U19 Soccer Drills

Passing and Receiving: Enhance your team's passing accuracy and receiving skills by incorporating small-sided possession games into training sessions. Create grids with designated areas for each player, encouraging quick passes and movement off the ball. Emphasize proper technique for both passing (body position, weight of pass) and receiving (using different surfaces of the foot).

Shooting and Finishing: Develop your team's attacking prowess through shooting drills that simulate game situations. Set up shooting stations with targets or goalkeepers to create pressure on shooters. Encourage players to work on their technique (foot placement, body positioning) while also emphasizing decision-making in terms of when to shoot or make a final pass.

Remember that these technical drills should be integrated into well-structured training sessions that include warm-ups, dynamic stretches, tactical exercises, and cool-downs. Vary the intensity level based on individual player development goals and adjust drill difficulty accordingly. By consistently implementing these u19 soccer drills during practice sessions, you can help your team improve their overall performance on match day.

Dribbling and Turning

Cone Slalom Drill: Set up a row of cones in a zig-zag pattern about 5 yards apart. Players dribble through the cones using quick, controlled touches with both feet. Emphasize changes of direction and keeping the ball close to their bodies.

Square Rondo: Create a small square area with cones and place four players inside, with one defender in the middle. The players on the outside must keep possession by passing to each other while avoiding the defender's attempts to intercept. Encourage quick thinking and tight control under pressure.

Zig-Zag Dribbling: Arrange cones in a zig-zag formation about 10 yards apart. Players dribble through the course, weaving around each cone as quickly as possible while maintaining control of the ball. Focus on sharp turns and acceleration between cones for improved agility on the field.

Passing and Receiving

Passing and Receiving:

• Triangle Passing Drill: Set up three cones in a triangle formation. Players must pass the ball between each other, focusing on accuracy and quick decision-making. This drill helps improve passing technique and creates an understanding of movement off the ball.

• Wall Passes: Position two players facing a wall, approximately five yards away from it. One player passes the ball against the wall while their teammate receives it and quickly passes it back. This drill enhances communication, control, and first touch skills.

• One-Touch Passing: Encourage players to play with one touch only during this drill. They must complete accurate passes while maintaining good control of the ball. Emphasize speed of play to increase tempo during matches.

By incorporating these drills into training sessions, coaches can enhance their U19 soccer team's passing ability, teamwork, and decision-making skills on the field.

Shooting and Finishing

Shooting Races: Create a competitive environment by organizing shooting races. Divide players into pairs or small groups and set up two cones at a distance from the goal. Players must dribble the ball as fast as they can between the cones and shoot on target. The first player to hit the target scores a point for their team.

Small-Sided Games with Shooting Focus: Incorporate shooting skills into small-sided games to enhance player proficiency in game situations. Set up a 4v4 or 5v5 game with smaller goals, encouraging players to take shots whenever possible. Emphasize quick decision-making, accuracy, and technique during these intense match simulations.

Crossing and Finishing Drills: Improve both crossing and finishing abilities through specific drills that replicate game scenarios. Have wingers deliver crosses from different positions while attackers aim to score goals using various techniques such as headers or volley shots. By practicing these drills regularly, players will develop their timing, positioning, and composure when it comes to scoring goals from crosses

Tactical Drills

Tactical games:

1. Possession Circles: Set up multiple circles on the field with players evenly distributed in each circle. The objective is for players to maintain possession by passing the ball within their circle while simultaneously pressuring and intercepting passes from other circles. This drill improves technical skills, spatial awareness, and decision-making under pressure.

2. Counter-Attacking Game: Divide the team into two groups, attackers and defenders. Place a small goal at each end of the field. Start with one defender in possession of the ball near their own goal line and three attackers pressing high upfield. The defenders aim to play out from the back while maintaining possession, while attackers try to win back the ball quickly and score in either goal. This drill enhances defensive organization, quick transitions, and finishing abilities during counter-attacks.

Defensive Shape

Zonal marking is a crucial defensive tactic in soccer. It involves players defending specific zones on the field rather than man-marking individual opponents. This allows for better coverage of space and prevents attackers from easily finding gaps to exploit. By organizing players into zones, it becomes easier to maintain a compact defensive shape and limit the opposition's attacking options.

The offside trap is another effective defensive strategy that can disrupt the opponent's attacking play. It involves defenders stepping forward in sync to catch attackers offside when they receive a pass behind the defensive line. Timing and coordination are key for this tactic to be successful, as mistiming or lack of communication can lead to costly mistakes.

