roll.
-Get in the habit of taking 2-3 steps toward the pass as you receive it. You will have to do this in competition or the opponent will beat you to it.
-Practice receiving the ball with all aspects of the foot. Always keep the ball moving as you touch it to the side with the inside and outside parts of the feet.
-Learn to turn with the pass and receive it on the inside of the rear foot as you turn away from the passer. This is known as "receiving on the half turn" and is a very important technique.

• Combine these "moving" controls of the ball with all the passing activities and mini-games outlined above.
• Learn to turn with the ball and cushion it with your trailing foot. This allows you to receive a pass and begin to turn upfield or perhaps away from the passer to "switch fields".
• Get in the habit of leaning or lunging one way and then deflecting the ball in the other direction. Call out to your partner - 1.)which way to fake and then 2.) which way to go - before they play the ball. Call "lean left and go right", or "fake up and go back" etc...... The person who misses get's a letter in the "HORSE" game.
• Softly underhand toss the ball to your partner for thigh controls, chest controls and head controls. Always take 2-3 steps to the ball before you play it and then volley kick it back to the thrower. Then take 3 steps backwards to prepare for the next toss.Give a point for each volley back to the thrower's hands and play to 10.
• Toss the ball high into the air, or even better bang it off your garage roof or garage door to have it land back in your driveway. Practice running through the bounce with a moving chest trap or thigh touch. Follow it with a shot into a target and keep score.
• Play soccer-tennis!! This game is a great way to combine all the controls from heads to chests to thighs to feet, and then follow them with a controlled volley kick. This game greatly improves a players juggling skills and "feel" for the ball. (You do not need a tennis court, just your driveway and some cones or even an old step-ladder). If you play just one game, this is the one!! ( click here for more about soccer-tennis )

Dribbling, Feints and Fakes

Keys:

-Use the instep (shoelaces) and outside of the foot when dribbling for speed.
-Emphasize cuts to the outside (i.e. "pushes" ) with the outside of the foot. As your opponents get faster and smarter they will not be fooled by the simple cuts to the inside, across your body.
-Try to get in the habit of leaning/lunging/ or faking one way before actually going the other way.
-Set up cones so the cuts have to be at a very sharp angle and emphasize speed.
-Furthermore, "explosive" acceleration after even a poorly executed move will still beat an opponent.
-Practice all the different moves and fakes (to develop better touch) but plan on choosing 1 or 2 moves that will be your favorites. Become an expert at these fakes so that you can do them almost "unconsciously", even during a close game.

• Make "flashcards" of the well known fakes and moves from "stepover 180's" to "Matthews" etc. Shuffle the cards and then read them off one at a time. Time how long it takes to get through the deck and do each move, with each foot. Race each other. This is an activity you can do in your basement as well as outside and it's a pretty good workout as well.
• Add a move to your small sided scrimmages. I make each of my kids display a "known-recognizable" move before they can score a goal. This slows the game down a little bit and prevents the meaningless "breakaways". Then it makes them rehearse moves and also forces them to make passes to their teammates, since the teammates have to make their move, as well.
• When practicing "big kicks" against the rebounder or garage door, set up a 2 cone wall about 10 - 15 yds. out. The shooter has to dribble up to this wall, then make a decisive move around it before the shot. Keep score.
• Play 1 v 1 with 2 small goals. Or try "Goalie Wars" where it is 1 v 1 but each player can make goalie saves with their hands just in front of their goals. If you have more players, give each a goal and play 1 v1 v 1 v 1, for instance. Encourage feints before shooting, or even require it.
• For video clips of some common soccer moves   (click here).

Dribbling, Feints and Fakes

Keys:

-Use the instep (shoelaces) and outside of the foot when dribbling for speed.
-Emphasize cuts to the outside (i.e. "pushes" ) with the outside of the foot. As your opponents get faster and smarter they will not be fooled by the simple cuts to the inside, across your body.
-Try to get in the habit of leaning/lunging/ or faking one way before actually going the other way.
-Set up cones so the cuts have to be at a very sharp angle and emphasize speed.
-Furthermore, "explosive" acceleration after even a poorly executed move will still beat an opponent.
-Practice all the different moves and fakes (to develop better touch) but plan on choosing 1 or 2 moves that will be your favorites. Become an expert at these fakes so that you can do them almost "unconsciously", even during a close game.

