| As a youth soccer coach, you will soon see you have | | | | feet but shuffling, so they don't fall. Also keeping a low |
| a wide variety of skill sets with your youth soccer | | | | center of gravity, by bending their knees and keeping |
| players. Some have been playing a few years already | | | | their weight spread evenly will help them with their |
| and are very athletic, while others can barely put one | | | | balance. These drills should help the player learn to |
| foot in front of the other! Your job as a youth soccer | | | | move their feet and hips to quickly turn corners and |
| coach will be first to teach them to achieve a level of | | | | shift directions without loosing speed or balance. The |
| agility and balance, that is consistent throughout your | | | | kids should learn how to keep their balance while |
| soccer team. | | | | moving forward, backwards and sideways. |
| I like to come up with agility drills that I can have the | | | | After getting these drills down without the ball, then |
| youth soccer players go through without and then with | | | | have the youth players move through them with the |
| the soccer ball. I try to have the players with the ball | | | | ball. You will soon see a huge difference with ball |
| as much as possible. Even when running, I'll have them | | | | handling, endurance and agility from a few simple drills |
| dribbling the ball. | | | | by adding the ball to these agility sessions. I like to go |
| These agility drills should help teach both balance and | | | | through these drills each training session the first few |
| speed. Drills that use cones for stopping and starting | | | | weeks of the season and then maybe every other |
| quickly, moving side to side, are all good agility drills that | | | | training session after that. |
| accomplish this. Other tools that are available are rope | | | | These agility drills make a nice break during practice |
| ladders and polls that stick vertically in the ground. All | | | | from the more technical soccer drills that kids often |
| these tools are available to help you as a youth | | | | get bored with. You can add twists to them like team |
| soccer coach, teach your soccer players critical skills in | | | | challenges and timed races to make them fun for the |
| becoming better players, such as stopping and | | | | youth soccer player. Use your imagination and make it |
| changing directions quickly. | | | | a fun and learning experience for the players. They will |
| As a coach demonstrate the footwork necessary to | | | | not even realize they gaining endurance and quickness |
| accomplish the drill correctly, such as not crossing the | | | | while having fun at practice! |