Passing drills

Effective passing is the key to winning in soccer. The best passing teams dictate the play, conserve energy, make the best of their resources and score more goals. Passing is about technique, judgment and vision. These drills give you some great advice on how to coach these attributes to your players. Long passing, short passing, side foot passing and crossing are all dealt with. We also give you some great passing games and really sharpen your players’ passing skills.

Shuttle passing soccer drill - This is a passing, receiving and conditioning soccer drill for groups of three or four players. Shuttle passing can also be used to practise heading and a variety of other ball skills.

Distance passing soccer drill - This soccer drill works on distance passing skills. You only need six players to complete one of the soccer drills, though it can easily be expanded to accommodate more players. With lots more players you could have a number of drill grids working at the same time.

Coaching tips for players short passing skills - One of the great advantages of the 4v4 training programme is that your players get used to passing the ball and it becomes second nature to them. It creates goals, gets them out of trouble and is great to watch. But to do this you still have to make sure they know what a short pass is and when to use it.

Soccer coaching drill to get players passing back - Sometimes you need to get your players to pass back so they can advance forward. These soccer coaching tips and drills look at how to pass into a target man.

Soccer coaching tips to get players passing out from the back - Good teams can pass the ball out from the back in a structured controlled manner. Use these soccer coaching tips and drills to get your players working on these skills.

Simple tricks to beat opponents - Beating an opponent is a basic football (soccer) skill to teach your players. Use the following soccer coaching drills and tips to show them how.

How to coach perfect passing technique - There has been a bit of a debate going on between some of our readers and on our forum, The Dug-Out, over how to coach the simple pass. So these are our soccer coaching tips.

Soccer drills and tips to build better soccer vision - Coaches should encourage players to play their first touch away their body and into a position that will give them time to weigh up the options for their next pass. These soccer coaching tips and drills are all about vision.

Soccer drill to coach movement off the ball - I am always looking for good ways to coach movement off the ball. The best way I've found is to set up a soccer drill which needs good fitness and penetrating passes.

Five ways to devastate a defence - Two-man attacking moves can be used to devastating effect to prise open tight defences, writes Tony Rock, a Fulham FC Football in the Community coach.

Soccer drill to make the most of a goalies pass - Successful distribution from the goalkeeper is a hallmark of a good side. Use this soccer drill to get players building from the back rather than launching the ball up field, hoping for the best.

Passing and receiving soccer drill - A soccer drill working on constant passing, which uses match-like situations and a bit of competition to give it an edge, is an effective way to coach your players to be ready for soccer matches.

Switch play soccer drill - Get your team to keep the game flowing and split defences by swinging the ball from one side to the other, creating space and outnumbering the defence. Try a 'Switch play' soccer drill to put this into practice.

Circle soccer drill for passing under pressure - Use this soccer drill to prepare your players for match situations where the attackers are advancing and they need to make a good pass under pressure.

Coach your players to pass around an opponent - There is a direct relationship between a team's overall success and the total number of passes and its passing success rate. Using small groups of three, show your players how to work on passing skills and use them to get past their opponent, as well as passing to a team mate.

Soccer drill to coach Dutch style counter attacking - There is such an emphasis on teams playing a short passing game that many young players cannot play an accurate long ball. But the best players can hit 40, 50 or 60 yard passes and these soccer skills are very useful. Use this soccer drill to get your players working on their long-passing skills.

Back street soccer drill - Playing back-street soccer means you try your hardest or your friends will soon get on at you. That means constantly thinking of new tricks and skills to show off. Use my back-street soccer drill and coaching tips to get your players playing streetwise soccer in no time.

Triangle tips and skills for small sided games - Shapes are important in soccer and the strongest shape is the triangle, with a player at each corner. The following soccer coaching tips will help you make triangles work for your team.

When a team mate is under pressure give him support - It is vital to encourage your young players who don't have the ball to get into positions to support the player who does. The following tips and soccer drill will boost their awareness.

Game to get players passing the ball under pressure - I like running this fast game to get players used to looking to pass the ball, either first time or controlling then passing under pressure from an opponent. It's a bit like a boxing ring where the passing player has to be quick and get their pass away before the opponent wins the ball off them.

