Soccer, otherwise known as football around the world, truly is the world’s game. Over 4 million players of all levels from around the world are reported to be playing this sport. One reason that leads to its massive popularity is its simplicity and lack of equipment needed to play. All you need to enjoy a match is a ball, and that’s it. However, this doesn’t mean you don’t need skills to excel.
When looking at the fundamental play of soccer, you will see 3 skills are required for any player. Without these abilities, you really can’t even play soccer, let alone excel. This is why it is vital to master the fundamental movements, and this article will do just that. You’re going to learn the best drills for each skill. Better yet, they can practice alone, meaning you can train anytime!
Dribbling is essential to soccer, as it is how the ball is moved up and down the field. However, it’s more than just that. A good dribbler doesn’t just move up and down; they must be able to maneuver around defenders, change direction, and have exceptional ball control. Here are some of the simplest yet most effective dribbling drills.
There is an obvious difference between when you see someone kicking the ball and chasing it and when you see a talented dribbler. That difference is control, and that’s what this what’s this drill is all about. Lane dribbling is one of the best ways to improve dribbling speed while maintaining control of the ball.
Lane dribbling uses cones as gates to create a “lane” that you dribble through. The skills land dribbling improves includes speed, ball control and agility. While the main objective is always speed, there are various modifications to alter the movements. Lane dribbling is going to increase your ball control significantly at speed, footwork, and agility.
Even the best dribblers get into spots where they’re better off getting rid of the ball. This could be to get the ball downfield, pass, so the team doesn’t lose control, or make a sick pass across midfield for a goal assist. Soccer is a team sport. For optimal performance, every member of the team needs to be utilized. This is done with passing.
Wall passing is an excellent drill as you can practice by yourself AND you can train both passing and receiving. All you need is a wall! A player will simply give a ball into the wall. Then, they will practice receiving the “pass” when the ball comes back to them. Again, drills can be varied.
The last piece of the puzzle for effective play is actually getting the ball into the net. This is done with shooting. Without placing a ball where you want with accuracy and power, winning a game will be next to impossible. Use this shooting drill to be sure you can get points on the board.
Turn and shoot is a drill to practice in-game shooting that mimics receiving a ball while facing away from the net, only turning quickly and making a long shot. One significant benefit of this drill is the shooter can stand virtually anywhere on the field. This means they can practice the drill at various angles and distances to mimic any likely scenario.
Learn to master these 3 beginner soccer drills, and you will instantly be a much more dangerous player. However, these drills are just the beginning. Check out the Vertimax Instagram page or the Vertimax Soccer YouTube channel for more ideas!
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