Coaches have to maintain a balance between skill development and fun. By the age of ten, children have mastered some basic skills, allowing them to progress to more complex drills, particularly those that simulate circumstances they might face in a real game.
Whether you’re a newbie or need help with your soccer coaching, these drills will give you some terrific ideas.
Basic Soccer Drills for 10-Year-Olds
Warm-Up Drills
Warm-up drills are excellent for getting bodies moving and the blood flowing. Before moving on to more complex drills, have your athletes go through some fundamental warm-ups.
2v2 Plus 2
Setup
Create a 16×20-yard grid with four mini-goals. Ask two players to be ‘neutral players’ and position them between a pair of nets you’ve set up. Split the remaining players into two teams and have them stand in four different lines. Pro tip: Keep a few extra balls on hand for rapid restarts.
How to Play
The coach starts off with a pass to one side. With the help of two neutrals, the first two players from each team engage in a 2v2 match. Neutral players monitor the sidelines between the nets but are unable to enter the playing field. The neutral players’ purpose is to always support the attackers, therefore they flip sides dynamically.
When the players score a goal, they all exit the field and four new players enter. The game concludes when one team scores five goals. Make sure to swap out the neutral players to allow everyone an opportunity to play as the neutrals, and repeat as needed!
Team Knockout
Set-Up
Prepare a 20-meter square field by placing a tiny net in each corner. This one works best if you have a large supply of soccer balls on hand.
How to Play
Divide the participants into four equal groups. With one team in each corner, each group forms a line that is directly behind one of the goals but outside the grid. The coach kicks things off by kicking the ball into the playing field.
A free-for-all match between soccer players is initiated by the first player from each team to enter the field. Every player defends their own goal while attempting to score on any other goal.
When your goal is scored, the player is eliminated and moves to the back of their group line. The coach introduces a new soccer ball, and the remaining three players engage in a 1v1v1 game under the same regulations. Until just one person remains, this keeps happening. The last man remaining scores a point!
Dribbling Drills
All 10-year-olds should work on improving their dribbling skills. Being able to dribble with both feet is a fundamental ability that must be consistently refined through workouts. Drills that simulate prospective game circumstances are preferable, as are drills that promote decision-making. These soccer drills can be done with any age group. When practicing soccer dribbling drills, ensure that players use both their right and left feet.
Goals from Chaos
Set Up
Establish a 25 by 25 yard square and place two miniature nets, evenly spaced apart, on each side of the square to make a total of eight goals.
The soccer team should be divided into four groups once a flat cone is placed within each net. Request that they form a line behind a cone. become as many soccer balls ready as you can because this is about to become chaotic!
How to Play
In lines 1 and 3, every player is supposed to have a ball. The player at the top of line 2 receives the ball from player one in line 1.
They engage in a 1v1 scrimmage in which they attempt to score by dribbling through and holding onto the ball in one of the two goals they are up against. Encourage the players to be in charge and forbid long-range attempts that deviate from your desired practice (dribbling and taking players on one-on-one).
Lines 3 and 4’s opening players do the identical action simultaneously on the same pitch! The children are kept from having to wait in line by having basically two games going on at the same time. In addition, the next player in line starts the subsequent 1v1 match with the following player when a goal is scored or the ball leaves the play, and so on down the line.
Conclusion:
By incorporating these basic soccer drills into training sessions, 10-year-old players can develop essential skills and improve their overall performance on the field. Remember to keep the drills fun and engaging to maintain players’ interest and motivation. With consistent practice and dedication, young athletes can progress and excel in the sport of soccer.
