Youth Soccer Drills

Youth soccer drills for players age 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 to 16.

Our youth soccer drills are different -- they are games that involve keeping score. Our drills aren't the silly games you may have seen. Our games are fun but also teach soccer skills. Players learn how to play soccer by playing the games.

Our youth soccer drills are like a real game and teach players to play fast while under pressure. If you use our drills, your practices will be much more fun and your players will learn more in less time.

Below is a link will take you to free youth soccer drills. Our drills are easily understood, even by beginning coaches. Try them and you will see the difference.

Free Youth Soccer Drills that are Games

Advantages of our Youth Soccer Drills and Practice Tips for Youth Soccer Coaches (Our youth soccer drills meet all the criteria listed below):

1. Avoid lines and try to keep your players active.
2. It is very important to have one ball for each player. Buy some extra balls or ask players to bring extra balls so you have plenty.
3. Lots of "touches" on the ball. Try for at least 200 touches per player per practice.
4. Try to use soccer practice drills that are games. Keeping score makes soccer drills more like a real game and players try harder and learn to play at a fast speed.
5. Praise hustle, improvement and a good attitude. Measure each player's performance by his or her personal improvement and effort, and not by comparing them to someone else.
6. Teach proper soccer techniques and use drills that practice skills or simulate real game conditions. Keeping score will introduce competition and pressure and prepare players to perform under pressure in game conditions and at game speed.
7. Don't use soccer drills that eliminate or "knock-out" players. For Recreational players, we believe in positive motivation and we don't believe in punishing a child who has tried their best but lost a practice game. Our drills don't make the losers leave the game or run laps. We don't use elimination games that leave the players who need the most practice on the sidelines.
8. If it's not fun, it's not a good soccer drill.

What soccer coaches say about our youth soccer drills:

"Just wanted to let you know that I am still finding SoccerHelp to be an outstanding youth soccer coaching resource. I have been using it since U7, and have found it particularly valuable now that I am coaching Girls U9 Rec soccer. This is the first year the girls have been playing soccer using something approaching the complete game, as in our Association U-6 and U-8 use a continuous-play micro game (3 v 3) with no restarts (corner kicks, throw-ins, goal kicks, etc.) and no assigned positions. The girls had a lot to learn, and the SoccerHelp activities and coaching resources make it much easier to teach them the fundamentals quickly. As a result, my team is 4-0 and has dominated play, outscoring their opponents 30-5." Coach Bryan, CA

"I've played soccer competitively for about 20 years at various levels, but I just started coaching youth soccer last year. It had been a good decade since I had played outdoor soccer, so I scoured the Internet for information to make sure I was up to date. Everything I found was way too fundamental or just simply out of touch. When I came across SoccerHelp I felt like I hit the lottery. I have learned so many valuable things." Coach Dan, California

"I have been coaching youth soccer for 3 years as a recreational coach. Your web site has been extremely helpful in the past years. The first year coaching a Recreational team we lost all games except 1 tie.(This was before I found your web site!) The second year coaching a Rec soccer team they won half their games and the last season's U-10 Rec team lost only 1 game out of 11 and won the league and tournament. We ran a 3-2-3-2 (as you suggested on the web-site) and the girls dominated most of the games. The only game they lost they just could not get their foot on the ball. Thanks a bunch for the advice over the last 3 seasons. I have moved to coaching a competitive team this year." Coach Allen

"Our first practice was last Thursday. It went great! The kids loved the youth soccer practice games and never lost interest in what they were doing. Also, several parents mentioned how impressed they were with our coaching abilities (my husband and I are coaching the team together). Thank you for making us look so good!" Coach Elizabeth, TX

Youth Soccer Drills that Teach Critical Soccer Skills

Youth Soccer Drills for Fun Soccer Practice

Youth Soccer Drills that Teach Soccer Moves

Coaching Youth Soccer Drills