Free dribble w/ Turns

• Small Touches – What can we do to keep the ball close? keep the ball close to your feet for optimum control and ball manipulation. Encourage the players to use all parts of their feet – inside, outside, sole, heel, or top.
• Head Up – Why do we have our heads up when dribbling? So you can see obstacles and where they are going.
• Dribble Into Space – dribble faster when they dribble to open space to help them get away from other players, slower when in ‘traffic.’
• Be Brave! – players should learn at their own speed but try new things and express themselves.

Free dribble allows players to gain familiarity with the ball manipulation and spatial awareness in.

As the players become more confident, you can add commands after 2-3 minutes.

This version practices the technique of 3 skills that are the basis of dribbling, and all players should practice in order to beat a player 1v1. You should learn the moves to show the players the basics of the technique and go through it slowly.

• 2 minutes of free dribbling
• Maybe add a couple of toe-taps to get the players familiar with the ball
• Encourage players to use all parts of the foot to move and manipulate the ball
• Then show the pull-back turn and get them practicing it for 2 minutes
• Repeat with the chop
• Repeat with the scissors
• Have 2 minutes of calling out each turn at random
• Then, challenge the players to do the turns against the other players as they all dribble round
• You can go around each player, ensuring they’re getting the technique correct and encouraging

Pull-back

• The pull-back is a turn that allows the player to make a 180-degree change of direction to help them get away from a defender.
• The player puts the sole of the foot on the ball out in front of their body
• Then, roll (pull) the ball back under the body with the foot
• Ensure the player is keeping the ball in sight and turn with the ball to keep control
• Use the top of the foot to push the ball in the new direction with speed

The Chop (or cut)

• The inside chop uses a sharp (up to) 90-degree turn to change direction quickly
• When dribbling, use the inside of the foot to come down on the side of the ball in a chopping motion
• This should cause the ball to move quickly towards the inside of the body and away from the defender
• A sharp, quick chop turn should make the defender react slowly so the attacker can dribble away in a new direction
• The outside chop uses the outside of the foot to chop or cut away from the body with the same result

The Bridge Turn

• The Bridge turn is named this because it makes their legs look like a bridge
• The attacker should have the ball in a central position
• The player then spreads their legs wide, “make the bridge,” and walks over top of the ball. 
• After walking overtop of the ball, the player turns and dribbles the opposite way.

• 10/15x15yd area -make larger to incorporate more players.
• Each player has a ball.
• Short break at 1 or 2-minute intervals to ask guided questions.

Dribbling and control are perhaps the most important ball skills in the game, especially for younger players. Dynamically changing speed and direction, as opposed to dribbling in lines, is a more game-like and developmental way of exploring the skill.

• Make the area smaller for more difficulty/larger to make it easier.
• If you notice the players taking it easy, challenge the group or particular individuals to speed up, change direction, challenge themselves with a skill, or use their non-dominant foot.
• Add cones in the area to get them dribbling around.