Soccer training drill for long kicking - Getting young players to cross a ball with height and distance can be difficult. Try a soccer training drill to help them perform the technique effectively, says Tony Carr, Academy Director, West Ham United, English Premier League.

Soccer coaching tips to improve volley skills - One of the most effective skills for your players to work on in soccer training is the perfect volley, that is striking a ball which is still in the air.

Soccer coaching drill for a side foot pass - By using a soccer drill to introduce the technique for passing the ball, you are coaching your players to be able to use their bodies to get the ball moving and build attacking moves from the back.

Team drill for passing skills - Having coached your player with the side-foot pass drill, put their skills into action with a team soccer drill called 'the passing square.'

Soccer drill to brush up receiving skills - One of the key elements of playing a passing game is that your players are comfortable receiving the ball. Never mind instant control or ball position, coaching basic receiving skills is essential.

Soccer coaching tips for goalie back passing - Passing back to the goalkeeper when players are stuck with nowhere to go is a good option as long as they don't aim between the posts. Drill your players to make this move safely.

Soccer drills for a volley pass and shot - You can kick volleys in different ways, but for the volley pass and shot skills, you need to get your players practising soccer drills where they're in line with the ball, then striking it through the vertical mid-line on the bottom half of the ball but not underneath it.

Soccer drill for 4v2 attacks - Good passing and movement will generate instances of 4 v 2 overload. Take these chances when they arise and you’ll win the game. This soccer training drill shows your players how to maximize the opportunity, improve their skills and have fun, too.

Long passing soccer drill - It’s important to be able to pass the ball over long distances because it’s often the quickest way to exploit the space behind a defence, or the fastest method of switching the point of attack. Use this drill to build your players' long passing skills.

Soccer finishing drill to boost decision making skills - ABC finishing promotes independent thought and improves your players' decision making skills. Introduce the following ABC soccer drill to your team and reap the benefits in your next match.

Soccer coaching drill for penetrating passing - When you first coach your players to pass the ball, you will be focusing on technique and weight of pass. But when players can pass well, you need to show them how to turn the technique into a skill and use accurate passing to penetrate the opposition. The following soccer drill is a good way to illustrate the moves.

Soccer drill to get players making blindside runs - Making passes through a line of defenders is one thing, making sure players support the pass so they can take full advantage of it, is another, which is where running off the ball comes into play. Use this soccer drill to help players practise the skills to pass, then move.

Soccer drill to get players using full width of the pitch - Young players will logically think if you get the ball down the middle it's the shortest way to goal because it is right there in front of them. The only trouble is that often every player is in that area of the pitch so the route to goal is barred. Instead, coach your kids to pass the ball out to the wings to make use of the whole pitch.

Soccer drill to get players passing and moving - I hate it when I see long lines of players in pairs passing to each other across the pitch. Players tend to get bored with these type of soccer drills and the situation isn't like it would be during a match. Use this passing soccer drill for a more realistic work-out.

Soccer coaching session to get players passing and communicating - Learning to communicate with your team mates, so each player knows what the other is doing, is an invaluable soccer skill. A lot of mistakes in youth soccer occur because of poor communication when passing the ball. The following soccer coaching session will help your team develop.

Soccer coaching tips for one touch lay offs - Sometimes it is a good idea to lay the ball off to a team-mate when a player is either being closed down quickly or tightly marked, to create space for a pass or shot. Help your players work on these skills with the following soccer drill.

Soccer coaching drill to get accurate long passes - With so much emphasis on playing a short passing game, some youth players cannot hit an accurate long ball, because they never practise the skills. But it's a tactic all players should be aware of. The following soccer drills will help young players work on these skills.

Soccer drill to encourage support play as it moves up the pitch - When you create space on the pitch with movement and clever tactics, you need your players to support the play as it moves up the pitch. This soccer drill is designed to get players moving up the pitch in support of their team-mates.

Overlapping runs soccer drill - For overlapping runs your attackers need to be fit - this soccer drill is all about passing, then accelerating past the player you have passed to.

Defending and attacking on through passes - Through passes are a very important part of the game, both for attackers and defenders. Both types of player must react quickly to either capitalise on the danger or clear the danger. Use the following soccer coaching tips and drills to focus your players' minds on these skills.

