Virginia Soccer Association Article

Soccer Tips: Great Drills

Those that know soccer know that you must play aggressively to get the ball. It is not a sport for the shy. There are some great drills you can use to practice that can help you become a better player.

One fantastic drill to practice for soccer is called ‘Get Control.’ The coach divides the players into two teams. A ball is thrown up into the air for players to try to gain control of the ball without using their hands or arms. When a player gains control of the ball, he puts it into play by passing it or trying to score a goal.

When a player doesn't gain control of the ball, he is penalized with something like a lap around the field or push ups. Every player ought to get a chance to grab control of the ball and put it into play.

Another good drill is protection of the ball. For this drill, you work with a partner to dribble the ball back and forth and to practice moving with the ball. Your partner then gives you feedback and advice on how to improve, like advice to move faster or to volley the ball at a quicker pace.

Another great drill is close and protect. Again, you practice with a partner to get control of the ball and keep it. It's not meant to be a drill for bullies but you do have to play aggressively to keep control of the ball.

Another way to do this drill is to have a player try to gain control of the ball from the other by body movements, and try to get the ball legally. This is a real test of patience and requires ease of movement.

Another drill that's a real test of skill is the ‘push and steal’ drill. This drill requires close supervision to make that players play fairly. The coach and assistant coach will each work with a ball and the players line up and try to steal the ball fairly. The coach moves and dribbles the ball down the field and the players line up one at a time to move with the coach and the ball and try to steal it.

Remember that these drills are designed to teach players to play fairly with the ball. Sometimes, the drill might get out of hand and then the coach should intervene to make sure no one gets hurt or that the game doesn't get out of hand. Soccer is a game combining skill with aggression.