• Make "flashcards" of the well known fakes and moves from "stepover 180's" to "Matthews" etc. Shuffle the cards and then read them off one at a time. Time how long it takes to get through the deck and do each move, with each foot. Race each other. This is an activity you can do in your basement as well as outside and it's a pretty good workout as well.
• Add a move to your small sided scrimmages. I make each of my kids display a "known-recognizable" move before they can score a goal. This slows the game down a little bit and prevents the meaningless "breakaways". Then it makes them rehearse moves and also forces them to make passes to their teammates, since the teammates have to make their move, as well.
• When practicing "big kicks" against the rebounder or garage door, set up a 2 cone wall about 10 - 15 yds. out. The shooter has to dribble up to this wall, then make a decisive move around it before the shot. Keep score.Try "Goalie Wars" where each player can use their hands to make saves just in front of their little goals. If you have 3 or 4 players, give each a goal and play 1 v 1 v 1 v 1, etc. Require that they make some sort of recognizable move before trying to score.
• Play 1 v 1.
• For video clips of some common soccer moves   (click here).

Learning Juggling Skills

Keys:

-Initially practice juggling on pavement so that you can play the bounce and keep the ball moving. Learning to softly touch a bouncing ball is almost as important as a juggle touch and teaches the same movements.
-Use the shoelace or instep part of the foot for most foot touches. Use the soft, fleshy part of the thigh for thigh juggles. Stay away from the knee.

• Start with a decent but expendable ball that you can use on pavement and not mind the scuffs. You may find that if you under-inflate it just a tiny bit, it will allow for more control. Repeat all the skills with both feet.
• Hold the ball out in front of you with both hands and drop it onto the pavement for a bounce. After the bounce, tap the ball back up to your hands with the shoelace or instep part your foot. Catch the ball and repeat several times with each foot. We need to learn how to describe these movements so the teacher can lead some beginning jugglers through these skills. (I would call this a "bounce-foot-catch".)
• Now, drop the ball for a bounce, tap it softly up towards your hands but let it fall back to the pavement for another bounce. Then tap it up to your hands for a catch. (I would call this a "bounce-foot-bounce-foot-catch".) Repeat this several times, again with both feet.
• Next we will drop the ball directly to the foot for a tap back to the hands for a catch. (This is a "foot-catch")
• Now drop the ball to the foot for a tap but let it bounce, then use the foot to tap it up to the hands for a catch. (This is a "foot-bounce-foot-catch".)
• Keep adding on touches and bounces alternating a foot touch with a bounce and ending with a catch. It's important to end with a catch to maintain control.
• Finally drop the ball for a bounce and tap it up with the foot but before it bounces try to tap it up again for a catch. ( This is a "bounce-foot-foot-catch".) This is the beginning of "real" juggling! This is a big step. If it seems too difficult for the player, do not hesitate to back up and work on the 1 touch exercises again with bounces inbetween.
• Continue to try different variations of bouncing and 2 foot touches. Don't try to go to 3 consecutive foot juggles too soon. Getting from 2 juggles to 3 is a very big step as well. Instead try to link lots of 2 juggles together with bounces. Try a bounce-foot-foot-bounce-foot-foot-catch.Later on link together a several of these 2 touch juggles with a bounce between each one. In fact, see how long you can keep it going with 2 touches and then a bounce. Have a contest.
• It may not be the first day, but eventually you are ready to go for 3 juggles. Warm-up with single touches and work up to 2 touches linked together with bounces, just as I have described above. Then try a bounce followed by 3 foot juggles and a catch. (This is a bounce-foot-foot-foot-catch.)Encourage alternating feet during the 3 touch juggle. Once they get the hang of this, start using bounces to link together more 3 and 2 touch.
• You can drop the ball directly to the foot without a bounce, to start the juggle, once they begin to develop some control.
• Approach thigh touches and head touches the same way, but wait until they have some control with their feet so they can "dig" it up for a catch at the end. Also they will often find the thigh touches easier and tend to overwork them thus neglecting the feet. Start with a thigh-bounce-foot-catch combo and then keep adding on. Try a thigh-thigh-bounce-foot-catch and then a thigh-thigh-foot-foot-catch and now they are up to 4 legitimate juggles!
• Once you have made it this far you should encourage less bounces between touches, but I still like to see players use the bounce to keep the ball moving. I think it is better that they keep touching it back up even with bounces, as opposed to getting frustrated and stopping.
• Now it will take time and practice to learn how to keep the ball airborne. Once again, introduce games and contests to keep it interesting. (click here for Juggling Games) A great game for juggling skills and improvement of all first touches is "soccer tennis"! I highly recommend it.
• There will be breakthrough days when the player finally juggles 3 in a row or much later, gets to 10 for the first time. These are often followed by frustrating days where nothing seems to work. Then much later, when they finally get to about 20 juggles, the "lights" seem to come on. Juggling actually becomes a fun thing to do and they begin to attract attention and compliments from other players, coaches, and parents. Now if they keep at it, they can break 50 in "no time".

