Reaching Soccer Fitness
Through Work with the Ball

Adapted from a session done by Dean Conway, State Coach, Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association.

Equipment: 12 balls, 16 pinnies (6 red, 6 yellow, 4 blue), 8 disc cones, two small goals or 4 additional pointy cones to build same, area 30*40

This workout can be very tiring and demand a high level of fitness. It provides everyone with a lot of touches on the ball and allows coaches to see ball handling skills (dribbling, turning, receiving, etc.), speed and acceleration, as well as tactical skills in the final two exercises. Field size can be varied depending on the number of players that you have as well as their age, skill and fitness level. This session, essentially as described, was done over a 75 minute period with 12 staff coaches of widely varying skill and fitness levels.

1. Dribble in designated 15*15 area marked by cones. Heads up. Use all surfaces of your foot. Go at angles to each other, not in a big circle. Change speeds frequently. (Demo dribble slowly and then cut to one side while accelerating.) On command "change", stop your ball by stepping on it, find another one, and continue dribbling. Stretch for 1 min. Now box ball back and forth between feet. Knees bent, legs move more up and down like pistons as opposed to side to side. (demo here showing first stiff-leg back and forth motion, then preferred bent-knee piston-like motion). Stay in one place and box ball as quickly as you can, counting touches for 30 seconds. Stretch for 1 min. Repeat box and count, trying to beat last score. Now box ball while moving orwards and backwards around area, head up, knees bent. Stretch for 1 min.
2. Pick up your ball, find someone you don't know and introduce yourself. You're now partners! 1 partner lays face-down on ground with ball in front of body. Other partner dribbles in area, "flicks" ball over a body on the ground, jumps over body following ball and proceeds on to find another hurdle. First player to flick and jump over 10 bodies holds ball over head, announces "done", and is declared the "winner". Switch and repeat. Emphasize dribbler's head up, control of ball, quick movements, must move to a new hurdle after each flick. Bodies on ground keep head down.
3. Find someone else you don't know. 1 partner gets down on hands and knees making a "bridge". Other passes ball under bridge, then jumps over bridge from side and goes on to find another 1. First to pass under and hurdle 10 bodies holds ball over head, announces "done" and is declared the "winner". Switch and repeat. [For younger players, one stands holding ball with legs apart, partner passes ball through legs, follows by crawling through legs, pops up and hunts next target.] Stretch for 2 min here.
4. 10 players with balls dribble in grid. Two players without try to get a ball from someone with one. On command "road trip", everyone sprints around a cone set 20 yds. away from edge of grid and back to grid, gets ball and begins to dribble. Last two players without a ball begin to hunt for one. Repeat several times. Interspace stretch to create 3 work--1 rest ratio.
5. Find a new partner, each pair with a ball. Partners starts 7-9 yards apart. Player with ball dribbles towards partner, makes a "move" to get past him, continues on 5-7 yards, spins, and passes back to partner. Partner then does same. Defender is completely static. Encourage different and creative moves. [For older players, defender can apply slight pressure.]
6. Find a new partner, each pair with a ball, standing 5-7 yards apart. Player with ball boxes ball, does a "move" (e.g. stepover fake, pulls a V, etc.) and passes to partner who does same. Encourage fast footwork, creative moves, crisp, accurate passes.
7. Pair up in threes! Two balls per group. Players form triangle w/3-5 yards between players. "Working" player on toes and ready to go; other two with ball in hands. On start, working player receives:
   1. balls to thighs, alternating right-left-right, one-touch thigh return to server's hands
   2. balls to feet, alternate right-left-right, one touch foot return to server's hands;
   3. balls to head, alternate head back to server's hands in air (defensive head) and head back to server's feet on ground (attacking head);
   4. balls to chest, return w/1 touch foot to server's hands.

   In all cases, first working player to reach 20 "wins". Can run through all three players doing same (e.g. balls to thigh) or have player 1 do thighs, player 2 do feet, etc. Emphasize accuracy of return, and encourage servers to work in concert to keep up a continuous feed of balls.

   • Stay in same group, two players in group have a ball, 5-7 yards between players who form a triangle. Players simultaneously pass balls to left and continue, then right and continue. After warm-up, each group designates a counter. On command, all groups start together with first group to move 20 balls past counter declared winner.
   • In grid, all players with a ball. Dribble in the area and try to strike someone else's ball with you own. If your ball is hit, you must pick it up and jump up in the air with it 10 times before rejoining play. 10 jumps also if you kick your ball out of the area while trying to strike someone else's. Emphasize ball control, awareness of surroundings, avoid heavy traffic, height of jumps.
   • Form groups of 3 again. Which group can get 20 juggles first? No player can have more than 5 touches in a row.
   • Form 3 groups of 4 players, each group in different color pinnie. In a grid, 2 teams are "in", one player from the other team stands on each side of the grid outside of the lines. Teams inside play keep-away with 1 ball, using outside players as walls to relieve pressure. Outside players pass back to whichever team gave them the ball and are limited to one touch. Inside players get unlimited touches but score only for completed passes. Complete x passes in a row and switch working and resting team plus set time limit on how long a team remains in the middle. [For older players, can place additional touch restrictions on working players.]
   • Make two teams of 6 players, each team in different color pinnies. Coach builds a field 25*35 with small goals on each end while players get a drink.. Each team sets up with two players on their defensive end line, 1 on each side of the goal; two players on their attacking end line, 1 on each side of the goal; and 2 "working" players who roam freely in the grid. Play 2v2 in grid with scoring possible only on a one-touch shot on a back-pass from your teammate on your attacking end line. End line play Play 2v2 in grid with scoring possible only on a one-touch shot on a back-pass from your teammate on your attacking end line. End line players have only one touch on the ball; may not interfere with each other or intercept passes meant for opponent; but may move back and forth along their half of the end line. Encourage back-line players to look to play long ball to front line for one touch back pass to sprinting attacker. [Vary for older players, e.g. 1 point for regular ! one-to uch goal, two for header, three for diving header, 5 for coach's choice of the "play of the game!"] Play to set number or with time limit.
   • Warm-down and stretch on your own.
   Updated 6 October 1998

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