Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): Dribbling

Screen 1 (15 mins)

Player Information -

Age - 6

Ability - First year of playing football

Number - 5 people

Session Topic - Dribbling, ball control and shooting

In this session, players will have to dribble around in the square that is marked by a goal, a cone, a pole and a flag. The players will dribble around this area and when the coach says one of the four different equipment, the players must dribble to this piece of equipment. However, when the coach says the goal, they must shoot into the goal. In the goal there will be a mannequin placed to help them to learn to aim for the corners of the goal. This session can be progressed by changing what the coach says. Instead of naming the piece of equipment, give each one a number between 1 and 4. This will help them learn to memorise each one and make things a bit more challenging to them. However, if they find the session a bit too difficult, it can be taken back a step by making the area smaller, reducing the number of equipment round the outside, for example reduce it from 4 different pieces of equipment to 3.

Certain planned interventions that could be used is drive bys and fly bys. If one individual is finding it slightly easier than the rest, a challenge could be set to them by completing a fly by, this challenge could include only dribbling with their weaker foot. A drive by could be used to make sure that the players are dribbling in the correct way and making sure that they get their head up when dribbling with the ball and then shooting with the correct part of their foot.

The area size of this session will be from the goal line to just after the edge of the penalty box and then the width will be the same as the penalty box. This helps to make sure that there is enough room for everyone to dribble. The players will take part in this for 5 - 10 minutes before having a break. After this, they can carry on with this activity but a score system is introduced to them to make them work harder. For example, the person to dribble to the correct piece of equipment first gets a point.

Some coaching points for this would be -

Players to use the inside of the foot for close control.

Players to shoot with the top of their foot instead of their toes.

Make sure that the players get their head up to avoid hitting other people as well as teaching them to do this for a real match scenario.

10 - 15 minutes

Screen 3

In this progression, players will then have to dribble the ball past the defenders and then stop the ball at the line. This helps to make the drill more realistic as there is now a defender they have to dribble past. To begin with, the defender will just jockey the player with the ball. The progression from this is then allowing the defender to try and tackle the player with the ball.

The fly by could be used during the drill by getting players to use both feet as well as the inside and outside of their foot.