When coaching kids soccer, a soccer coach should teach the fundamental skills in a fun and enjoyable way. A soccer coach should avoid talking too much and conducting soccer drills that involve lines and standing around. Dead time will lead to young players becoming bored and losing interest.
Body Parts
Body parts is a kids soccer drill that allows a young soccer player to dribble the ball and become comfortable with using a number of surfaces, developing body control along with ability to trap the soccer ball. Play this drill in a 20 yard box, with the players having a ball each. The players dribble while the coach gives positive feedback and instruction on correct dribbling technique. On the coaches command, players stop the ball rolling with different parts of the body as the coaches call them. The soccer coach should award bonus points for players who dribble well and control the ball quickly, reinforce players to keep the ball one step away while dribbling.
Space Invaders
This kids soccer drill allows young soccer players to practice dribbling, as well as the correct passing technique. Play the game in a 20 yard box, with four players lined up on one end line. On the coaches command, the players drill the soccer ball, or "asteroid," to the end line directly opposite and stop it. Four players stand as "space ships" with a ball at their feet on the sidelines. Two players should be on each sideline. When the asteroid players are dribbling, the space ships are trying to pass their ball along the ground and hit the ball of a dribbling soccer player. When your ball is hit, you go to the sideline and become a space ship, all passes must remain on the ground. The coach should reinforce correct passing technique to the players on the sidelines. Dribbling players should be coached to look around while dribbling, and evade the balls coming in from the sidelines.
Coconut Shy
The coconut shy kids' soccer drill allows players to work on correct passing technique and accuracy. Rest a soccer ball on a cone and have players directly facing each other on either side of the ball. The aim of the drill is to knock the ball off the cone with an accurate kick. Begin the drill with the players only 5 yards away from the ball, which gives them an easy chance of success and allows the coach to teach the correct technique of passing. Progress the difficulty of the drill by increasing the distance of each soccer player away from the ball to 10 or even 20 yards. Add competition to the drill by awarding a player one point for each time he knocks the ball off the cone. The players alternate turns and keep score, the player with the most points after three minutes is the winner.
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