Youth soccer drills

Has it ever occurred to you that head can be very effectively used in passing on the ball when it is still in the air? In youth soccer drills, this exercise in no way hurts the player provided it is learnt properly.

Before you begin with training the players in the skill of heading, deflate the ball a bit especially when they are doing it the first time. It requires you to shrink the ball’s size by letting some air out of it, thus making it supple. When it comes to kids soccer drills, like always, begin with the basics of heading, some of which I’ll be happy to share with you.

When the ball is still in the air, the players should move along the ball for the reason that their body should directly in front of the ball when they face it. The players must keep their eyes fixed the ball all the way through, till the time it comes into contact with their forehead.

Your players must recognize the importance of continuously looking at the ball whether it coming to them to going away from them. If they close their eyes, they’ll get hurt. In youth soccer practice, players should be taught to strike the ball with the top-front area of the forehead instead of the temples or crown of the head.

Youth Soccer Drills

Almost all youth soccer drills emphasize the movement involved in properly heading the ball. Out of many, here are two drills that your players can perform.

Sitting and Knees: This youth soccer coaching drill involves just 2 players and a ball. One player should sit on the ground with the legs spread out in the front. The other player should stand directly in front of the 1st and throw the ball at a very low level towards him or her. The concept is that the ball will be thrown short so that the person towards whom it travels has to come forward to hit it.

Keep doing this activity with a player positioned with both knees on the ground. Then the player will have to bend forward to strike the ball. This drill is useful in teaching the players to use their head in guiding the ball.

Head out of Hands: To work with this drill, you need to have cones and a ball for each player. This drill requires the players to hold the ball with their hands and the throw it off by heading it. They should learn the art of moving their head to the ball and vice-versa.

When the cones are used, the kids learn to head the ball to a particular location. The players acquire the skill of heading the ball in a particular direction using their head.

So there you have it; youth soccer drills to develop the skill of heading amongst the players and enable them to compete in the game without the fear of getting hurt. Our youth soccer coaching community has tons of valuable information on youth soccer and you can take advantage of it by enrolling for it.

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn  how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Soccer Practice.

 

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