Individual Soccer Drills for Kids

Individual Soccer Drills for Kids
Photo Credit soccer fun image by Sandra Henderson from Fotolia.com

Kids' soccer is one of the most popular youth sports in the United States. Many soccer players play on a team, and practice once or twice a week. To truly master the game, you should invest practice time on your own. The more time you spend with the ball at your feet, the more comfortable you will become in possession of the ball.

Juggling

Juggling is a simple individual soccer drill to perform, and helps develop your touch with the ball. While you might never juggle in a competitive game, the coordination required to the ball under control and off the ground will greatly help a soccer player's first touch. Begin with the ball in your hand and drop it to your feet, count one point for each time you touch the ball without it hitting the ground. Use your feet only, before attempting to juggle with your thighs and your head. Note your score with each body part, and always aim to beat it. After becoming comfortable with this drill, juggle exclusively with your left foot, or your right foot. If you are a beginner and struggling with this drill, allow the ball to hit the ground once between juggles. This will give you more time to react between touches.

Dribble Slalom

This individual soccer drill helps develop dribbling and ball control, it can also serve to increase the physical fitness of a soccer player. Place six cones in a straight line, with two yards between each cone. Begin by dribbling to the left of the first cone, then dribbling to the right of the next cone, then to the left again. After you reach the last cone, circle it, then repeat the slalom back to the start. Try to keep the ball as close the cones as possible without touching them, and use one step between each dribble. You can use this drill to develop physical fitness by performing 10 repetitions full speed, without rest.

Wall Kicks

This individual soccer drill is easy to perform, and was famously used for hours on end by such world stars such as Diego Maradona and Pele. A soccer player only needs a ball and a wall to perform this drill. Line up 10 yards away from the wall, and warm up by practicing side-foot passing into the wall. Aiming for a specific brick or a one-yard area you've marked on the wall can help build accuracy. Move another 10 yards back, and drive shots into the wall from the laces of your shoes. Aim 20 shots low, then 20 shots with a little height; score a point if you can hit the wall and catch the rebound around chest height. Practice using both your left and right feet.

References

Article reviewed by Will McCahill Last updated on: Jun 16, 2010

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