Coaching Corner: Indoor Technique Training: The Basics (Bonus Section)
By Klaus Pabst, German Staff Coach
(Courtesy of Success in Soccer)
This is the bonus section dealing with dribbling and faking as well as passing and shooting, which wraps up our section on "Indoor Technique Training: The Basics." Part 1 summarized major concepts and attributes for each of the basic soccer techniques, while Part 2 presented sample exercises designed especially for indoor training, for each basic technique that focused on coordination, ball control and heading. These sample exercises are intended primarily as suggestions: As a coach, you have to evaluate your players' abilities and decide which exercises are appropriate for them. Of course, by making small changes to the rules, adding extra rules or changing the setup, you can make any exercise harder or easier. We've also included some tips to help you organize these exercises and use them in your own training program.
Indoor training can be an excellent opportunity for players, especially the very young, to work on coordination and effectively improve their technical skills. Indoor training equipment can open up a whole new world of possibilities for the inventive youth coach!
1. Station Dribbling I
• Set up "cone stations" (four cones in a zigzag pattern) eight yards apart.
• This creates four dribbling paths from station to station, with a different technique exercise assigned for each path.
• At each station stands a group of players with a ball.
Sequence
At the coach's signal, the first player in each group dribbles to the next
station:
• Path 1: Dribble through a cone triangle (two yards on each side).
• Path 2: Dribble through a straight slalom course.
• Path 3: Dribble through a staggered slalom course.
• Path 4: Dribble at top speed along an arc back to the first station.
Variation
• Instead players have to perform a fake (step-over, shooting fake, turning
fake) or combination of fakes somewhere along each path.
2. Station Dribbling II
• Setup is the same as Exercise 1, but the exercises are different for each path.
Sequence
At the coach's signal, the first player in each group dribbles
to the next station:
• Path 1: Dribble safely through a "cone jungle."
• Path 2: Dribble completely around each of two cones.
• Path 3: Dribble through three small goals by kicking the ball ahead
through them.
• Path 4: Dribble back to the first station at top speed.
Training Tips
• To prevent traffic jams at individual stations, the coach
gives the signal for players to start dribbling every time.
• For an optimal workout, place two or three players at each station.
1. Passing Game I
• Using four cones, mark out a 4 x 6-yard field.
• Players form two groups of equal size. Each group stands at a cone. The first player in each group has a ball.
Sequence
• The first two players dribble straight ahead to the far cones
and around them.
• Then they pass straight back to the next two players and run after their
passes.
• To avoid losing the ball while dribbling or passing, players need to pay
attention to the space around them.
• After passing, players run back to the group on the outside of the square
so that they don't disturb other players in the square.
2. Passing Game II
• Setup is the same as Exercise 1.
Sequence 
• The first two players dribble straight ahead to the far cones and around
them.
• Then they pass diagonally back to the next two players and run straight
back to their own groups.
Variation
• Set up long benches at the two far cones. Before passing back, each player
has to play a wall pass off the bench.
3. Passing Game III
• Setup is the same as Exercise 1.
Sequence
• The first two players dribble diagonally to the far cones and
around them.
• Then they pass straight back to the next two players and run after their
passes.
• With more advanced players, the first two players at each starting cone
can each have a ball. The second two start right after the first two, so
that four balls are in motion at the same time. This shortens players' wait
times.
4. Passing Game IV
• Setup is the same as Exercise 1.
Sequence
• The first two players dribble diagonally to the far cones and around them.
• Then they pass diagonally back to the next two players and run straight
back to their own groups.
Variation
• Set up long benches at the two far cones. Before passing back, each player
has to play a wall pass off the bench.
Web Administrator Ken Gamble