Pirate Series:  There are 5 parts to the Pirate Series that focus on Ball Control, Acceleration, and Fitness.

1.        Start on ground.  Throw ball in air, get up and control with foot, taking ball to the ground.  When ball is to ground accelerate out. Back to the ground and repeat for 45 seconds.

2.         Juggle feet only – 30 seconds.

3.        Same as the first one, but now trap with thigh, bring to ground and accelerate – 45 seconds.

4.        Juggle, thighs only – 30 seconds.

5.        Same as first one, but now trap with chest, bring to foot, and accelerate – 45 seconds.

6.        Juggle – thigh and feet only – 30 seconds – every time ball hits ground you have 5 push-ups at end.

7.        Same as first one, but now head ball down to foot, accelerate and go – 45 seconds.

8.        Juggle – head only.

9.        Same as first one, but now use any part to collect the ball and accelerate.   

top of page

FAST FOOTWORK Series:

1 Inside Roll -- Roll the ball across your body from outside to inside with the inside and sole of the foot and stop the ball with the inside of the other foot.

2 Outside Roll -- Roll the ball across your body from inside to outside with the outside and sole of the foot and stop the ball with the inside of the same foot.

3 Side-to-Side Push-Pull -- Tap ball back and forth with inside of feet, push ball forward with one foot and pull it back the sole of the opposite foot.

4 Side to Side Step-On -- Roll ball to outside with the sole by stepping lightly on the ball, then tap ball back to the inside with the inside of the foot.

5 Side to Side-Front Roll --Tap ball back and forth with inside of feet, push ball slightly forward then pull the ball across your body with the front part of the sole.

6 Pull Instep Push -- Push ball forward and pull it back with the sole, then tap ball forward with the instep of the same foot.

7 Pull a Vee -- Push the ball forward and pull it back the sole of the foot while turning and then take the ball with the inside of the same foot.

8 Pull & Take with Outside of foot -- Push the ball forward and pull the ball back with the sole then push the ball diagonally forward with the outside of the foot.

9 Pull & Roll Behind -- Push the ball forward and pull the ball back with the sole of the foot then pass the ball behind the standing leg with the inside of the foot. Control the ball with the sole of the other foot.

10 Pull turn --Push ball forward with one foot and pull it back with the other while turning toward ball and take the ball in the opposite direction with the inside of the first foot.

11 Inside of foot turn -- Push ball forward, move past ball and turn toward ball and take it with the inside of the foot in the opposite direction.

12 Outside of foot turn -- Push ball forward, move past ball and turn toward ball while taking it with the outside of the foot in the opposite direction.

13 Cruyff -- Push the ball forward, fake kick with inside of foot, but instead pull ball behind the standing leg and change directions.

14 Step over Turn -- Pushball forward, step over ball with one foot, turn toward ball and take it in the opposite direction.

15 Full Sole Roll -- Roll the sole of one foot forward over the ball and to the outside so the ball stops against your heel. Turn and take the ball with the sole of the other foot with a Step-On.

16 Scissors -- Starting with the ball to one side, step over or in front of ball so that the ball ends up on the other side of you. Take the ball in the opposite direction with the outside of the other foot and then stop ball with the sole of the first foot.

17  360 -- Push ball forward, stop it with the sole of one foot while stepping past it, turn and drag ball back with sole of other foot, continue turning all the way around and take the ball with the inside of the first foot.

        18 Kick Over ball -- Kick over ball with inside of foot then pull it back with the sole of the same foot.

top of page

SEVEN MINUTE DRILL 

• 2 Rolls (4 each foot)
• 1) Inside Roll
  2) Outside roll
  3 Foundation (4 each foot, alternating feet 3 touches between moves)
• 1) Side to Side Push-Pull
  2) Side to Side Step-On
  3) Side to Side Front Roll
  4 Pull back and go.
  Do sequence with one foot then switch (4 times each foot )
• 1) Pull, Instep Push
  2) Pull a Vee
  3) Pull & Take with Outside of foot
  4) Pull & Roll Behind
  5 Turns: Travel 10 feet turn 180 degrees use 3 touches between turns (4 times each foot)
• 1) Pull Turn
  2) Inside of foot turn
  3) Outside of foot turn
  4) Cruyff
  5) Step over Turn
  6 Change of direction with fakes, 3 touches betweens turns (4 times each foot)
• 1) Hip Swivel
  2) Mathews
  3) Cap
  4) Step over
  5) Scissors
   
