I’m going to try to keep a list of soccer drills that have worked well for the girls’ teams. I was the only coach in town for both Reiley and Wren’s teams this week, so I had to bone up! I have crummy old websites for Reiley’s Sirens team and Wren’s Waves team, both now defunct – I’m falling behind! Reiley is on the Courage U12 team, and Wren is on the Spirit U10 team.
It’s good to have a solid list of drills, but bad to use too many unfamiliar ones too rapidly (like I did during Reiley’s last practice – I smartened up for Wren’s). Balance, grasshopper.
The drills (sorted from most advanced to simplest)…
Mini Tourney
Set up a couple small fields for 2v2 and 3v3 play, to fit the number of players
For example…
8 players: set up two 2v2
10 players: set up one 2v2 and one 3v3
12 players: set up two 3v3
Line up the players and have them count off, so everyone has a number
Using a notepad with a list of the numbers, call out random assignments
(“player 1, yellow penny on field 2 – player 2, green penny on field 1 –
player 3, no penny on field 1…” etc.)
Everyone goes to their field and plays a little scrimmage
After about 4 minutes, call them all in and go through the numbers
They yell out their scores – 1 point for a goal, one point for an assist
Then you have a second, third, round…
At the end you can tally up the scores and give a shout out to the top three.
2 vs 7
Set up a big box
7 offense keep away from 2 defenders
Offense possess for 10 seconds (7 touches?) to score a point
Defense scores if they knock the ball out
Variation: provide 4 perimeter goals for defenders to score
Variation: if defense wins, the offensive player that lost possession goes to defense
Relay Race
Two lines of players, spaced about 8-10 paces apart (each player at a cone)
Start at one end, pass a ball down the line and back
First back to the start of the line wins
Play to 3 or so
Losing team runs a lap? (by request of the girls!)
3 v 3 v 3
Set up a large box
Three teams of 3
One team is defense, other two keep away
If defense wins, team that made mistake becomes defense
Go To Goal
One goalie, 2-5 defenders
Goalie throws ball to one defender, who becomes offense
If the offensive player scores, they become goalie
Crash The Net
Use a goalie
Players approach the goal from center circle
Coach gives a hard pass from the side, player dribbles once, shoots
Coach throws in a second ball to be kicked on a bounce or headed in
If player scores both balls, they can get back in line – otherwise collect missed shots
Mac Daddy
One line of defenders at end of small goal box
One line of offense at other end of small goal box
One cone in front of offense
Coach at midfield, throws ball down center toward goal
Offense must circle cone, defense must go behind net
Race to score/defend!
Quick Challenge
Set up a big square with goals at opposite ends
Split the group into two teams
Count off assigning each team player a number
Stand at the midpoint of a sideline, with each team on opposite sides of the sideline
Call out numbers and toss out a ball to start the challenge
Start off with one number
Mix it up – call out two numbers, call a second number after a while, call out “everybody”, etc.
You can keep team scores
Down and Back
Set up a big square
Divide players into two teams
Each team lines up with a ball on two adjacent edges of the square
On go, each team races to the other side of the box and returns
Players have to watch and control their own ball, and avoid collisions
Winner scores a point, play until the first player scores 3 points
Ouch!
Each player has a ball in a large square
Try to hit the coach with your ball to score a point
Always keep the same ball
First to get 5 points wins
Eliminator
Everyone has a ball, except for the eliminator. When coach yells “Eliminate!”, the eliminator tries to kick out the balls.
As there are fewer and fewer balls, players should pass to keep away from the eliminator.
Everyone gets a turn as the eliminator!
Freeze Tag
Once frozen, hold your ball over your head and your feet apart.
Kick the ball through the feet of frozen players to unfreeze them.
The player with the most unfreezes wins!
Sharks and Minnows
Set up a long box.
Players (minnows) try to go from one endline of the box to the other side with a ball.
But one player is the shark, kicking any stray balls out of bounds
After each attempt, anyone who didn’t make it becomes a shark.
Last minnow player wins.