Defending set pieces requires disciplined organization and clear roles for each player involved in marking opponents or guarding specific areas of the goalmouth. The team needs to work together both defensively and strategically, anticipating runs, blocking passing lanes, and challenging aerial balls effectively. Communication among defenders is vital during set-piece situations to ensure everyone knows their responsibilities.

By implementing zonal marking, employing an effective offside trap, and maintaining solid defending during set pieces, teams can greatly enhance their overall defensive shape on the field. These tactics maximize teamwork and coordination while limiting scoring opportunities for opposing teams.

Attacking Combinations

Overlapping runs can be a powerful attacking combination that creates confusion for the opposition. By having one player make a forward run and another overlapping from behind, it opens up space for the overlapping player to receive a pass in a dangerous position. This combination requires good communication and timing between the two players involved.

One-two passes are an effective way to break through tight defenses and quickly progress into the final third of the pitch. The first player passes to their teammate before immediately making a run into space to receive the ball back. This quick exchange of passes can catch defenders off guard and create opportunities to penetrate deeper into enemy territory.

Creating space in the final third is crucial for generating scoring opportunities. Players can achieve this by making intelligent movements off-the-ball, such as dragging defenders away or creating passing lanes with diagonal runs. Additionally, using feints and body positioning can deceive opponents and open up gaps for teammates to exploit.

These attacking combinations require precision, coordination, and strategic thinking on behalf of all players involved. Incorporating these drills into training sessions will help develop fluidity in attack while keeping opponents guessing about your team's next move

Pressing and Counter-Pressing

High-intensity pressing drills are essential for developing a proactive defensive strategy. These drills focus on teaching players how to apply pressure on the opponent as soon as they lose possession, forcing them into making mistakes and turnovers. By incorporating these drills into training sessions, coaches can instill a sense of urgency and encourage quick transition from attack to defense.

Forcing turnovers in the opponent's half is crucial to gaining an advantage in the game. Coaches should design exercises that emphasize aggressive pressing in areas where opponents are most vulnerable. This not only disrupts their build-up play but also creates scoring opportunities for your team. Training sessions should include repetitive practice of these scenarios to sharpen players' instincts and decision-making skills when it comes to regaining possession efficiently and effectively.

Fitness Drills

Interval Training

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT):

• Alternating between short bursts of intense exercise and periods of rest or low-intensity activity

• Boosts cardiovascular fitness, speed, and power

• Improves endurance and stamina

Circuit Training:

• Performing a series of exercises in rapid succession with minimal rest

• Targets different muscle groups for overall conditioning and strength development

• Enhances agility, coordination, and muscular endurance

Fartlek Runs:

• Unstructured interval training that combines continuous running with random bursts of speed

• Builds mental toughness while improving aerobic capacity

• Increases speed variations to better mimic game conditions

Speed and Agility

Ladder Drills, Cone Drills, and Shuttle Runs are essential for improving speed and agility in soccer. Incorporating these drills into training sessions can help players enhance their quickness, reaction time, and change of direction abilities. The following bullet list provides a brief overview of each drill:

• Ladder Drills: These exercises involve precise footwork patterns performed on a ladder laid flat on the ground. They focus on developing coordination, agility, and speed.

• Cone Drills: Using cones arranged in various formations, cone drills challenge players to navigate through them quickly while maintaining control of the ball. They improve acceleration and sharp turns.

• Shuttle Runs: This drill requires players to sprint back and forth between two points within a specified time limit. It targets both linear speed and agility by incorporating rapid changes in direction.

By incorporating ladder drills, cone drills, and shuttle runs into training sessions regularly, coaches can effectively improve the speed and agility of U19 soccer players.

Endurance Running

Long Distance Run: Incorporating long distance runs into your endurance training can greatly improve your stamina on the soccer field. Aim for a consistent pace and gradually increase the distance over time to challenge yourself.

Hill Sprints: Hill sprints are an excellent way to build both speed and endurance. Find a steep hill and sprint up it as fast as you can, then jog or walk back down to recover before repeating. This high-intensity exercise will push your cardiovascular system and strengthen your leg muscles.

Plyometric Exercises for Endurance: Plyometric exercises like squat jumps, box jumps, and burpees are not only great for building explosive power, but they also help improve endurance by increasing muscle efficiency. Incorporate these exercises into your training routine to enhance both strength and stamina on the soccer field.