Soccer Dribbling Drills

Soccer Dribbling Drills

Dribbling is the fundamental method of moving the soccer ball from one end of the field to the other, and you will spend more time on the field dribbling the ball than you will doing virtually anything else. Obviously, this is a skill you are going to need to develop veeeeeeeery carefully. Dribbling a soccer ball is much more difficult than dribbling a basketball by simple virtue of the fact that you are not allowed to use your hands. You are therefore going to need to maintain perfect control of the ball using only your feet while running as quickly as possible, keeping an eye out for members of the opposing team and scouting for your own teammates so that you know where to pass the ball to should you need to do so. Obviously, this means that you are not going to have a great deal of attention to spare for your dribbling technique!

Fortunately, dribbling competently is an easy skill to master. All you need is a regulation sized soccer ball, an open field and a little bit of time. The trick is to tap the ball from one foot to the other using your instep so that you essentially are keeping the ball in between your legs as you travel down the field; pushing the ball too far ahead of you will result in the ball being free and available for any member of the opposing team that happens to feel like picking it up, while not pushing it far enough of you will inevitably trip you up and cause the ball to drop back behind you. Attempt to only push the ball as far forward as your running stride; this will prepare you for when you are stuck in a pack of players. If you happen to be moving down a relatively free field you are going to be able to send the ball a little farther forward; however, kicking the ball out in front of you is the easy part.

Again, be sure to focus on only allowing your instep to touch the ball while you are dribbling. It is
often very tempting to allow the front of your foot to connect, as this is the part that is most readily available when you are running; however, kicking the ball with the front or top of your foot will only serve to push it out of your reach. You will have virtually no control over where it goes or what it does.

As learning to run while dribbling a ball between your insteps can be an interesting and generally undignified event, it is best if you initially practice this skill when you do not have an audience; that way, when you are in front of your peers you will be able to display at least a little bit of competence and save yourself from the inevitable ribbing that comes along with displaying any lack of proficiency on the playing field. 

I got all of my dribbling drills from this ebook. I was lost without it. It's cheap and easy to keep with you like I did on my Ipad for quick reference. Click here to download it now.

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