Soccer drill tips for new player try outs
Whether you are putting together a new soccer team, getting in players to strengthen it during the season, or the next-door neighbour is badgering you to let his child join the team, you need to be able to assess playing ability. Use these soccer coaching tips to guide you.
Here’s the ball - show me what you can do
When you give trials to players who want to join your team, find out if they have a (soccer) football brain by using a series of simple test soccer drills.
Set up a soccer drill: Use two defenders and a goalie for this drill. Three midfield/attackers. Defenders on the goal line, attackers on the halfway line.
Run the soccer drill: On your whistle, both sets of players move off. The defenders' aim is to win the ball and stop a shot; the attackers' aim is to create a goal. Give the ball to the player you are trialing, let him use his brain to take the 3v2 situation to a conclusion. If he is any good he will create a goal-scoring chance.
Change the drill
After each run-through, take away one of the attackers in the soccer drill, so you now have 2v2, then let your prospective new player run at the defenders on his own. Watch how he deals with the situation of having more players, then less players than the defenders he is facing.
Stack the odds against the trialist
On the final run, when he is faced with two defenders, what should he do? I would shoot from a distance over the advancing defenders and try to catch the goalkeeper off guard. But maybe there is a better way.
Give your trialist a second chance
During this trial soccer drill, where a player has not made the best decision about the pass he has chosen, you can stop the game. The ball goes back to the player who made the pass. Now at this point you, the soccer coach, ask the question “What was the better pass?” Give your trialist a chance to shine.
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