The following was created a few season ago by Coach Hans.

Soccer is a fun game to play. The better your skills, the more fun you’ll have! A great way to improve your skills is to play with friends or play on your own.

Here are a bunch of things you can do at home or in the local park. We have categories for games,  dribbling, juggling and ball control and fast footwork. Try some of these activities. If you get bored with one of them, try a different one, or create your own. Most importantly, have fun!

Games:

·         Soccer golf: Use trees, pine cones, bushes or whatever as your targets.

o    For beginners, start with a stationary ball.

o    You can make it more challenging by doing a footwork activity or dribbling move first, then hitting your shot with a moving ball. Examples:

§ Do "inside / outside" touches, then take a "prep" touch toward the target and hit your shot.

§ Face away from your target, take one touch away from the target, do a dribbling turn, then take a "prep" touch toward the target and hit your shot.

o    Variations: alternate feet, so one shot is right footed, one is left footed. Or put an obstacle between the tee area and the hole so the player has to go over or around the obstacle

·         Soccer tennis:  Use your juggling skills to knock the ball over a net (or bench, bag, whatever) to another player, who tries to knock it back to you. Click here for a more detailed description (but feel free to make up your own rules!).

·         Shin bash:  Helps with trickiness and agility.

o    Two players face each other 1 step apart.

o    Player 1 has the ball at her feet.

o    Player 1 gets one touch to try and hit player 2 anywhere below the knees with the ball (the "shin bash").

o    Player 1 can make fake kicks; player 2 can jump around, but she can't run away.

o    Player 1 gets three turns, then switch roles and let player 2 get three turns. Who wins?

o    Tip: have the "target" player set up with her back to a wall or fence or some obstacle so you don't have to chase balls that miss the target. (But points only count if you hit the target on the initial shot, not on rebounds.)

·         Slam:  This is a fun "ground" based version of soccer tennis. You can play with one or more opponents. It helps with passing and receiving skills while also being a good aerobic workout. Click for a description and rules: wall slam; no-wall slam.

·         4 square:  Another fun game that helps with ball control, balance, coordination and quick feet. Click here for a description and rules.

·         Texas draw:  Helps with quick feet, pull-backs and getting out of tight pressure.

o    Two players face each other 1 foot apart, with a ball between them.

o    Players start with both feet on the ground.

o    Someone calls "draw!"

o    Both players try to pull the ball away from their opponent.

o    This is similar to a hockey face-off. Play "best  3 out of 5", or "left foot only".

·         Texas slam:  Helps with quick reactions, shoulder charges and balance.

o    Two players start side to side, with a ball one step in front.

o    Players start with both feet on the ground.

o    Someone calls "slam!"

o    Each player steps forward toward the ball and uses her inside shoulder (not arm or elbow) to force the other player off balance, while placing her inside foot (the one closest to the opponent) between the opponent and the ball.

o    The player who gets the best leverage and position takes the ball away using the outside of her "far" foot (the foot farthest away from the opponent).

o    Play "best  3 out of 5", then switch positions so each player works both sides of her body.

·         1v1:  Play 1v1 with your dog, friend, brother, sister, mom or dad. If you don’t have goals, use trees, bags, whatever (even a Christmas pineapple). You can setup a game like snow cones (helps you get away from defenders) or a game with goals on each end line (helps you get behind defenders).

·         Small-sided scrimmages:  Play 2v2, 3v3 or 4v4 with a group of friends.

Dribbling:

Good dribblers combine ball control and trickiness with a will to take risks. We love good dribblers!

·         Running with the ball:

o    push the ball with the outside of the laces of your shoe while running in a straight line (push it, don't kick it)

o    go as fast as you can while keeping the ball under control

o    do a stop turn and come back the other way using your other foot

·         Dribbling moves:  Make an imaginary defender (this could be a tree, or your soccer bag, or a Christmas pineapple; use your imagination.) If you have a dog, let her be the defender! Dribble toward the defender, then do a dribbling move to beat the defender. Remember three things: as you approach the defender, keep close control, then change direction and change speed (explode!) Moves to try:

o    Cuts: inside and outside  

o    U-turns: inside and outside of the foot

o    Stop turn

o    Step-over turn  

o    Cruyff turn:  Step to the ball like you're going to kick it, then wrap your foot around the ball and cut it underneath your body to turn

o    Stop and go moves

o    Wind-up fake followed by an inside or outside cut with the same foot

o    V-pulls:  Pull the ball back with the bottom of your right foot and pivot to the right, then push it forward with the inside of your right foot. The ball should make a "V" pattern. The key is to make a slight hop and twist (pivot) with your other foot during the "pull" part of the move. This gives you room to make a strong "push" touch into space. Be sure to work both feet: do a V-pull with your right foot, and follow it with a V-pull with your left foot.

o    In-out:  take a light touch inside at an angle while you hop in that direction, then take a firm touch outside at an angle with the same foot and explode into space

o    Scissors:  fake around the ball (inside-out) with one foot, take away with the outside of the other foot

o    Step-over fake:  fake around the ball (outside-in) with one foot, take away with the outside of the same foot

o    Cut-catch:  cut the ball across your body with the inside of one foot, then take it forward into space with the inside of the other foot

o    Invent your own move!

Juggling:

Juggling helps you with ball control, balance and foot-to-eye coordination.

Remember to juggle the ball with the top of your foot (laces area of your shoe), not your toes. Your toes should be pointed out, not up. This will keep the ball from spinning toward you. Listen for the good "thud" sound, not the bad "dink" sound.

