Kidsday reporter Helio Paucar  practices his soccer moves.

Kidsday reporter Helio Paucar practices his soccer moves. Credit: Paucar family

Soccer drills will help you to improve your soccer skills. Some of the drills can help your control, speed and ability to dribble the ball, and improve your agility, too. These drills will give you a boost when it comes to playing on the field. You will see yourself lasting longer on the field if you build more stamina.

  • FIGURE-8 (you need two cones) This drill is used to improve your touch and stability on the ball. It improves your speed while dribbling. First put two cones about 10 feet apart. Dribble the ball around the cones while making a figure-8. As you repeat this drill, try to focus on increasing your speed each time. While going around the cone, try to take more touches and then sprint with the ball while crossing as an 8.
  • LADDERS (using a flat-rung agility ladder) Ladder drills help your footwork and movement and improve your agility. There are different ways to do a ladder drill. One way is called high knees. To do high knees you stand in front of the agility ladder. Then you drive your knees up to waist-level while moving in and out of every section. As you do this drill, try to get your knees as high as possible while still maintaining balance. Try to do this as fast as you can so you can improve your footwork.
  • CONE DRILL (eight cones) Put seven cones lined up about 2 to 4 feet apart and a final cone about 15 feet away from the last of the seven cones. It’s your choice on how far apart you want the cones to be. Then while moving from one side of the cones to the other, dribble in and out until you get to the seventh cone. Finally, sprint 15 feet to the eighth cone. As you do this drill, try to take more touches to control the ball as you go through the cones. When you get to the second to last cone, sprint to the last one at your top speed. Work both feet equally.

Marie Hand and Thomas House’s sixth- and seventh-grade students, Bridgehampton School

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