Quick Feet

Category: Drills

Developing foot speed with a ball is important for soccer players. A player who can run fast is great, but a player who can run fast with a ball at his/her feet while keeping control is better! It is best to start this at a young age so they can better develop this skill over time.

Setup
This drill does not need a designated playing area, but players should be spread out and not bunched up near each other. Each player should have a ball.

Instructions
With the ball in between their feet, ask the players to touch the ball back and forth, from foot to foot, while standing in the same spot. They shouldn’t be moving around when doing this. The objective is to get as many touches as fast as possible without losing control of the ball.

Add a challenge by asking how many touches each player can reach within 15 seconds. Then, see if they can beat their records.

Coaching Tips
Instruct players to keep their knees bent. They shouldn’t be standing flat-footed. They should be on the balls of their feet.

Variations
Have players pair up, stand face to face, with a few yards in between each other. One ball is used for each pair of players. The first player touches the ball in between both feet 10 to 15 times as fast as possible without losing control. As soon as the number of touches is reached, the ball is passed to the other player who will do the same thing. Repeat this so each player does it 3 times. You can also add a challenge to see which pair can finish quicker!