·         Start with the ball on the ground and pick it up with your feet.

·         Freestyle:  Use any legal touches to keep the ball up in the air. How many can you do in a row? Can you "juggle your age"? Can you beat your old record? If you're new to juggling, allow yourself a bounce between touches. 

·         Pattern:  Right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot, how many can you do in a row?  

·         Pattern:  "the box:" right foot, right thigh, left thigh, left foot; if you get good at this, try coming back the other way

·         Pattern:  "round the world:" right foot, right thigh, head, left thigh, left foot; if you get good at this, try going "round the world and back"

·         Pattern:  "inside - laces - outside:" juggle once with the inside of your foot, then the laces of your foot, then the outside of your foot, finishing with a catch (much harder than it may seem!)

·         Pattern:  "low - high - low:" juggle the ball below your head, then above your head, then below your head again and catch it.

·         Distance:  Start at "home" base (a tree, or one side of the driveway) then see if you can juggle while walking or jogging to another base (another tree, or the other side of the driveway). Count a point anytime the ball bounces on the ground. The less points the better. With practice, you'll lower your score. With lots of practice, you may even get it down to zero, which is a perfect score.

o    Advanced variation:  Can you juggle from "home" to the next base, then turn and come back to home while still juggling?

·         Speed:  How many total juggling touches can you make in 30 seconds? Can you beat your previous record?

Ball control / fast footwork:

These activities will help your feet learn to love the ball. (Your feet should make the ball purr, instead of making it go boo-hoo-hoo!)

Some activities use both feet. Some use one foot. If it’s a “one foot” activity, make sure you switch feet every now and then so you get touches with both your right and left feet.

·         Happy feet:

o    use the inside of your feet to continuously tap the ball from one foot to the other

o    Goal: 60-80 touches in 20 seconds

·         Happy feet variations:

o    four taps, then one out-in (step on the ball, then quickly roll it out and back in) with each foot, then repeat the pattern

o    four taps, then do a pull-back and make a ¼ turn, then repeat the pattern starting with the other foot  

o    four taps, then do a step-over turn, then repeat the pattern starting with the other foot

·         Inside-outside-inside-outside:

o    use the inside of your right foot to cut the ball to the left

o    use the outside of your left foot to tap it to the left one more time

o    use the inside of your left foot to cut the ball back to the right

o    use the outside of your right foot to tap it to the right one more time

o    Repeat the pattern. See if you can smoothly go from one repetition to the next without any pauses.

o    Goal: 8-10 repetitions in 20 seconds

·         Triangles:

o    pull the ball back with the bottom of one foot

o    push it across your body with the inside of the same foot

o    push it back to the starting place with the inside or laces of the other foot (this completes the triangle pattern)

o    Repeat the pattern. See if you can smoothly go from one repetition to the next without any pauses.

o    Goal: 15-20 triangles in 20 seconds

·         Pull-push:

o    pull the ball back with the bottom of one foot

o    push it out again with the laces of the same foot (not your toe!)

o    repeat with your other foot

o    Repeat the pattern. See if you can smoothly go from one repetition to the next without any pauses.

o    Goal: 25-30 pull-pushes in 20 seconds

·         Duck feet:  use the bottom of your toes to pull the ball across your body from one foot to the other foot, and continue back and forth (making quack sounds is optional)

·         Combos: "V" pulls:

o    pull the ball back with the bottom of one foot

o    push it outside with the same foot as you make a ¼ turn

o    pull the ball back again with the same foot behind your other heel

o    use the inside of the same foot to “tuck it behind” your other foot

o    Repeat the pattern. See if you can smoothly go from one repetition to the next without any pauses.

·         Combos: "V" pull with a step-over:

o    pull the ball back with the bottom of one foot

o    push it outside with the same foot as you make a ¼ turn

o    step over the ball with your other foot

o    tap it back to the starting place with the inside of the first foot

o    Repeat the pattern. See if you can smoothly go from one repetition to the next without any pauses.

·         Combos: outside / wind-up / inside:

o    tap the ball outside with the outside of one foot

o    make a fake kick forward with the same foot (this is the "wind-up" part)

o    pull the ball across your body with the bottom of the same foot

o    repeat these steps with your other foot

·         Combos: tap / tap / inside roll:

o    do two happy feet: right foot then left foot

o    use the bottom of your right foot to roll the ball across your body (toward your left foot)

o    repeat the pattern starting with your left foot: left foot tap, right foot tap, left foot roll

o    keep going and see if you can smoothly go from one repetition to the next without any pauses.

o    Goal: 15-20 tap-tap-rolls in 20 seconds

·         Combos: happy feet / inside roll / step-over:

o    do three happy feet

o    use the bottom of your foot to roll the ball across your body (toward your other foot)

o    step over the ball with your other foot (this is a fake in the opposite direction)

o    turn back to the ball (if you step over with your left foot, turn to the left; if you step over with the right foot, turn to the right) and repeat the pattern starting with the other foot

·         "Glue foot" (also called "magnet foot"):

o    start with the ball touching the inside of your right foot

o    hop to the left while keeping your right foot in contact the ball the whole time; the ball will now be touching the outside of your right foot

o    hop back to the right while keeping your right foot in contact with the ball; the ball will now be back on the inside of your right foot

o    "flick" the ball over to the inside of your left foot

o    repeat the pattern with your left foot (hop right, hop left, then flick the ball to your right foot)

o    Goal: 10-15 magnet feet in 20 seconds