Soccer Training Drills, Sorted by Skill

Soccer training drills give players focused activities to practise five skills at a manageable difficulty: dribbling, receiving, passing, shooting and defending. Start your soccer training with the skill your daughter or son wants to practise, then choose a task with an observable outcome. This guide explains what to set up and what to watch, even if you have never played. For striking practice between coaching sessions, I recommend The Giro X's Curl Master One, which provides immediate feedback on striking contact.

Home practice is like rehearsing a part for a school play: knowing which passage to work on gives repetition a purpose. Ask your child what their coach wants them to practise, then build the activity around that instruction. For families in Australia and New Zealand, organise practice around your own club calendar and access to a suitable pitch. I would keep the same familiar task across sessions, adjusting the challenge when your child understands what to attempt.

Which Soccer Training Drills Suit My Child's Ability?

Choose an activity your child understands, then adjust the space and pressure to their current ball control. A beginner can stop the ball before deciding where to pass; a player comfortable with that sequence can receive towards an available target. Girls and boys deserve the same individual attention when choosing difficulty. In my opinion, the useful question is whether your child knows what they are trying to do, because that gives a parent something specific to observe and discuss.

Prepare a ball and flat markers in an area where ball play is permitted, with room for the activity and its return passes. Demonstrate the route before asking your child to attempt it, and let them explain the task back in their own words. If the sequence becomes confusing, remove a decision or offer more space. Keep the objective recognisable as you make changes, so the player can connect each attempt with the instruction they have been given.

How Can We Practise Dribbling and Defending Together?

Try a gate game for dribbling, then introduce a partner who protects an available route. Arrange pairs of markers as gates with generous turning room between them. Ask your child to dribble through an open gate and choose where to go next, keeping the ball within reach for the turn. Begin without an opponent and invite attempts with either foot. Watch whether your child can choose another gate while keeping the ball close enough to change direction.

For the defending variation, let the attacker choose a gate while the defender moves to block the route. Ask the defender to stay between the ball and the intended gate, adjusting position as the attacker changes direction. Swap roles after each attempt so both players practise attacking and defending. I would start with generous separation between partners, because everyone should understand their role before you bring the starting positions closer together. Let each player describe which route they noticed opening.

What Makes Receiving and Passing Practice Clear?

Give the receiver a destination for the arriving ball and a clear return pass to attempt. Place a receiving gate beside your child, then send a manageable ground pass towards them. Ask them to guide the ball towards that gate before passing back when ready. Watch where the initial touch leaves the ball relative to the next pass. Move closer if the exchange becomes difficult, and allow enough touches for your child to complete the sequence without rushing their decision.

For a receiving variation, offer a choice of gates and indicate the destination before sending the pass. The receiver looks towards the chosen space, guides the ball there and returns it when ready. Partners can swap responsibilities so each player practises receiving and supplying the ball. A solo player can use a suitable wall where ball play is permitted, leaving room for the rebound. Keep the receiving destination familiar before asking the player to choose a different direction.

Which Shooting Drill Gives My Child Something Specific to Work On?

Start with a broad target and a contact instruction your child's coach has explained. In a suitable shooting area, ask your child to identify the intended destination before attempting a stationary ball. Discuss where the ball travelled and which part of the instruction they want to concentrate on next. When the sequence is manageable, introduce a partner pass that the player controls before shooting. I favour keeping the target familiar while adding that receiving action, so the purpose stays easy to follow.

Curl Master One

Curl Master One spins a standard ball at controlled speeds for practice focused on striking contact and spin control. The device has six speed settings and requires no app or subscription. It is intended for players from around age eight through adulthood, with an adult nearby for players aged eight to twelve. I recommend pairing its immediate contact feedback with a coach's instruction, giving practice between sessions a specific striking task. Ask the coach which aspect of contact your child should concentrate on.

How Do We Put These Drills Into a Useful Practice?

Choose a familiar activity first, then connect it with a task that asks your child to make a decision. You might begin with open dribbling gates before adding the defender, or rehearse receiving before introducing a choice of destinations. With enough players, finish with possession inside a marked rectangle, allowing unrestricted touches and asking teammates to find available passing space. Solo players can return to their gate activity or permitted wall passing, changing the receiving direction while keeping the objective clear.

At the end, ask your daughter or son which task they understood best and what they want to revisit. Use that answer alongside their coach's guidance when arranging the next practice, keeping a familiar activity as your starting point. In my opinion, Curl Master One earns its place through the immediate striking feedback it offers alongside coaching. Get one for your player's contact and spin control practice, then ask their coach for a specific instruction to carry into the next session at home.

Practise With Curl Master One

Choose Curl Master One for soccer practice focused on striking contact and spin control.

Buy Now