Ball manipulation drill to encourage passing with either foot - Having the confidence to use either the left or right foot is not just a helpful skills for attackers to have. All over the pitch, if players can pass with their weaker foot it will help your team keep the ball. Simple short passing with the weak foot is also often a route out of trouble when defenders or midfielders are under pressure and cannot get the ball away. Use this simple warm-up drill to get players using both feet.

Wall pass soccer drill - One of the simplest and most effective passing movements is the wall pass. You give the pass, run past the player, then receive it. Get your players trying this skill all over the pitch and they will not only enjoy the drill but realise how successful simple passing can be.

Soccer training drill to get players passing through midfield - If the opposition are not using the wings, you will find your team in a midfield battle. To get the ball to your players on the wings you are going to have to win the midfield battles and get possession of the ball, then keep hold of it to allow your team to pass through midfield to the wide players. Use this drill session to coach your players in practising these skills.

Soccer drill to get players passing and moving in tight areas - When you are playing a passing game, it is crucial for any player to be able to pass and move quickly in tight areas, for instance, when they are tight up against the touchline or in a crowded midfield. Use the following soccer training drills to work on these skills with your players.

Coaching a reverse pass drill - Give your young players different ways to move the ball so they can keep possession for their team. This soccer training drill looks at the right-angled or reverse pass, which helps players pass in a direction that is least expected by the opposition.

Wall pass and shooting test soccer drill - Warm up your players with the help of a wall pass and shooting test soccer drill.

Passing square soccer drill - Simple, accurate passing is beautiful to behold but it can get frustrating when young players cannot pass a ball with purpose. One of the best ways to get groups of youngsters to pass with accuracy is to set up a soccer drill using a passing square, so the players have targets to pass to and places to run to.

Soccer drill to get players using side foot passing - Coach your players how to kick using the side of their foot. Side-foot passing is for accurate, short, quick passing all the way from one box to the other. Repeat this soccer drill frequently and you'll find side-foot passing skills start to come naturally to your players.

Bar soccer training drill - Young soccer players will enjoy solving problems, so use the following bar soccer drill to vary your training drill sessions and get them using their soccer brains to work out how to get past the bars of players in their way.

Soccer drill for unopposed passing - This soccer (football) drill is a good one to get youngsters practising fluent passing and shooting without defenders getting in the way. It includes passing and movement off the ball as the play moves from one side of the pitch to the other for the wide player to cross.

4v2 soccer drill for judging short or long passing - Using this 4v2 soccer training drill, you can coach your players so they get used to moving to the ball for short or longer passes. The receivers need to move into space so the player on the ball has opportunities to pass.

Scoring box soccer drill - Finding a pass to unlock your opposition's defence is particularly useful in crowded central areas. The scoring box soccer drill gives you the opportunity to practise quick passing skills in order to create a 1v1 opportunity against the goalkeeper.

Passing game to get your players thinking quickly - If snow-covered soccer pitches are holding up training, try some simple passing exercises to keep your team busy. The ball will move around quite easily and with this soccer drill you can keep your players' minds on passing rather than throwing snowballs at each other.

Small sided soccer game for passing under pressure - When your players are under pressure to make a choice of where to pass the ball, avoid shouting at them if they make the wrong choice. A more constructive approach is to teach your players in soccer (football) training about passing and the consequences of their passing decisions.
This is a great coaching session to use with young teams - there are three games in one here.

Soccer drill to get players moving into a pass - One of the ways to make passing more successful - especially between attackers and midfielders - is to get your players moving into the pass so the passer can see the player and easily pass the ball to him. Use this soccer drill to coach these skills.

Small sided game to keep defenders on their toes - When your team is playing out from the back, one of the elements that is important is the pass from the goalkeeper out to a defender in space. A pass that puts the defenders under pressure will usually end up in disaster. This small-sided game is designed to keep defenders on their toes but gives them a target to aim at.

Soccer drill for the long pass - In a soccer match the ball is moving when the players receive it, so when they're working on soccer drills for long kicking passes make sure the ball is moving to make coaching sessions more match-like and training more effective.

Soccer drill for a lay off pass - When performed with the right weight and timing, a lay-off pass speeds up attacking play and creates opportunities your team can exploit. Use the following soccer drill to coach players to use these skills.