Shooting

Keys:

-Use the shoelaces (instep) for power drive shots.
-Use the inside and inside front part of the foot for quick accurate shots.
-Glance at the target but then keep your eyes on the ball while shooting.

• Shooting practice is just plain fun. It is what soccer is all about.
• Use the shooting wall or rebounder and keep at it. Need a rebounder? (Click Here)
• Practice with a moving ball! Except for the rare set-play, most shots must be taken while moving and somethimes at top speed. Always do a cut or fake first and then rip the shot.
• Play "HorseShot". Once again this is a "horse" style game where players get letters when they miss. Set up some targets in the corners of the rebounder or wall. Sometimes I even use trash cans. Then one player calls their move or (moves), followed by a shot to a target. So, I might call "rivolino-go left, pull vee-go right, shoot the green trash can". Then I would have to actually do that shot and hit the can. If successful, the next player would have to also make the shot or get a letter "H". If more than 2 people are playing, each player has to make the shot as long as the player before them made it. If the player in front of them misses, then they get to call a new shot. Once a player has all the letters in the word "HORSE" they leave the game. Last person in is the winner.
• Play "Round the World". This is a half-volley game where you shoot at the goal from 5 different shooting stations. All the shooting stations are somewhere near the penalty box line. You can play with or without goalies. The coach can play goalie and sometimes roll the ball out to the stations for "first timer" shot.
  The first shooter starts in station #1, shoots the ball If they score, they move to station #2 and so on. When they miss, the next player starts the same way. The first player to score from each station wins.
  You can add goalies later on, perhaps even 2 goalies trading off. With younger players you can move the stations closer.
  Try the game with shots after feints with a rolling ball, or even have the player toss the ball up and then hit a half-volley shot just after the bounce.
  Make up your own variations.  
  (click here for Round the World game)

Speed and Stamina

Keys:

-Don't worry about 100yd. dashes, soccer speed is most important in runs less than 30yds!
-In fact, if you really break it down ONLY WORRY ABOUT THE FIRST 3 STEPS!
-Learn to "explode" into a run and good things will follow. The defender will have to respect your speed, your fakes will work better and you will find the space and time to make the play.
-Stamina is painful to work on, but most games are won or lost late in the second half when one team runs out of gas.

• Set up races and relays in your backyard that force the player to dart-stop-dart-stop etc. Place a "zig-zag" pattern of cones to run through and then dash off to the ball and take a shot. Sometimes just touch the ball with your foot but other times tag it with your hands, elbow or even nose. The key is to make those little squats and lunges and then bound out to the next cone.
• Sometimes we draw circles with chalk on the pavement that are just far enough apart to make it difficult to leap to. Then have the player leap from circle to circle first with one leg leaps but later with 2 footed hops. Make it a race or relay and sometimes finish with a shot.Sometimes, with the younger kids, we imagine that we are leaping over a swamp filled with alligators etc.
• Inquire about local plyometrics clinics that can work on quickness and explosiveness. For a little "plyometrics-like" drill you can do anytime, check out the Zig-Zag cones. (click here)
• Stamina is tough for kids to get excited about but try to get them to run along with you on runs around the neighborhood or the park.

This document maintained by James King
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