Figure Eight Dribbling Drill
The Figure Eight soccer dribbling drill is a good change to weaving in and out of cones and is great for dribbling with the inside and outside of the foot.
Figure Eight Soccer Dribbling Drill
The Figure Eight soccer dribbling drill is a good change to weaving in and out of cones and is great for dribbling with the inside and outside of the foot.
Drill Setup
- Create two 5X5 yard grids about 5 yards apart.
- Place two training sticks in the middle of the grids approximately 3 yards apart.
- Set a cone on each end turning the grids into a pentagon.
- One player starts between the training sticks with a ball.
- Players should play at full speed for one minute then rotate with a partner.
- Setup multiple obstacle courses depending on the number of players.
Drill Instructions
- The player will dribble in a figure eight pattern around the cones and through the center training sticks without any dribbling restrictions.
- Next, as the player dribbles to their left, they should dribble with the outside of the left foot and as they travel to the right, they should dribble with the outside of their right foot.
- Now, as the player dribbles to their left, have them dribble with the inside of the right foot, and as they travel to the right, have them dribble with the inside of their left foot.
- Each series should last 1 minute before switching.
Drill Variations
- N/A
Drill Coaching Points
- Dribble with speed.
- Controlled touches with the outside and inside of the foot.
- Keep the ball close.
- Quick touches to cut the ball around the area.
- Make sure players heads are up.
Equipment
- Disc Cones - Mini or Full-Size Disc Cones are a critical piece of equipment that every soccer coach must have in your equipment bag.
- Soccer Practice or Training Balls - Every player should have a soccer balls at practice to have a successful training session.
- Training Sticks - Training Sticks or Agility Poles
Drill Ages
- 8 - U8, Under 8, 8 and Under
- 9 - U9, Under 9, 9 and Under
- 10 - U10, Under 10, 10 and Under
- 11 - U11, Under 11, 11 and Under
- 12 - U12, Under 12, 12 and Under
- 13 - U13, Under 13, 13 and Under
- 14 - U14, Under 14, 14 and Under
- 15 - U15, Under 15, 15 and Under
- 16 - U16, Under 16, 16 and Under
- 17 + - U17, U18, U19, U20, and Older
Soccer Drill Skill Focus
Top Rated Soccer Drills
7v7 Scrimmage
It's always good to finishing a soccer training session with a 7 vs. 7 scrimmage to focus on team play.
Sharks and Minnows
The Sharks and Minnows dribbling drill focuses on using the body to protect the ball by placing their body in between the ball and the defender.
1v1 Diamond Shooting Drill
Spice up your shooting combination drill by finishing with a 1v1 to goal. Add a fun little twist, and the kids love it.
Pirates of the Pugg
This drill is an excellent drill for younger players ages 8-11 and focuses on dribbling technique in traffic which requires vision and awareness.
Alien Tag Soccer Game
Alien tag is a great Under 4 soccer game for 3, 4, 5, and 6 year-olds. Your kids will like flying around and crashing in their spaceship.
4v4 Soccer to a Small Gate
4v4 in soccer is the smallest game focusing on all aspects of a full sided soccer match.
The Flag Game - Dribbling in Tight Spaces
The flat game soccer drill is designed to focus on young soccer players learning to dribble in tight spaces.
Four Corners Passing Game
The Four Corners Soccer Passing Game is a great soccer passing drill to focus on changing the point of the attack, and timing of runs and passes.
1v1 Competition
This drill is great to focus on 1v1 play. It is flexible and can be used to work on the offensive side or the defensive side.
Ouch!
A FUN soccer drill for younger players (U6, U7, and U8) to introduce dribbling, looking up and correctly striking the ball at a target.
