U6 soccer drills

A selection of U6 soccer drills to help your young players get the most out of training sessions. These drills will help your defenders, midfielders and strikers develop their basic skills, and there are also U6 soccer drills for goalkeepers – an oft-neglected position in training. Click on the headings for detailed drills complete with diagrams.

 

• Goalkeeper training: positioning tips – Soccer coaching tips and tactics to get your young goalkeeper in the right position to make a save.

 

• Soccer coaching tips to keep your goalie happy – The position of goalkeeper is always the hardest to fill in any youth soccer team. Use this soccer goalie drill and coaching tips to make sure your keeper is happy in his role.

 

• Kick off tactics to keep opponents guessing – Kick-offs are particularly important in junior soccer because if you’ve just given away a goal, or you are starting the first or second half of a match, you need your players to take the initiative. Use these kick-off soccer coaching tips and tactics to catch your opponents out.

 

• Three way soccer drill for goalie and striker skills – Strikers and goalkeepers work well together in threes. This quick, shooting soccer drill keeps your goalkeeper on his toes and helps your strikers find the best place to put their shots to beat the opposition keeper.

 

• Soccer drill to give wingers the edge – Get your wingers to focus on a quick one-two soccer drill with their midfield team-mates so they can carve a way to goal and leave a few defenders behind on match days. Sometimes this move is better than dribbling. 

 

• Fun soccer games for kids that make defending enjoyable – In every training session, incorporate some fun soccer games for kids which are competitive and motivate your young team.

 

• Goal approach game – In this game, the aim is to get your attackers used to running at the goal from different angles. Ask your defender to call out an attacker’s position and they must then get past the defender and attack the goal.

  Players must be alert to the call and able to move the ball quickly for a shot at goal.

 

• Hands on soccer drill for young goalkeepers – Soccer coaching tips and drills to get your goalie saving a goal using their hands, not their feet.

 

• Score and assist attacking and finishing drill – This attacking and finishing soccer drill aims to see if the first attacker can finish their chance before spinning to lay-off a pass from his teammate and create a second opportunity.

 

• Soccer drill to boost attacker confidence – Use this soccer training drill to build up confidence in your young attackers without defenders to ruin the party!

 

• Soccer drill to help attackers turn and shoot – Young attackers often find it difficult to turn and shoot when they receive the ball with their back to goal, because they are unsure of where it is and what’s behind them. This versatile soccer drill will make them aware of the goal and where they have to turn, so they can shoot effectively.

 

• Muddy pitch warm up drill for goalkeepers – If the pitch is muddy, use this soccer drill to warm-up your goalie’s feet as well as their hands because in these conditions it is the goalkeeper’s footwork that will often be the deciding factor when the ball is played.

 

• Soccer end zone alley drill to coach 1v1 defending – 1v1 defending should be seen as an important part of your soccer coaching programme. Your players will respond better on match days when they know how to tackle 1v1 situations. The only way to achieve this is with repeated practice but you can make defending skills drills more fun with the help of this end zone alley soccer drill.

 

• Soccer coaching game to build defending skills – This fun soccer (football) coaching game uses elements of rugby in order to teach your young players group defending skills.

 

• Small sided soccer game to get through to lone striker – One of the most important areas of youth soccer is the through ball to the attacker who has got beyond the
  defenders. Use this small-sided soccer game to get players practising attacking to get the ball through to the attacker.

 

• Soccer drill to get players shooting at an angle – Use this soccer (football) drill to get your young attackers shooting from angles. You are coaching them to use basic football tactics that will make it much harder for the goalkeeper to dive across and save the shot.

 

• Soccer drill to coach possession skills – Use this soccer training session to coach your players how to work hard to win back the ball if they lose possession.

 

• Soccer coaching game for teamwork, strength and balance – Try the fun game called “Chain gang”. Will any of your players be a weak link and break the chain? Find out as you test their ball control skills.

 

• Under 6 Soccer Drill – Check out this under 6 soccer drill that helps players learn how to keep possession.

 

• 1v1 soccer drill for kids – Try this 1v1 soccer drill for kids to encourage decisive thinking in young attacking players.