Little Legends Soccer Academy

Every player has a ball in the grid. Each player will dribble around until the "IT" is picked.  The "IT" is the player that will try to make contact with another players ball in the grid.  The "IT" will have to dribble and hit the other players balls with his ball.  The players that are not the "IT" will try to stay away.  Once contact is made the player will become another member of the "IT" group. The last player left is the winner.

Coaching Tips:

• No player standing
• Keep head up
• Technique

 
Set up 5 sets of cones as designed above. These cones are called gates. The gates are 2 yards apart. Players will partner up in two's. One player in each pair will cover his partners eyes with a t-shirt. The blindfolded partner will have a ball. The other player will be the "Guide" and will then coach the blindfolded player to dribble through the gates. The "Guide" cannot touch the ball or remove the blindfold until the partner has gone through all of the gates. Then the players will switch positions and do the same process. The goal is to see which pair goes through all of the cones first.

• Communication

 Drill phase 1: Player "X" and "O" will start with the ball. Make sure to keep players on opposite sides of the cones. Have player "X" start dribbling the ball with his instep and outside of the foot to get to the other cone. Player "O" should start dribbling when player "X" has reached the other cone. This will give player "X" time to rest before they dribble back.

Drill phase 2: Player "X" and "O" will start the same way. Now they will be dribbling the ball with their laces (top of the foot). Player "X" will dribble the ball to the cone across from him and change driection by using the bottom of his cleats and start to dribble back to the start position. Once player "X" reaches the starting point, player "O" will start.

Drill phase 3: Player "X" and "O" will start the same way. Players have the option of dribbling across by using the instep, outside foot, and top of the foot. Coaching point is to change direction by using the instep and outside of the foot once they reach the other cone. Teaching ways to change direction will help a player be more versatile on the field.

Coaching Tips:
Players should start dribbling the ball at a slow pace. Make sure they are using the right technique by keeping the ball close to their feet, keeping their head up and making sure their foot is locked when touching the ball. Players tend to push the ball when they are dribbling. Make sure your player is touching the ball with controlled touches.

Pick one player on the field which is the "Leader" and have the rest of the kids behind the leader. The other players have to follow the leader's every move. Instruct the leader to move in different directions. You can also have the leader scream out numbers and letters for the followers to repeat. Make sure to switch leaders. This is done first without a ball. If the players get the grasp of following the leader, then add balls to the session.

To make the game more competitive, set up gates on the field and make the leader go through them. If a player doesn't follow the leader then they are out. The last player left is the winner.

Coaching Tips:

• Proper Technique
• Head Up
• Listening

Set up a large grid as designed above. Have players all in the middle of the grid each with a ball. Have them start dribbling inside of the grid. Once everyone is dribbling pick two players to be the "Freeze". The "freeze" has to tag the players that are dribbling in the box. If a player is touched then that player has to stop, spread their legs and hold the ball above their head. The player can be unfrozen if another unfrozen player dribbles the ball through their legs. Make the game into a contest to see which group of players can freeze the most players. This is a tiring drill so you might want to give them a water break after a couple of turns. Be sure to have everyone become the "Freeze". That's the most exciting part of the game.

Coaching Tips:

• Proper Technique
• Head Up
• Teamwork

Setup a large grid and place all players inside with a ball. Players dribble around trying to keep their own ball and kick out everyone else's ball. If a ball is kicked out, the player must retrieve it, give the coach a high five and then return to the grid. This drill can become a competition. If a player gets their ball kicked out, then they must stay out. The last player in the grid is the winner. The grid needs to be downsized as players are eliminated. Make sure the game keeps flowing. Players need to keep possession of the ball when they try to kick the other players ball out of the grid. If a player leaves their ball, then they are out.

