10 Best Soccer Dribbling Drills for Kids & Beginners
Aside from scoring great goals, the number one thing kids want to do when they play football is to dribble. Mazy dribbles where players beat several opponents with the ball are obviously appealing and the confidence needed to pull it off should be encouraged.
10 Best Soccer Dribbling Drills for Kids and Beginners
The following article will pick out 10 of the best dribbling drills specifically designed for kids and beginners.
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Straight Cone Dribble
Set up a series of clines in a straight line evenly spaced apart (roughly a meter). The player then receives the ball at the first cone and begins dribbling. At the final cone, the player must turn around quickly and run back to the start with the ball.
This drill can be varied by passing the ball hard at the start, making it difficult to control, and by asking the player to dribble with one foot only.
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Back and Forth Cone Dribble
Place five cones in a straight line with about four or five meters separating each. Begin at the first cone and sprint with the ball to the second then back again. Repeat the process going from cone one to three, then one to four, and finally one to five.
This is a very high-intensity drill but it’s important to keep focused on the ball and take care with your touches as you become more tired.
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One on One Controlled Dribble
Mark out a 20m x 20m pitch with 4m goals at either end using some cones. In order for players to score, they must dribble past an opponent before going for goal.
This drill is all about putting an emphasis on dribbling and beating your marker.
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Round Cone Dribble
Place a series of cones in a circle shape with a radius of at least 5m. Have players dribble the ball around the cones keeping it close to their body and remaining in control.
Ask players to speed up as they become more adept at tight control. It is also a good idea to ask them to keep their head up and not focus too closely on the ball, as this will help in a match situation.
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Random Dribble
Dot cones around randomly trying to keep an equal distance between each. Get players to dribble around the cones, making sure they cover all areas. This drill is to be completed at a high tempo for the best results.
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1v2 Dribble
Set up with one goalkeeper, two defenders, and an attacker. Two sets of cones must be placed in front of the goal with a defender in between each. Ask the attacker to dribble past both defenders before having a shot at goal. Defenders must aim to stop the attacker from getting through the gates.
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Round the Cone
One cone should be surrounded by a cycle of cones gradually getting further away from the center. Ask players to start at the outermost cone dribbling their way towards the central cone.
To increase the difficulty of this drill, ask the player to increase the speed of the dribble or turn it into a timed competition with time penalties for missing cones.
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Round the Square
Place two sets of four cones on opposite sides of the pitch. Players must dribble around a set of cones until they hear the whistle at which point they run over to the set and continue dribbling.
This drill is designed to keep players on their toes and develops the skills needed to quickly change pace and direction.
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Music Dribble
Use cones to create a large rectangle playing area. Then randomly set up some cones in the middle with the aim of placing one fewer cone than there are players. The premise of this drill is essentially musical chairs.
Play some music and ask players to dribble the ball around. When the music stops, they must knock over one cone with their ball as quickly as possible. Make sure to encourage players to dribble everywhere and not just near a certain cone.
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Bulldog
As with the drill above, set up a grid of an appropriate size for the number of players involved. Ask players to dribble inside the area with their own ball.
One player is assigned as the bulldog and enters the area on the coaches’ signal. The bulldog must try to tackle a player and kick the ball out of the area. If a player’s ball is lost, they then become the bulldog.
The Bottom Line
These drills will help develop a range of dribbling skills and are a great way to have fun whilst doing so. If your child is keen on improving their dribbling and learning football the Brazilian way, why not consider Samba Soccer Schools?
For more information about Samba Soccer Schools, click here.
FAQs:
How do you teach dribbling in soccer?
The above drills are a great starting point for anyone looking to learn the fundamentals of dribbling in soccer.
How do kids dribble in soccer?
Dribbling is developed with practice and hard work. The above drills are a good place to start for kids who want to dribble effectively.
What are 5 steps to dribbling a soccer ball?
Five of the most important components of dribbling are awareness, ball control, speed, balance, and agility.
Which activity would best help develop soccer dribbling skills?
The activities described in the above article are each excellent ways of developing dribbling skills.
How do you speed up dribbling in soccer?
Once you are comfortable on the ball, you can begin to run faster and attempt quicker turns.