• The Complete Seven Minute drill is more than 575 touches on the ball. Spend another ten minutes passing against a wall, both feet, both one and two-touch, instep and inside of feet, include fake kicks. Keep feet moving and work on accuracy.
• Spend ten minutes juggling the ball trying to get 100 consecutive juggles.
• Do 50 to 100 sit-ups, then stretch.
• Try to do complete workout every day. This workout can be done anywhere that there is little danger of breaking things, for instance in a basement, playroom or outside.

top of page

Moves to Beat an Opponent

1 Hip Swivel -- Fake with inside of one foot by swiveling hips toward ball, then reverse direction and take the ball with the inside of the other foot.

2 Mathews -- Fake with inside of foot nudging ball by dipping shoulder, then take ball in the opposite direction with the outside of same foot. (Explode)

3 Cap Cap -- Cut ball with inside of foot slightly backward and take ball ahead with the inside of the opposite foot.

4 Stepover -- With ball moving, step over ball so ball is outside of step over foot, turn and take the ball with the other foot.

5 Scissors over ball -- Step behind ball as if preparing to take it with the outside of one foot, then step over the ball and take it with the outside of the other foot.

6 Rivolino -- Same as step over, but take the ball with outside of step over foot.

7 Vee -- Fake passes with instep (across body), pull ball back with sole and take in opposite direction with the inside of the same foot.

8 Cruyff -- Fake kick with inside of foot, but instead pull ball behind the standing leg and change directions.

9 Inside of foot cut -- Cut the ball across body with inside of foot while simultaneously stepping over it and take with outside of opposite foot.

10 3/4 Inside of foot turn -- Cut ball back with inside of foot, continue turning 3/4 of the way around and take the ball with the inside of the same foot

11 3/4 Outside of foot turn -- Cut ball back with outside of foot, continue turning 3/4 of the way around and take the ball with the outside of the same foot

12 Scissors behind ball -- Step behind ball as if preparing to take it with outside of one foot, fake, then take it with the outside of the opposite foot. (Easy to learn)

13 Scissors in front of ball Scissors in front of ball -- Step behind ball as if preparing to take it with outside of one foot, then step around front of ball and take it with outside of the other foot.

14 Double Scissors -- Pushball forward, make alternate scissors steps and take with outside of first foot. (Ineffective close to opponent)

15 Reverse Mathews -- Fake with outside of one foot, step behind and take with outside of opposite foot. (Also called body swerve or Touch'n go)

16 Stopover - Scissors -- Ball rolling. Step over followed by scissors with same foot and take with outside of other foot.

                  17 Front Roll -- While moving forward, pull ball across body with sole and take with outside of opposite foot.

top of page

"Great players can do anything with a soccer ball!"

Agility Ladder Exercises (ABC)
Agility, Balance, Coordination

1.  “Forward One In”…1 foot in each box going forward
2.  “Forward Two In”…2 foot in each
3.  “Half Carioca”…front carioca in each box
4.  “Lateral One In”…sideways, one foot in the ladder as you move sideways
5.  “Lateral Two In”…same but two in each box as you move sideways
6.  "180 Jumps”…looking one-way jump 180 toward the other way - stick your landing
7.  “Forward Slalom JUMP”…R/L alternate in each box
8.  “Forward Snake Jump”
9.  “Forward Shuffle”…in, in, out, out
10.  “Lateral Right In”…. Sideways, right foot always hits square while left foot alternates top and bottom
11.  “Backward 180 Slalom Jumps”
12.  “Backward Slalom Jumps”
13.  “Backward Shuffle Jumps”

All exercises can be done with sidewinders too!

