Drills for Tots, and Tykes (U4-U6)
Pinnacles Football Club's collection of training drills designed to focus on teaching good basic skills and physical literacy to our youngest players.
Pirates
Materials:
- 2+ hula-hoops (Preferably different colours)
- Lots of balls
- Pinnies (optional)
Instructions:
Set up two or more hula-hoops evenly spaced apart with a large pile of balls in the middle. The hula-hoops become the pirate ships, the players become the pirates, the balls become the gold coins, and the space between the hula-hoops becomes the ocean. Coaches can join in as pirates or as sea-monsters who steal gold coins from all of the pirate ships and bring them back to the ocean. Divide players evenly into groups of 3 or more. Players start at their team hula-hoop, and all race to the middle to collect one ball at a time, dribbling it back to their team's hoop. Players can also steal from other teams' hoops and bring one ball back at a time. Each round can go for any set length of time (recommended length 1-3 minutes long).
Objective:
Be the team with the most balls at the end of the time limit.
Focus:
Dribbling, teamwork, and strategy.
Knockdown
Materials:
- Lots of tall cones (Preferably a mixture of different colour cones)
- One ball per player
Instructions:
Set up lots tall cones spread out in one area. Players dribble around and try to pass the ball to knock down the tall cones. Coach can limit what cones can be knocked down by calling out different colours and having players only aim for those cones.
Objective:
Knock down as many cones, as fast as you can.
Progression:
Have players race the coach to knock down all of the cones before the coach can set them back up.
Focus:
Passing, awareness, and quick movement.
Yellow Man Passing
Materials:
- 3+ plastic soccer mannequins
- One ball per player
- one cone per mannequin
Instructions:
Set up the plastic soccer mannequins spread out in a row. Place one cone straight out in front of each mannequin increasing the distance from one mannequin to the next. All players will have their own ball and line up behind any of the cones. Players must make a pass attempting to hit the plastic mannequin from the respective cone. Have players attempt to hit the plastic mannequin from the varying distances.
Objective:
To hit the plastic mannequin from the farthest distance with proper technique.
Or to hit each plastic mannequin from all the distances 3 times each.
Progression:
Move the cones farther away from the plastic soccer mannequins to increase the difficulty and need for accuracy.
Have players use their nondominant foot only.
Focus:
Passing, and accuracy.
Red Light Green Light
Materials:
- 8-12 cones
- One ball per player
Instructions:
Set up a long rectangular grid using cones. Have the players line up on one end with their own ball. A coach or a player will be the cop and they must call out "Red," "Green," or "Yellow". When Red is called all players must freeze and stop their ball in control. If Green is called all players dribble as fast as they can. If Yellow is called players take lots of little touches. Players try to race to the other side of the grid while following the cop's instructions.
Objective:
Get to the other end of the grid first.
Progression:
Have the cop try to catch players or their balls moving. If caught players must go back to the beginning.
Focus:
Dribbling, changing speeds, and ball control.
Superheroes
Materials:
- 4-10 cones
- 1+ ball(s) per player
Instructions:
Set up either one line of cones, or two lines with a runway in between them. Have players line up on the line(s) with their ball(s). The coach will explain that they have transformed into a Supervillain and all of the players are now Superheroes. It is the players' job to save the day by passing and hitting the coach. The players must stay on their line and pass from there; after each round they can retrieve their ball(s) and reset for the next round. The coach will start at one end, and very slowly move to the other side giving the players a chance to hit them. As the coach continues to get hit each round they can play up the dramatics by acting injured or falling to the ground.
Tip! Tell the players to wait until the coach is in front of them to pass the ball.
Objective:
Pass and hit the coaches.
Progression:
Have the coaches (villains) move faster, or be farther away.
Focus:
Passing, and timing.
Shooting Frenzy
Materials:
- 3-6 small nets
- Lots of balls
- (Optional) Different colour markers
Instructions:
Set up the nets facing inward in a large circle. Place all of the balls in a large pile in the middle. Set a timer and have the players shoot all of the balls into the nets as fast as possible. Get players to try to beat their time each round.
Objective:
Work as a team to get all the balls into the nets as quickly as possible.
Progression:
Add goalkeepers to the nets (players, or coaches).
Limit which nets they can score on by calling out the different colour markers.
Focus:
Shooting, and teamwork.
What Time is it Mr. Wolf?
Materials:
- 8-12 cones
- One ball per player
Instructions:
Set up a long rectangular grid using cones. Have all players line up with their own ball on one end of the grid. Have either a player or the coach be the wolf. The wolf has their back to the players and waits for them to ask "what time is it Mr. Wolf?". The wolf then call out any number from 1-12 and say "o'clock". The players will then take that many touches on the ball moving forward. Once the wolf feels like the players are close enough they can answer the question with "Lunch time!" and turn around and chase the players back to the beginning, trying to steal their balls. If a player's ball is stolen they join the wolf for the next round.
Objective:
Get as close to the other side without being caught by the wolf.
Focus:
Dribbling, and change of directions.
Cone Shooting
Materials:
- 2+ small nets
- 6+ cones
- One ball per player
Instructions:
Set up the nets with 3+ cones leading up to each net. Have all players line up behind one of the lines of cones. Players then dribble one at a time through the cones then shoot on the net. Teach players different celebrations to do when they score a goal. Encourage players to be goofy and have fun with their celebrations.
Objective:
To dribble through all of the cones then shoot and score.
Progression:
Add goalkeepers (players or coaches).
Have players use their nondominant foot to dribble and shoot.
Decrease the distance between the cones, or add more cones.
Focus:
Dribbling, shooting, and celebrating.