Determination to provide your soccer team with everything they need to succeed is a large part of what makes a good manager, and it’s sure to make a huge difference to your wins each season. The better prepared your team is, and the more inclusively you tackle any weak areas of play, the better able they’ll be to handle any challenges that another team can throw at them.
Practice play during training sessions will form a large part of your regime. Many experts also state the importance of soccer drills, which allow players to hone specific vital skills like dribbling and their ability to pass a ball.
In this article, we consider why you, too, should prioritize soccer drills in training, and which drills you might want to implement to take your team from strength to strength.
Why Are Soccer Drills So Important?
We know what you’re thinking – why should I disturb practice matches for soccer drills? Isn’t this just a distraction that could prove damaging? According to the experts, absolutely not.
Many coaches spend more time on soccer drills than they do on anything else, and there are a few valid reasons why, such as:
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- Developing skills: Soccer drills are great for helping you assess and develop existing player skills, including any strengths or weaknesses you might otherwise overlook. Even if you’re working with a brand new player, a few well-selected drills will give you a pretty decent lay of their gameplay, and what you can do to help them.
- Building confidence: Soccer drills are also go-tos for school coaches, or coaches of reluctant teams, as they can be fantastic for building confidence. Every player has one element of gameplay they avoid, but perfecting their skills during drills could help them to gain a broader reach of the field, and turn them into stronger, self-assured players in the process.
- Improving fitness: Drills that traditionally focus on core strength areas are also great for improving player fitness, and can significantly reduce the risks of gameplay injuries. Regular drill practices can particularly help to build stamina and strengthen core muscles.
How Long Should Soccer Drills Last?
The next pressing question is, how long should your soccer drills last? As a coach, you’re juggling a lot of balls, and you might be worried that focusing too heavily on drills could cost your players elsewhere. Unfortunately, there’s no solid answer to this question, as it’s entirely dependent on your team. However, certain indicators can help you get the drill vs. play balance right, and they should include –
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- Player ages
- Player skill levels
- Training focus
- Etc.
Age and skill level are particular focus areas here, with coaches of young teams generally recommended to split around 1 ½ hours of drills across a week. By comparison, coaches for professional-level players should aim to hit around two hours of drills daily.
It’s also worth noting that these figures don’t typically mean focusing on a singular soccer drill for that entire timespan. Even professional coaches will generally only focus on each drill for no more than half an hour before moving on. Soccer drills can also be intensive, so try to split these practices up with other things throughout the day to keep your team focused and energized.
The Best Soccer Drills for Adults
Now you know why and how to implement soccer drills, it’s worth considering the best soccer drills to bring into your practice. A few of the top options to introduce to your team include –
# 1 – Passing Warm Ups
A passing warm-up is one of the best soccer warm-up drills and involves simply setting up training cones to create a five-yard passing lane first thing during a practice session. Use a different colored cone about five yards from that passing lane to create a triangle.
You should then split your teams into two teams that stand on opposite sides of the passing lane, with one player on each cone. Give each member of one team a soccer ball with which to complete two-touch passes to the player opposite. This warm-up is a relatively low-effort way to start the training day and provides a multitude of benefits, including the fact that players get plenty of touches on the ball.
Rotating teams and passing pairings can also ensure that each member of your team is better able to receive and pass the ball from every single one of their teammates during gameplay.
# 2 – Dribbling Drills
Dribbling, which involves getting players to retain contact with the ball across a set route, is great for both touches on the ball and control, and is a drill you could introduce in various ways, such as –
- Figure 8 dribbling: To set up figure 8 dribbling, simply place two cones around 5 yards apart. Players should navigate these in a figure of 8 that requires use of the inside and outside of both their left and right feet. Players should rotate roughly every minute as they navigate the course.
- Zig-zag dribbling: Zig-zag dribbling has more of a focus on the speed needed to cross the field, and involves an easy setup of cones that are placed roughly five yards apart in a zig-zag shape. Players should dribble the ball around the outsides of these cones on a timer, before running back down the bottom line and starting again as quickly as possible.
# 3 – Soccer Tic-Tac-Toe
Soccer tic-tac-toe is a slightly more lighthearted soccer drill that focuses on developing whole-team decision-making while under pressure. To play, you should place two starting cones roughly three yards apart, in front of a tic-tac-toe board made of cones.
You should then split your team into two sides, each with a different color of pinnie. Players must enter a relay-style game, which involves running to the board and dropping a pinnie in a square, before going back and slapping hands with the next player, who must do the same. The ultimate goal is simply to win the game of tic-tac-toe.
While there are no ball skills involved, this is a great team-building exercise and can be a fantastic drill for energizing your team when they seem to be flagging.
# 4 – 1v1 Diamond Shooting
1v1 drills provide a multitude of skill benefits, including moving with the ball and shooting. To play, set up a diamond of cones roughly 20 yards from the goal, with each cone roughly 12 yards apart. Place one player in goal (this needn’t be your goalkeeper as players will rotate), and place a player on cones 2, 3, and 4. Your remaining players will wait behind cone 1.
Place a supply of balls behind cone 1. The first player in line should kick one of these balls to cone 2 before moving to stand there. Player 2 should pass to player 3, before moving to a defensive position. Player 3 should then pass to player 4, taking their position as player 4 enters a 1v1 battle to goal with player 2.
If player 4 scores, the goalkeeper remains. If player 2 scores, player 4 becomes the goalkeeper and play begins again.
This is perhaps the closest drill to real play, and can significantly enhance player skills, teamwork, and goal-scoring capabilities.
Soccer Drills for Young Teams
It’s possible to adapt all soccer drills to suit a young team of players, but coaches of younger teams can also introduce more play-related drills. These can be effective for engaging even reluctant players in school teams, or enhancing skills in keen young soccer players, and might include:
- Fill the bucket: Divide players into two teams of at least three players, and give each player a ball. Set up two squares at opposite sides of the center pitch using four cones of different colors for each team, roughly. Players must stand at opposite ends of the touchline. One player should dribble the ball in an attempt to be the first to get their ball into the team’s ‘bucket’. They should then run to the player on the other touchline, who should run around the pitch and begin dribbling their ball. The first team to fill their bucket wins.
- Snake: Use four cones to create a 20×20 square on your pitch, and nominate one player to be the beginning of the ‘snake’. Give every player other than the nominated player a ball. The players with a ball must dribble around the square, while the snake player attempts to tag other team members, who should join the snake if they’re caught. The aim is to remain dribbling for as long as possible.
Takeaway
Soccer drills are simple to set up, and each one generally addresses a wide variety of crucial skills. The right drills can also be a lot of fun for players of all ages, providing a much-needed break from dedicated game practice. Whether you’re coaching a school team or are working with players at the top of their profession, these soccer drills are sure to improve your practice sessions, and your team’s gameplay, in no time.
