Soccer is a sport that takes athleticism, enthusiasm and skill to play. When young people take up the game, they are usually long on enthusiasm but need to be given tips on nearly every skill needed to play. While there is a lot of work to do, it doesn't have to be complicated, and it always should be fun.
Dribbling Improvement
To control the ball when dribbling, it's important for youngsters to realize that it's about control and not speed. Speed when dribbling comes as a player makes progress, but it's vital to emphasize control. One of the best ways to do this is with four cones spaced every 3 yards. Give the youngster the ball at midfield and have him dribble the ball to the right of the first cone, the left of the second, the right of the third and the left of the fourth and then dribble straight back to midfield. Emphasize using the inside portion of both feet to dribble around the cones. This will help the young player use the right technique.
Passing Accuracy
Give one of your young players the ball and have five teammates line up about 10 yards away spaced every 10 feet. On your command, the youngster will pass to whichever teammate you name. When he can make five consecutive accurate passes, he switches places with one of his teammates. Always pass with the instep when teaching youngsters how to pass properly. Passing with the outside portion of the foot comes a bit later.
Shooting the Ball
Goaltenders at all levels say the placement of the shot often makes it more difficult to handle than the velocity. Set up three cones in each of the lower corners of the net. Give the player six shots and ask him to knock one of the three cones on the right side down with his first shot and then one of the three down on the left side. Keep going until he has taken six shots and then give another youngster a chance to shoot. If a player knocks down a cone, pick it back up before he shoots in that direction again. The key is to emphasize looking at the target when the youngster shoots and not looking at the ball.
