For soccer players, developing a great first touch and connection with the ball before practices and games is key. If you don’t warm-up with a ball near your feet, there’s a good chance you’ll be sloppy and turnover prone during game time. So, the next time you’re just standing around or shooting on net, consider switching it up to the Dynamic Skills Drill! Our Drill of the Week aims to put our athletes in the best position to succeed on the field, which means tackling every facet of of your body, existing skills, and overall conditioning. With that being said, read up on our challenging exercise, grab a partner, and get started! The Dynamic Skills Drill is pretty awesome because it can be done almost anywhere — on the field, in your driveway, or at the beach — and all you truly need is a partner, a ball, and some open space. Additionally, this drill is great for giving your important limbs some familiarity with the ball while also effectively getting your blood pumping. By using these game-like situations, you’ll be ready for them during real time — so take this one seriously! First, Athlete A will line up on one sideline with your heels to touch while facing Athlete B and the opposite field sideline. Athlete B will hold the ball and their only direction is to backpedal and toss the ball at Athlete A over and over to refine their abilities. Slowly but surely, the pair will work through a series of skills together one after the other. Once you get to the opposite sideline, it will be Athlete A’s turn to backpedal and distribute so Athlete B can shine. Of course, you can choose any skills of your liking, but we highly recommend a routine similar to this:
- Laces — volley the ball back using just your laces.
- Inside Foot — alternate your touch between the inside of your right and left feet.
- Knee-To-Foot — take your first touch with you knee to trap, let it fall to your foot, and then volley it back.
- Chest-To-Foot — successfully use your chest for control, drop it to your foot, and accurately return it.
- Head-To-Knee-To-Foot — corral the ball with your head, one-touch it with your knee, and then kick it to your partner.
- Head — focus on making solid contact with your head in order to get the ball to Athlete B. On each toss, Athlete A should leave the ground and concentrate on driving their forehead through the ball — the harder the header, the better!
Remember, Athlete A will return an entire field’s worth of volleys with his laces before Athlete B will do an entire string of them back the other way. Once both players have returned to their original starting position, then they will switch to the next one in the cycle. For Athlete B, don’t forget that you must focus on delivering your tosses in good return areas — this drill loses momentum and effect when players must chase the ball around the field. CoachUp loves this drill because it’s practically on-the-move juggling for control. How many times will you get the opportunity to statically juggle during a game? Unfortunately, the answer is very little if at all. This drill will get you loose, focused, and in-touch with your skills — a perfect trio of benefits! What are you waiting for?
