Let me show you how to control the ball in a manner so as to shoot or pass effectively and this skill can be perfected through the various free soccer training drills. In this article, you will know about 2 of the well-known soccer drills, Shoulder To Shoulder and Shark in the Middle.
Shoulder To Shoulder drill works both for offensive and defensive players. The main purpose of this exercise is to teach offensive player to practice fast shooting under pressure and let the defensive players practice clearing the ball.
This drill puts into play 3 players each drill group. The distance the works out between A and B is 10-15 yards.
B and the defensive player line up shoulder to shoulder. B and the defensive player, who stand adjacent to each other, face away from the goal on the left side of the field. At the whistle of the coach, A throws the ball behind the other 2 players. B and the defensive player start to try and take control of the ball. B tries to take a shot on the goal while the defensive player’s aim is to turn with the ball and dribble it above the center line.
By involving players in coaching drills like Shoulder to Shoulder, players learn to win the ball despite being under immense pressure from the opposition.
Shark in the Middle is a fun game that can be played at any time during a practice and its duration can be adjusted as per the need. This is one of several free soccer training drills that aims to make the players more attentive and in control in high-pressure games.
Players assemble themselves in a large circle in the field. One player is selected to be the “shark” and stands in the center of the circle. There is only a single ball and it is given to the person who stands inside the circle.
On your whistle the player with the ball passes the ball to any other player alongside the circle. Then the second player passes the ball to another player he likes and so on.
Then you’ll blow the whistle for the second time and it signals the beginning of the game. The objective of the game is to make sure that shark does not get the ball. The player may pass the ball to anyone they like along the circle, be it a teammate right next to him or a teammate at some distance. The players make an effort to make as many passes as possible.
This goes on till the time the shark gets the ball.
When the ball is captured, the player that caused the ball to be intercepted becomes the new shark and the first shark finds a place along the circle.
Shark in the Middle is one of those football drills that call for quick thinking and a sense of experience of the abilities of an attacking shark.
To conclude, these free soccer training drills help players to build self-confidence to handle the ball while under pressure from an imminent attack. If you want more information and knowledge please subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community where a lot of learning resources are available.
Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide visit: Free soccer training drills.
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