Here’s a really straightforward way to know the reason behind teaching kids Soccer practice games when they have already learnt basic soccer skills and techniques. Players today need to be introduced early to real match-like situations so that they can understand the level of stress and pressure and accordingly adapt themselves in soccer training.
It is best achieved using small-sided games and drills in which the kids get involved as much as possible. It is of vital importance that the kids get to contact the ball maximum so that they become comfortable with the ball.
Players get to know positional play through these drills. They get to know the following:
1. Run farther from the player with the ball than to him or her. 2. Stir “off the ball” and make a good passing angle. 3. Run ahead and get the ball “in space”. 4. Pass backward to allow the team to move backward.
The expression “positional play” also means that a player can play from a specific position. As it is known to everyone, a skilled player has the ability to play in all positions. Hence, a coach must use soccer practice games to teach his players to play from all positions.
Going forward, it is impractical to train any kid to play only from a single position such as a defender or striker.
Following are 2 soccer drills that act as good starting points for young players:
1. This game includes 6 players. 5 players make a circle around a player who acts as a defender. Then the players who have the ball dribble or pass the ball to each other and the defender tries to steal the ball from them. It’s for the coach to see that all players get to act as a defender by replacing them with another, after some time.
Herein, the players must be taught to first attract the defender and subsequently pass the ball. They should also retain the control of the ball towards the side while keeping their head up. They should attempt to make good passing positions and if possible, camouflage the pass in the end.
2. All that is essential for this game is a grid and 5 players. The one acting as the defender stands in the grid and the rest as passers on the outside. Then the passing players try to make maximum passes in a row, across the grid without being intercepted. Again, change the defender after every 1 minute.
They must be in charge of the ball mostly to the sides. The players should utilize the outside of the foot together with using hip and shoulder fakes.
These two soccer exercises are best when you wish your players to experience playing from different positions. These exercises also make the players flexible and improve their capacity to be in charge of the ball.
This is the easiest way to teach your players soccer practice games. So without wasting any time, join our youth soccer coaching community to find out numerous ways and simple but effective tips to train your players in the best possible way. A good number of articles, videos, and newsletters are available here to take you in the right direction of coaching soccer to kids.
Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide visit: Soccer practice games.
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