The ‘Sideline-to-Sideline Dribbling Drills’ Series

THE ‘SIDELINE-TO-SIDELINE DRIBBLING DRILLS’ SERIES

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The basic format for this series of drills is one-player/one-ball moving from one sideline (touch-line) to the other sideline (touch-line), on a full-sized field, upon the coach’s command. The distance can be modified using cones to be made age-appropriate. Similarly, more difficult techniques can be dropped to be age-appropriate.

Dribbling

Free dribble
Inside of right foot only
Inside of left foot only
Outside of right foot only
Outside of left foot only
Speed dribble, right foot only
Speed dribble, left foot only
Sole of right foot drag over (in effect, running sideways; toes pointed out) only
Sole of left foot drag over (in effect, running sideways: toes pointed out) only
Sole of right foot drag over (toes pointed forward) only
Sole of left foot drag over (toes pointed forward) only
Sole of right foot drag backward only
Sole of left foot drag backward only
Sole of right foot then sole of left foot, alternately, backward only
Dribble, personal pass, sprint, collect, dribble
Stepover left, inside of foot from behind right, only
Stepover right, inside of foot from behind left, only
Stepovers alternating
Right heel backward only
Left heel backward only
Right and left heel backward alternately
Dribble, 360-degree spin, dribble

“Running Through” the Ball

Player tosses the ball up and out; then sprints to it in order to collect it after one bounce; contacts the ball using the head, chest, thigh, or foot in order to get it under initial control; gets the ball down to the turf while still running; then speed dribbles to the sideline (touch-line). It is extremely important that the player be coached that he or she is not to stop when contacting and controlling the ball, but to continue at the fastest possible pace, bringing the ball down to the turf while on the run.