Week 1—Ball Handling and Dribbling

Objective: TSWBAT maintain control of the soccer ball by having a soft touch and using
the inside of their foot to control the ball during drills and not let the ball get too far in
front of them when dribbling with their dominant and non dominant foot.

Description: Work with a ball (it does not need to be a soccer ball, any round ball will do),
practicing each ball handling drill for a minute or two.

• Toe Taps – Keep 1 foot on the ground while the sole of the other foot taps the top of the
ball, hop and then switch feet. Can play Mexican Hat Dance (K-2) music for practice,
where they tap the top of the ball on each beat of the music. Each partner gets 1 – 2
minutes for practice.
• Side Taps – Straddle ball, tap ball from R to L with inside of each foot, staying in place.
• Ball Fakes – Set ball slightly in front of you, circle one foot around ball without touching
it, then switch and circle other foot.
• Pull Backs—Place your heel on the ball, pull it back quickly with that foot in order to try
to keep the ball from your opponent.
• Drop Tap – Hold ball shoulder high, drop it quickly and trap it under 1 foot.
• Work on dribbling the ball: when you dribble use ONLY THE INSIDE OF YOUR
FOOT. Your touches on the ball each time should be small.
• If you dribble the ball too far in front of you, your opponent will gain possession of the
ball easily.
• The point of dribbling is to maintain control while moving the ball forward.

GAMES—Have a sibling? Play with them, practice dribbling, offensive and defensive similar to
basketball. The goal is to try to keep possession of the ball, use a pull back, use a fake, dribble
and run, give them your back. These are all ways to keep possession of the ball.
• Partner Dribble: One partner dribbles the soccer ball around the playing area while the
other partner acts as a “cone” that they dribble around. Students try to dribble around as
many cones as they can. Students dribble for 1 – 2 minutes then switch with partner.

• Spelling Dribble: (K-2) Place 26 cones around the gym with a (one) letter one each cone.
One partner waits on the sideline while the other partner dribbles to the letter of each
cone to spell their first name, or last name etc. Once name is spelled, they dribble the ball
back to their partner on the sideline and switch partners.

• Dribble Knockout: One partner dribbles in the playing area while the other waits in the
sideline. The object of the game is to dribble your ball while keeping control and trying
to knock out other peoples soccer balls. If your soccer ball is knocked out, you go get it
and keep dribbling. If you knock someone’s soccer ball out you can mentally keep track
of a point for each knockout.
Week 2—Passing

Objective: TSWBAT pass using the inside of their foot and trap the ball when it comes
back to them by putting their foot on top of the ball to trap the ball at their feet or using a
soft touch to trap the ball with the INSIDE of the foot then passing again; always using the
INSIDE OF THE FOOT.
If you have a school aged sibling, practice passing with them, trap (foot on the top of ball or
inside of foot), then pass back (using only the inside of the foot). If you are outside and have a
wall you can pass to, you may use this as well. If you do not have a wall to use, just pass the ball
then chase it back down, you can also practice dribbling as well.
Passing Games:
• Pass and Trap (K-2): One student passes the ball against wall and trap it with their foot
(on top of ball) you can place X’s on the wall for a goal area. Practice for 1-2 minutes
then switch with partner.

• Pass and Go: If you pass the ball why would you want to run forward rather than just
stay where you are? If you run forward, you create space to receive a pass again. This is
called a “Give and Go.” Practice “Give and Go” with a sibling or partner.

• 3 people Straddle Pass: 2 people stand across from each other, several feet apart, while
the third person does SLOW jumping jacks in the middle of their passing area. Partners
try to pass the ball through the jumpers legs to get accurate passes. How many can you
get in a row? After a few, switch jobs.

• Monkey in the Middle: If you have three people you can play Monkey in the middle.
Use a large area (like in a front or backyard), one person starts with the ball, one in the
middle, and one on the other side. The object of the game is to keep the ball away from
the person in the middle; pass the ball (using the inside of your foot), move away, give
them your back. If the person in the middle gets the ball, the last person to touch it is
now the monkey in the middle.

• Soccer Bowling (K-6): Set up bowling pins as targets. Don’t have bowling pins? No
problem, use empty bottles, empty cans, towers of legos. Start with your ball about 6 feet
 backwards and use the inside of your foot to pass your ball to your target. This is your
target passing!
• Alternative materials: no soccer ball? Use any ball you can pass with the inside of your
foot. Don’t have bowling pins? Set up whatever you have: pop cans, bottles, dolls,
legos, etc.
Week 3—Soccer Shooting

Objective: TSWBAT use their laces of their dominant foot, stepping to the side of the ball
with their non-dominant foot in order shoot the ball at a target keeping the ball on the
ground as well as shooting it off the ground.

Choose a spot outside in your yard for a goal: you can use two trees, cones, two soda cans and
try to shoot your ball on target. If the weather is bad outside, practice shooting inside with a
laundry basket and a pair of socks rolled up. You can use so many things at your house if you do
not have a ball to use, just make sure you are shooting with the top of your foot, NOT YOUR
TOES, so use where your laces lie on your sneakers.

• Practice shooting at your target.

• Have a sibling? You can do so many things! Play one-on-one with them, but with no
keepers.
• Rules for Soccer:
o You can only use your feet, the only person who can use their hands is the
goal/keeper.
o Clean steals, similar to basketball. You cannot hold hands with someone, hug
them, or pull on them.
o If you are playing on a rectangular field, if the ball gets kicked out on one of the
long sides of the field, the opposing team gets to throw in, if the ball goes out on
the short side or the side that the goal is on, we call that “goal side,” then the
opposing team gets a corner kick.
o Remember how you can keep possession of the ball: pull backs, fakes, kick and
follow, give and go, give them your back.