Intermediate Skills Session
Dribbling (Under 14)

Warm-Up
(Split team into two groups and jog them out - hit heals, side-to-side, etc.)
(Have them stretch)

1) Fast footwork:

Line players up side-to-side about 3 yds apart: 2-3 lines, each with 4 or 5 players . Each with a ball at their feet. Start by demonstrating a more advanced dribble to the players and have them do it about 10-15 times.

Examples: (use about 5 or 6 to start out your dribbling practice sessions):

a) Tap back and forth quickly. Pivot sharp, or roll with inside of sole, or outside of foot, or drag back. Always jogging in place, slightly moving forward keeping the ball always at your feet.

b) Touch with one foot to the side, pivot sharp with inside of foot the opposite direction. Push with outside of the other foot. Then pivot sharp again and play forward.

c) Touch with outside of foot to the side, pivot sharp with outside of foot and then push to the side with the same foot. Then pivot again and play again. Use same foot and then after 6-7 times switch feet.

d) Touch with outside of foot to the side, pivot sharp turn direction with outside of foot and then push to the side with the same foot. Then pivot again and play again with inside of the foot.

e) Push the ball forward with right foot, pull it back and change direction with inside of the same foot . Then do with left foot. Keep repeating-left foot right foot, left foot, right foot.

f) Push the ball forward with right foot, pull it back and change direction with outside of the same foot . Then do with left foot. Keep repeating-left foot right foot, left foot, right foot.

g) Roll the ball with the inside of the sole, stop with other foot, tap twice and roll with the inside of the other foot. Repeat rapidly. Bend knees deeply.

h) Turn the ball under your body (behind your heel) with your toe. Then play it forward with the outside of the other foot. Switch to other foot.

i) Step over the ball turn and take it the other direction with the inside of the other foot. Make a couple taps and do the same the other direction.

k) Trap the ball back and turn it opposite direction with the outside of the other foot. Trap and take away. Repeat rapidly.

l) Pretend to back heal the ball and then sprint forward with the ball. Turn and go the opposite way.

Passive Opposition: Create pairs of players or create a triangle or square with players as cotenrs to act as PASSIVE opposition (depending on whether dribbling skill you are working on)

2) Pretending

a) Pretend to kick the ball far or shoot the ball and bring the ball behind your foot and go opposite direction. Repeat rapidly. Get arms up as if kicking far.

b) Pretend to kick the ball but step over the ball and push opposite direction with outside of other foot.

c) Pretend to kick the ball but step on the ball and roll it back.

d) Pretend to kick and pivot the ball sharply with toe under your body the other direction.

e) Take a big step past the ball (which shields the opponent) and then take it with the other foot.

Passive Opposition: Create a triangle or square with players as corners to act as PASSIVE opposition (depending on whether dribbling skill you are working on). Have players practice each skill 7-10 times and switch players. Stress the change of direction.

3) in square, cross dribbling exercises

Players split evenly around large square about 20 yards wide.

a) First player in each line has one ball. At coaches command, first player in each line dribbles across to other corner watching out for other 3 players also doing the same thing. Lay off ball to next player in line and go to end of that line. The next player does the same thing. Stress looking up and quick first touch to the opposite direction.
b) Same but now stop in middle, use one of the fakes you learned earlier and continue forward quickly.
c) All dribble to middle, fake to left and dribble to player on right. Lay off the ball and get at the end of that line. Next player repeats with good first touch.
d) Same but fake to the tight and go to the left.
e) Dribble to middle, pass to the right and sprint to the left. Stress good pass, and to watch the pass after it is made. (ie, don't turn back on the ball)

4) Games (Split your team into a 2-3 small fields depending number of players)

a) Small soccer field-10 yds x 8 yds. (4 players) Play 1 v 1 with 2 players on outside to help out. Players must play keep away from other inside player. Can use outside players but they must one-touch back to the same player. Can score by beating a player and dribbling to the line.

b) (4 players) 2 v2. Must score by dribbling to a line.

c) Large square (8 players) Four players on outside between corners. On the inside will be two 1 v1. To get a point, they must beat an opponent and then pass to an outside player who must pass it right back to them. And try again. They can pass to outside player if in trouble also, but outside player can only 2-touch.

d) (8 players) Same as above, but now 2 v 2 in the middle. Can get points by beating an opponent and passing to teammate inside. Can use players on outside for help.

Coaching Points in all exercises:

1) Make sure the players perform each skill correctly.
2) Start slow but pick up speed quickly. Players must get at least 100-150 touches of the ball at this type of practice.
3) Stress knees bent, playing loose but making the moves very sharp.
4) Tell players to experiment with new moves..on their own time of course.