Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): PRE-SEASON GET FAST - DRILLS

DRILLS 2

1x1 yard Box Freestyle Dribble: Create a 1x1 yard box by placing four cones on the ground. Then, stand inside the box with the ball at your feet. This is complete freestyle dribbling, use the outside, inside, sole, laces, etc to do any turns/moves you can think of! This is your time to try any and all moves. Just be creative, have fun, but take it seriously. You should act like you are trying to show off everything you can do.

Circle Drill: Go to the center circle of a soccer field or create your own circle by placing cones to create a circle with a 10 yard radius. Then, start anywhere on the circle with the ball at your feet and sprint around as fast as you can while taking a touch with every step of your dribbling foot and stop once you have completed a full revolution. For this drill, go in the clockwise direction when dribbling with the right foot and the counter-clockwise direction when dribbling with the left.

Cone Weave to Looped Gate: In a straight line, place ten cones so that each cone is about 1-2 feet apart from the other cones. Then, walk ten yards and place another cone so that you create a straight line. Finally, place one more cone a foot to the side of the starting cone to create an end gate. For this exercise, you will dribble through the cones, touching the ball as many times as possible and keeping it sharp, concise, and quick. Once you exit the last cone of the weave, explode towards the next cone, sharply cut and turn around the cone, then explode back to the gate. Right when you get to the gate, cut the ball with the outside of your foot so that it immediately stops right on the line of the gate. DO NOT USE THE SOLE OF YOUR FOOT AND RUN OVER THE BALL.

Directional Ronaldinho Drill: This drill is just like the Ronaldinho Drill except that instead of dribbling through a circular blob of random cones, you will be dribbling straight through a more rectangular mess of cones with an intent of getting through the drill. As soon as you exit the end of the drill, you will walk back to the beginning and repeat for the given number of reps/time.

Figure 8 Drill: Create two 5-10 yard diameter circles that touch to create a giant number “8”. Start at the bottom of the “8” with the ball at your feet. You will essentially dribble in a figure 8 formation around the two circles until you get back to the origin. If you do not know what a figure 8 shape is read below:

   When ready, sprint around the bottom circle until you get to the center of the figure 8. 

   Instead of rounding the circle back to the origin complete a full circle around the top circle and return back to the middle. 

   Then, you will finish the rounding of the bottom circle to back to the origin.

Overtime with Ball: To do an Overtime, you will need a full sized field or at least cones placed where the end line, 18 yard box, mid line, opposite 18 yard box, and opposite end line would be. You will start on the end line facing the field. When ready, you will sprint to the 18 yard box, back, mid line, back, opposite 18 yard box, back, and opposite end line, and back. You will do this full run while dribbling a soccer ball and keeping it within 5 yards of you the entire time.

Ronaldinho Drill: There is no wrong way to do this; throw down as many cones that you have to create a mess of cones in a random blob. The tighter you make the blob the more difficult the drill will be and the more spaced out you make the blob the easier it will be. For this exercise, you have complete freedom. The only rule is that you must try to not touch any of the cones with the ball or your feet. Try to challenge yourself and dribble with all parts of your feet; the outside, the instep, the sole. Even try to perform cuts and moves if possible! Pull-backs, Cruyffs, Rivelino’s, try everything! The goal should be to make it

DRILLS 4 DRIBBLING

Stationary Dribbling: Create a 1x1 yard box by placing four cones on the ground. Stand inside the box with the ball at your feet. Once you perform the drill for the allotted amount of time/reps that is one set. Repeat until you finish the required amount of sets. 

 Ball Taps: Start with the ball in the middle of your body then quickly raise your right knee and tap the top of the ball using the bottom of your right foot. As soon as you tap it, bring your right foot back down to the starting position and repeat the process with your left foot. Go as quick   as possible, it should look like you are doing stationary high knees, but tapping the ball at each step. 

 Bell Taps: In this exercise, put the ball in between your feet. Tap the ball to your left foot, using the inside of right foot, then quickly tap it back using the inside of your left. Try to go as fast as possible while maintaining control of the ball between your feet.
 

 Inside Outside - Right: Place the ball on the ground directly in front of you. When ready, you will tap the ball a few inches to the right using the outside of the right foot. You will then quickly move your foot to the other side and tap the ball a few inches to the left with the instep of the   right foot. Repeat as fast as possible. 

 Inside Outside - Left: Same as above, but flip the directions and use the left foot. 

 Brazilian Sole Dribbling - Both: This drill is a combination of ball taps and bell taps. What you will do is start with the ball under the sole of your left foot. When ready, flick the ball to the right side of your body. Do not cross your left leg over your body. When the ball arrives at the    right side, immediately flick it back to the other side using the sole of your right foot. You should be moving about 3-6 inches forward with each flick. Repeat until you get to the other side. 

 Brazilian Sole Dribbling - Left: Same as below, but just use your left foot. 

 Brazilian Sole Dribbling - Right: Using just the sole of your right foot, roll the ball diagonally left and then back diagonally right. So you should be zig-zagging forward while hopping on your left foot. 

 3 Touches to Cut - Inside: Place the ball on the ground directly in front of you. When ready, you will dribble the ball forward with three small touches, instead of dribbling the ball a fourth time, you will cut the ball back using the inside of the foot and turn 180 degrees. You will then    repeat the drill going the opposite way. Keep repeating going back and forth until time runs out. 

 3 Touches to Cut - Outside: Same as above, but use the outside of the foot to cut the ball. 

 3 Touches to Cut - Cruyff: Same as above, but use the inside of the foot to cut the ball behind your plant foot. 

 3 Touches to Cut - Pullback: Same as above, but use the sole of your foot to roll the ball backwards and turn.