The goal of a soccer dribble drill is to improve individual ball-handling skills. In the simplest form of a drill, a player dribbles by tapping the ball lightly while running. More complex dribbling skills include incorporating body feints, head fakes and ball tricks to fool defenders. For example, a player might tap the ball with one foot to indicate travel in one direction but then quickly tap the ball with the other foot and take off in the opposite direction.
Function
The basic goal of a dribbling drill is to develop ball control at high speeds. For beginner players, start with simple drills that develop basic skills, such as running while tapping the ball hard enough to keep it in front but not so hard that it travels too far out of the player's control. Once players are ready, have them dribble while other players attempt to steal the ball.
Control
Dribble drills that teach control should focus on teaching players to keep the ball close. For example, set up a line of plastic cones, each several yards apart. Direct the players to dribble slowly between the cones, focusing on keeping the ball nearby. Warn them that allowing the ball to travel too far ahead risks loss of possession to a defender.
Speed
Once players have a sense of how to maintain control, encourage them to move faster. The goal is to develop the players' ability to sprint at full speed while maintaining control, a skill that takes a long time to develop. One possible drill is to set up two lines of cones and direct players to race each other. The first player to dribble the ball between all the cones and reach the far end wins.
Considerations
Team-based dribbling drills help players develop ball-handling skills, but it's also important for the players to learn on their own. For example, encourage them to watch professional soccer players to discover new dribbling tricks, such as rolling the ball with the bottom of the foot or flicking the ball quickly side-to-side. During practices, allow them a few minutes to practice their new tricks and try them out on each other. This helps them develop an individual dribbling style and improves their ability to fool defenders.
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