Backyard Training
Activities
By Tom Goodman, M.Ed., National Director of
Coaching Education for US Youth Soccer (courtesy of US Youth Soccer)
Often, you will find that you are alone or
with one or two of your friends in the backyard or at the playground. The
following activities are challenging soccer activities that will, not only keep
you and your friends busy, but will help you improve your skills and your
decision making.
Training on Your Own or with a Friend(s)
Dribbling
Multi-Cone Dribbling
Throw some cones (or soda cans, etc.) around
the yard haphazardly. Dribble your ball around the yard touching it to
one of the cones. When you touch a cone with your ball, quickly pull the
ball away from the cone with the bottom (sole) of your foot and dribble off to
another cone. Continue this activity for 30 seconds. Try it at
different speeds. Build your speed up gradually, but always try to
perform the skill at top speed…this is referred to as technical speed.
Throw some cones around the yard
haphazardly. Dribble your ball around the yard in between the cones, but
don’t allow your ball to touch a cone. Continue this activity for 30
seconds. Try it at different speeds. Build your speed up gradually,
but always try to perform the skill at top speed…this is referred to as
technical speed.
Multi-Goal Dribbling
Set up small goals with cones about 1 step
apart. Place many of these goals around your yard at different
angles. Dribble your ball through as many of the goals as you can in 30
seconds (ask your mom or dad to time you). The next time you do it, try
to increase the number of goals that you dribble through in 30 seconds by at
least one.
Nutmeg
Set up small goals with cones about 1 step
apart. Place many of these goals around your yard at different
angles. Dribble your ball toward a goal and push your ball through the
goal. While the ball travels through the goal, you must run around the
goal and retrieve the ball on the other side (nutmeg). As soon as you
regain control of the ball, dribble at one of the other goals and nutmeg
again. Nutmeg as many goals as you can in 30 seconds (ask your friend,
mom or dad to time you). The next time you do it, try to increase the
number of goals that you nutmeg in 30 seconds by at least one.
Combat
Set up a goal with cones about 4 steps
wide. You stand behind one of the cones with the ball and your friend
stands behind the other cone without a ball. Both of you face the same
direction. You must throw or kick the ball about 10-15 yards out into the
area that you and your friend are facing. The instant the ball is struck,
both of you must attempt to get it (gain possession of the ball) and dribble it
back through the goal. Play for 20-30 seconds. Alternate the server
each time.
If your Mom or Dad is available, they can
serve the ball from a position away from the goal and keep time. This is
a great 1 versus 1 activity.
Options: - Mom serves (kicks) the ball out into the yard
and you and your friend compete to get the ball back to her, instead of going
through the goal.
This is a great activity to work on playing
with pressure from behind. Thus the players must shield the ball often,
escape the pressure of their opponent and create a space large enough to pass
the ball back to the coach.
Kicking (Wall skills)
If you have access to a wall that you can kick
your soccer ball against, consider the following soccer activities:
Training on Your Own or with a Friend(s)
Straight On
Kick your ball directly against the wall at
different speeds (pace or weight) and from different distances. Use
different surfaces of the foot. Try to keep the ball on the ground.
Receive the rebound with different surfaces of the foot, always trying to keep
the first touch within playing distance (about 1 or 2 steps from you).
Receive the rebound with a controlling touch or two and then kick it against
the wall again. Keep the ball moving and keep your feet moving at all
times.
Kicking surfaces: inside of the foot,
outside of the foot, instep (laces), heel, toe
Receiving surfaces: inside of foot,
outside of foot, sole of foot
Angles
Position yourself about 10 yards away and at
one end of the wall. Kick your ball on the ground toward the middle of
the wall (about 45 degrees). Immediately after kicking the ball, run to
receive it as it rebounds from the wall to the opposite end. Perform a
change of direction move and repeat the activity in the opposite direction.
Experiment with the pace and the angles of your kicks, as well as your
receiving surfaces and number of controlling touches. Always try to keep
the all moving.
Change of Direction Moves: Pull back with sole
of one foot and push behind other foot; chop with inside or outside of foot.
Tennis
Volley your ball against the wall with one or
two bounces in between each volley. Eventually, keep the ball going with
only one bounce in between volleys. Vary your distance from the wall as
you play. See how many times you can keep the ball going as you move
closer to and farther from the wall. Use different surfaces of your foot
and develop a rhythm.
Set up a rectangular court out from the wall
and play soccer tennis against the wall with a friend. Set up your own
rules with regards to services and bounces, etc.
Squash
This game is played with more than one
player. You can set up a rectangular court or play in open an area.
After a kicking order has been determined, the
player #1 kicks the ball off the wall. The player #2 must get to the ball
before it stops and immediately kick (1-touch) the ball against the wall.
If there are more than 2 players, the game proceeds accordingly until all the
players have kicked the ball against the wall, at which time the first player
is up again. You get a point if the player that follows you allows the
ball to stop before she kicks it or if she misses the wall on her kick.
Play begins with the next player in the order striking the ball against the
wall.
This is a great game for scheming
(strategy)…putting the right pace on the ball so that it barely moves after
hitting the wall or rebounds off the wall with great speed. Passing
angles become a strategic threat in this game as well.