26 Sep 2012

Football Drills – Dribbling Through Traffic

Description:

Football drills designed to improve the techniques of dribbling, including:

• Receiving the ball to be able to dribble
• Ball manipulation with different parts of the foot
• Changes of pace and direction whilst under control
• Keeping the head up to be aware of what is around the player

For use by FA Level 1, 2, and UEFA B coaches.

Purpose:

• To encourage players to find space to receive the ball
• To control the ball in the direction they want to dribble
• To dribble and manipulate the ball using different surfaces of the foot
• To dribble with their head up and under control
• To dribble round the cones, using changes of pace and direction
• At the end of the dribble top pass accurately to a free player

Organisation:

• The size of the area will depend on the age, ability and number of players: It is suggested that 10 – 12 players are used, with 5 – 6 balls
• Plenty of soft, safe discs scattered randomly throughout the area
• The overall area is 20 x 10 yards, split into 3 areas of 5 x 10, 10 x 10 and 5 x 10 yards

Rules:

• The players can only receive the ball in the middle area and they should control the ball and dribble through the cones in this middle area, until they reach the opposite end area
• Once in the end area, the players should look to pass the ball to a free player

Steps – As Seen as numbers in the Graphics

No.1 – Dribble the ball from the middle area to the end area, turn round a cone in the end area, and then pass the ball to a free player in the middle area.

No.2 – Player in the middle area turns with the ball, dribbles through the middle area into the opposite end area.

No.3 – Player turns round a cone and passes to a free player in the middle area.

• After passing from an end area, players should move into the middle area and look to receive a pass from a player with the ball in the end area.
• Practice is repeated

Key:

• Encourage the player receiving the ball to be aware of space around them and receive the ball so that they are facing the way they want to dribble
• Dribble with the head upUse other players in the middle area and discs as opponents to beat
• Keep the ball in front and in playing distance
• Use the big and little toe and sole of the foot to manipulate and move the ball
• Use a quick change of direction
• Use a quick change of pace
• Encourage dribbling tricks and techniques like step – overs, scissors the drag back, the Giggs, etc
• Encourage a trick, such as a step over, to unbalance a defender, then a controlled change of pace and direction to beat theopponent
• Head up and good decision such as an accurate pass at the end of the dribble

 Progressions:

• Make the area smaller
• Add more cones for the players to dribble round
• Encourage the players without the ball to be very passive defenders, to just get in the way of the player dribbling

Additional Notes:

• Players should be encouraged to try and be inventive and express themselves.
• Players shouldn’t be frightened of the chaos. In these types of football drills, players will be forced to dribble, use ball manipulation and changes of pace and direction to avoid other players.

These football drills were designed for FA level 1 and 2 and UEFA B coaches using the ‘Coaches Chalkboard’ on Grassroots Coaching, the easy to use football coaching software. It allows you to design and share 3D football animations that you can create yourself in minutes thanks to its easy to use features. Help your players and other coaches grow in their abilities by creating new tactics and football drills that can be easily viewed and taken in.

Grassrootscoaching.com have launched a new football coaching initiative, the Grassroots Coaches club. Why not join and be able to design your own football coaching sessions with Coaches Chalkboard: Access lots of pre designed Coaches Chalkboard sessions by our UEFA “A” qualified coach and watch coaching videos and 3D animated football coaching drills.