KIDS SOCCER GAME - "GATES" | AGES 3 TO 10 | Soccer/Football Coaching | Focus On: Dribbling

KIDS SOCCER GAME - "GATES" | AGES 3 TO 10 | Soccer/Football Coaching | Focus On: Dribbling📚 Want to explore more of my grassroots coaching books? Find the full Coaching Kids Soccer series here: ⁠⁠https://mybook.to/COACHINGKIDSSOCCER123⁠⁠🎓 Want even more support? Enrol in my online course “How To Coach Kids Soccer/Football” and get a special discount here: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/KidsSoccerCourse⁠⁠FUN SOCCER GAME #1 “GATES”⭐FOCUS OF THE GAME: To improve: DRIBBLING (+ PASSING)⭐SET UP: 20x20 yard square1 ball eachSet up 6 ‘gates’ (pairs of the same coloured cones two yards apart) spread randomly around the square. Kids will dribble with the ball through the gates as many times in a certain amount of time (1 minute is ideal). Get them to count how many they dribble through and they get one point for each gate. Note: They cannot dribble back through the same gate until they’ve been through a different one.After each round, ask the children how many gates they got through. Start again and then get them to try to beat that number. This way they are not competing against the best player, they are just looking to improve on their last effort. ⭐PROGRESSION: #1 -Make the gates wider or smaller depending on the skill level. Also, spread the gates around a bigger area if you want the kids to focus on dribbling and speed. Make the area smaller and gates closer to each other if you want the kids to practise dribbling with lots of traffic around.#2 - Partner the children up and get them to dribble and then pass the ball through the gate to their partner. This way they can work on passing, teamwork and talking as well as dribbling!#3 - As the players improve, the coach (or a player) can act as a defender putting light, passive pressure on the players. Players will learn to shield the ball or use speed or a turn to avoid the defender.⭐COACHES NOTES: Like any skill that someone is learning, focus on doing it correctly instead of quickly. Tell the kids it’s not a race, just try their best and try and improve with each round.Tell the children to get their heads up as much as possible. This way they won’t run into each other and they can plan which gate is free to dribble through next.COACHES BONUS TIP: If you have a very skillful child, put in a couple of really close together cones and then say “If anyone wants to challenge themselves try and dribble through the tight gate”. This way they won’t think the game is too easy and they can challenge themselves.Another bonus tip is to hold up a coloured cone in your hand every 15 seconds or so. The player/s that sees the cone and calls out the colour gets a bonus point! This encourages them to get their heads up.Thanks for your support! Chris King📚 Want to explore more of my grassroots coaching books? Find the full Coaching Kids Soccer series here: ⁠⁠https://mybook.to/COACHINGKIDSSOCCER123⁠⁠🎓 Want even more support? Enrol in my online course “How To Coach Kids Soccer/Football” and get a special discount here: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/KidsSoccerCourse⁠⁠