Let this be known! To coach youth soccer, it is a challenge to be creative and come up with innovative tips and techniques to train the kids. While teaching soccer, the biggest problem is to keep coming up with new ideas so that the kids are always interested in the game.
Following are some drills that you can teach youth soccer players. These help them not just focus on the game, become proficient in soccer, but also enjoy the game.
Teach the boys dribbling and shooting: This is a straight-forward drill that all the players can take part in at the same time. Instruct the players to stand on a single goal line. Now, scatter a lot of balls all over the field. Once done, tell the kids to play with the balls as if they are moving towards the opponent’s goal. They should also hit the ball as soon as they get a chance.
This drill helps them build stamina, confidence, and also improves their dribbling skills. As the kids do not face any opposition while moving forward, it reflects their style of playing soccer.
How to pass the ball: Ask the kids to stand in a line at a far-away corner of the field. Make them run to you fast as soon as you finish counting till 3. Ask the player running towards you to try to take the possession of the ball from the player who has it. When you say stop, the player who has the ball must pass it to another player.
In order to coach youth soccer, these games help the kids display their abilities in passing and dribbling. In this way, the art of gabbing the ball from other players is also learnt by them.
Touch and Go: It’s an exciting game that kids enjoy playing. The kids should get in two lines distant from the goal post which is less than 40 meters away. Moreover, it’s the goalie who should protect the goalpost. Position yourself anywhere amongst the two lines.
The ball should then be passed on to any one row to subsequently pass or shoot the ball with just one contact. The purpose must be to convert it into a goal. The goalkeeper must then return the ball and the practice continues.
If you have more than one goalkeeper in the team, keep them alternating between different sessions. This sport encourages team effort and helps improve shooting skills. Also, the goalkeepers learn to save the ball from hitting the goal post.
Keeping the ball with you: Players get to learn the skill of moving ahead with the ball protecting it from the opposite team. Engage two players, one protecting the ball and the other attacking it. Now let them both play their roles in the field and the one who succeeds to take over another wins a point.
These are simple techniques to coach youth soccer. Make your kids practice them and you will help them learn and have fun at the same time. If you would like more such tips and know about drills, join our youth soccer coaching community.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Soccer Drills.
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