Coaching Tips:

• Stay within the grid
• Keep moving
• Player nees to be aware of other players positions

Set up a large grid. Always have one less ball then players. (If you have 7 players then have only 6 balls on the field). Have the players away from the ball around 20 yards. On the coaches direction, the players run to the ball and start to dribble. One player will always be left without a ball. The player who didn't get a ball must try to steal someone else's ball. The coach will stop the game when he feels it's time. The player without a ball has to carry out a minor penalty such as running around the grid twice. Be creative

Coaching Tips:

• Encourage the player without the ball
• Players need to be dribbling
• Communication

Each player will start dribbling with a ball. The coach will stop the game and remove 1,2, or 3 balls from the group depending on how many kids are involved in the game. He will then announce that the players who have possession of a ball after 1 minute will be the winners. Make sure to count down from 5 seconds. You can have the players that end up without a ball perform a run, pushup, or sit-up. If a player is forced out of bounce then the player that forced him out will take possession of the ball.

Coaching Tips:

• Stay within the grid
• Keep moving
• Player needs to be aware of other players positions

 Players will start with a ball, except the light "X". The lines are 20-30 yards apart. The light will be facing away from the players "O" and shout "Green Light". Then the players with the ball "O" will start dribbling the ball until the light turns and faces them and shouts out "Red Light". At the sound of "Red Light" players "O" will need to freeze right away. If a player is still moving then they have to take 3 steps back. The first player to cross the finish line is the winner. He is then the light.

It's a good idea to explain the game and go through it once without the balls. Once you feel the players have a grasp for the game, you can then introduce balls.

Coaching Tips:

• Proper technique
• Make sure players are focused

Set up 5 pairs of cones ranging about 5 yards apart from the next set of gates. This needs to be set up for two groups. The two groups will be racing against each other to see who can go through the gates the fastest. Once the player with the ball reaches the last gate, they have to stop the ball and run back through the cones and give the next player a high five before they can start. Once every player has placed their ball across the last gate, they are the winners.

Coaches can stand on the other side and hold up numbers to see if the players are keeping their heads up while dribbling. You can make these numbers count as points to make the game more interesting.

Coaching Tips:

• Proper Technique
• Head Up
• Team Work and Communication

Each player in the grid should have a ball and start dribbling around using the proper technique. Once the players in the grid are all moving, send in the sharks that are placed outside the grid. The sharks objective is to kick all of the balls out of the grid. Players need to use their skills to get away or dribble passed the sharks. Once all of the balls are kicked out, two new sharks need to be picked. If you have less than 6 kids, only use one shark.

Coaching Tips:

• Stay within the grid
• Keep Moving
• Player needs to be aware of the sharks position
• Use the right technique to get around the sharks

Players will be split into two even teams and placed on opposite ends of the field. The grid should be 20 X 15 yards. The coach will stand at midfield with all of the balls. Players on team "X" will be given a number 1-5 taking into account we have 10 players. Then players on team "O" will be given a number 1-5. Make sure to keep player skill level close. The coach will then call out a number and kick a ball to the middle of the field. If the coach calls out player 1 then player 1 from team "X" and team "O" will play against each other. Coach can also call out two numbers and then the teams will play 2 v 2. Coaches can be creative as to how many players they want.

Coaching Tips:

• Dribbling past an opponent to score
• Scoring is not the main objective
• Remind players to use the instep and outside foot to get around players

Everyone is on the same team with this drill. Have a bunch of balls scattered around the field. These are called the eggs. The goal is the basket. Coach will direct the players to start. Players will try to get as many balls in the bag as they can in 3 minutes. After a couple of runs through. Have this become a competition. Have the players count how many eggs they get into the basket individually. The player with the most eggs is the winner.

Coaching Tips:

• No Player Standing
• Keep Head Up
• Technique

• Create a grid and a neutral area inside of the grid that is 2 yards wide depending on the amount of players you have. Players will line up on opposite ends of the neutral area as designed above. Players will each have a ball. Once the coach directs, each player will kick their ball across the neutral area. The object is to keep the balls clear from the teams side by kicking the ball across to the opponents side. If the balls are completely cleared from one side, that team wins the game. You can incorporate cones on the teams side and make restrictions. (Players need to dribble through a cone before they can kick the ball over) Be creative.

Coaching Tips:

• Proper Technique
• Be Aware of Balls Coming Over
• Keep the game flowing