Soccer Dribbling & Ball Control Drills

11v5 Positional Rondo

This drill teaches your full team to keep possession while maintaining positions on the field. Players learn where they should be in your formation and how to support teammates from their specific spot. The positional constraint forces players to understand spacing, passing lanes, and how their role fits into the team shape. The five defenders work hard in a numbers down situation, building fitness and pressing coordination. The attacking team of eleven develops patience in possession and learns to move the ball through different lines of the formation. Adding goals for the defenders creates real consequence for losing the ball, making players focus on smart decisions under pressure. This drill bridges the gap between basic possession work and full game situations.

Dribblers vs. Defenders Challenge

This drill develops dribbling under pressure, defensive tackling skills, and quick decision-making. Dribblers learn to protect the ball while defenders work on pressing and winning possession.

Hospital Tag Soccer Game

Hospital Tag combines fun with skill development, reinforcing dribbling techniques in a lively, competitive setting. This drill keeps young players engaged while challenging them to maintain control of the ball under pressure. The focus is on improving dribbling accuracy and agility in a dynamic environment.

3v3 to Goals

This drill develops players' ability to attack and defend in small spaces while encouraging quick decision-making, teamwork, and fitness through constant movement.

1v1 Battle - Attacking and Reaction Drill

This 1v1 soccer battle drill will focus on the attacker's change of direction, change of pace, and burst of speed to the goal all while working on the defender's ability to close down the attacker quickly, reaction time, speed of recovery, and angles of defense.

Dribbling with Pressure on the Back

This drill improves a player's ability to protect the ball while dribbling under pressure. It teaches awareness, quick reactions, and body positioning to maintain possession against a defender.

5v3 Switching Rondo

This drill trains players to recognize when possession is lost and react instantly by switching fields of play. The attacking team learns to keep the ball under pressure in tight spaces while the defending team works on winning possession and immediately playing forward. The switching element teaches players to read the game and anticipate transitions. Players must communicate who stays and who goes when the switch happens, building decision making skills under pressure. The numerical advantage for attackers creates confidence in possession while defenders learn to press intelligently when outnumbered. Moving between grids forces players to stay mentally engaged even when they're not directly involved in the current action. This back and forth rhythm mirrors real games where play shifts from one area of the field to another.

Y Passing Drill - Variation 1

Develops players' ability to receive with an open body position, execute accurate passes, and transition quickly between roles. Encourages movement, decision-making, and proper body positioning when receiving the ball.

Red Light, Green Light, Bumper Cars

Red Light, Green Light, Bumper Cars drill enhances dribbling, coordination, and agility while introducing players to controlled body contact. This exercise helps young players develop comfort with physical play and improves their ability to maintain control under pressure. The goal is to build confidence in handling body contact while refining fundamental soccer skills.

1v1 to Tall Cones

This drill develops individual attacking and defending skills by challenging players to dribble under pressure, protect the ball, and accurately pass or shoot to knock over cones for points.

Troll Crossing Game

Develops dribbling under pressure, decision-making in 1v1 situations, and ball protection. Players learn to change direction and use feints to evade defenders.

1v1 Transition

This is a fast-paced 1v1 game that focuses on quickly transitioning from the attack to defense.