The “HIPS LEAD THE FEET!”

More Speed/Quickness/Agility Drills

Five Dot Training

Five-dot training is simply one type of foot quickness training.  There are literally hundreds of exercises that have been used, but we show here just a couple examples to get you started.

The distance between those two dots at the bottom should be standing width for your player's feet, perhaps just a little wider actually.  The distance to the single center dot is just one hop, as is the distance from the single center dot to the top two dots.

Two Leg Straddle

In this exercise, the player starts with a left foot on the left lower dot, and right foot on the right lower dot.

A hop brings both feet together on the center dot; another hop puts the left foot top left, and the right foot top right.

The player next hops and turns to face the bottom of the dot pattern, and returns to the starting position as shown.  The player completes five repetitions before the next player begins.

The two legged hop and the single legged hop are very demanding, try them yourself. 

The simple pattern shown above goes more to the point of foot quickness than the other exercises shown.  The player navigates to the top of the pattern, and then works back.

You and your players can devise many other patterns to challenging for yourself.  For example, you can imagine a pattern where the player visits each of the outside dots while keeping one foot on the center dot.  You can vary this by requiring that the foot on the center dot alternate with each outside dot visited, which requires a lot of twisting movement in combination with quick foot movement.

More Speed/Quickness/Agility Drills Cont.

Zig Zag to cones:  Put cones/markers 5-8 yards apart.  Shuffle, as fast as you can, to the first cone.  Pivot and shuffle as fast as you can to the next.  This works best when your partner tells you to “go” to the next cone.  

-High Knee Skips:  Go about 30 yards alternating high knees skips with opposite hand in the air.  Concentrate on getting height and exploding quickly after each skip.

 -Walk on toes/heels:  Walk on your toes only for 30 yards.  Do the same with heels.  Progress to your next step going only 1-2 inches. 

  -Arm Form Drills:  Stand with arms going in an alternate fashion like you would if you were running.  Concentrate on going from your “back pocket to your front jaw” with your arms.

 -Form Sprints:  Sprints at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% concentrating on your technique.  Do two of each.  Your upper body should be in an erect, relaxed manner.  Arms should go from your back pocket to your front jaw in alternate fashion.  Concentrate on stride length and think about getting faster. 

 -High Knees:  Go forwards and backwards with high knees.  Be on your toes and go for 30 yards both backwards and forwards. 

 -Cables – or partner holds you:  If you are fortunate enough to have cables use them like we did during the season.  As an alternate have a partner hold your hips and have them sprint against your resistance.  Partner then lets go and then runner accelerates 5-10 yards. 

 -Shoulder Bumps:  On the command “Up” partner jump as high as they can and bump shoulders.  Focus on getting as high as you can and winning head balls.

ALWAYS START and FINISH your stretching routine with INCH WORMS

Inchworms are the best flexibility exercise you can do!  Start standing with legs straight.  Go down with your hands as far as you can, trying to get down as close as possible to the ground.  Bend knees slightly as you start to put your palms flat on the ground (as you are going out in front of your body).  Go out inch-by-inch until you are in a push-up position.  When you get to a push up position, do one push-up and then go back up by taking your feet in “inch-by-inch” until your feet are between your hands and you are back in a standing position.  Repeat this 3-5 times.    

Hold all stretches below approximately 15 seconds

 LOWER BODY
Straight Down – touch ground
Right Leg over Left Straight Down (then switch)
Hamstring Stretch:  pull leg up with other slightly bent
 Hurdler Stretch (both legs)
 Straddle Stretch
Butterfly Stretch
Knee Tuck and Twist  (Sitting down – left leg over right leg and push knee out)
 Calf (Gastronomies Stretch)

 UPPER BODY
Neck Circles (only go ear to ear)
Arm Circles  (slow and both directions)
 Left Arm across Chest (then Right)
 Left Arm Behind Head (then Right)