Quick change soccer drill - 7-a-side youth soccer teams are the breeding ground for box-to-box players. Because the pitches are much smaller than full-size ones, it is easier to coach players how to pass and how to break down an attack and turn it to their advantage. Use this soccer coaching game with players in coned-off boxes to help change defence into attack through quick, box-to-box play.

Soccer passing drill with eye patches - As any youth soccer coach knows, young players often lose the ball because of poor judgement about when to pass. Part of this process relates to the ability of the player in possession to quickly sight the target while under pressure.
Use this soccer coaching session with eye-patches to help your players work on this skill.

Soccer coaching tips for visual skills - Young soccer players often have problems keeping possession of the ball because they lack the skills to decide when to pass. Use the following soccer coaching tips to help your players work on these skills.

Soccer coaching tips for support play - When soccer (football) players pass the ball it is vital to the team's success that they don't just pass the ball then think their job is over. Support play will help your team keep possession of the ball and create goal-scoring chances.

Jailbreak soccer drill to work on shielding skills - Use this fun jailbreak soccer drill to develop your players' skills and techniques for holding the ball and to improve their quick passing skills. You're also getting them to practise the art of closing down to win the ball.

Backheel soccer drill - A clever backheel move makes a fool of defenders and makes the player using the ball control skill look good. Use this soccer drill and coaching tips to teach your players how to do it.

Soccer drill for backheel variation - Use this soccer drill to coach a variation on the backheel ball control drill by reversing it.

Soccer drill to get players creating a space before receiving a pass - Coach your players to create space before receiving a pass. By using these soccer skills, your players will avoid immediate pressure, giving themselves time to make good decisions with the ball and a chance to execute them.

Pass and move soccer drill challenge - When you're coaching your soccer (football) players to pass and move in quick formations try putting their skills to the test with a pass and move to the ball soccer drill. Time them against the clock and each other to make the soccer drill more challenging.

Soccer drill for floating player - If you have a particular player who excels when it comes to "reading" a game, for example, they have the vision to see where to pass the ball or where to run with it, you could try giving them a key role to nurture their skills for the future. Use the floating player soccer drill to help.

Overlapping in attack soccer drill - When you see good passing movements it's always disappointing when they come to nothing because the player with the ball has run out of team-mates to pass to. Use this soccer (football) drill to coach overlapping in attack.

How to coach soccer passing skills - Movement and co-ordination are vital if you want your junior teams to progress on the pitch. Use this simple game to coach a good soccer pass.

Coach players to make the right soccer pass - Midfielders can make life much easier for their strikers if they communicate with each other so the striker gets the right pass. Use this soccer passing drill to coach these skills.

Football passing and receiving drill with fitness element - Use this basic soccer drill to coach passing and receiving skills while also working on your players' fitness and agility.

Football passing drill with swivel move to change direction - Coach your players to make time and space with a simple swivel skill that lets them change direction quickly. Use this football passing drill to help.

Football drill to coach a volley pass - The volley pass is where a player controls the ball and passes, all in one fluid movement, using the top of his laces. Your players should be able to hit the pass on the volley with the correct power in any direction necessary. Use these football passing drills to help.

Positive forward passing drill - When players make a forward pass into an attacker, they must be prepared to support and ensure players in advanced positions do not get isolated. This football passing drill is all about making the most of possession and movement to support the pass.

Coach chip kick passing skills - When you are coaching soccer passing skills show your players how to do the chip kick.

Basic running and passing game - This is a basic football (soccer) coaching exercise for running and passing skills. It's a game where the team that can run individually with the ball scores the points. Play it as a normal 7-a-side game without goals.

Soccer coaching drill for receiving passes under pressure - This soccer (football) coaching session helps players create space when they're being tightly marked, and remain relaxed when receiving the ball in these situations. Players need to be put under pressure so that when it happens in a match they will know how to react.

Soccer coaching drill to develop visual awareness - This soccer coaching drill session is aimed at developing a player's visual awareness by making them look up and know what their team-mates are doing around them. In the session, players have to carry out a specific action in response to a visual cue, which forces them to look before they pass or receive a pass.

Soccer drill for swerve shots - Swerving the ball using the inside of the foot is easier than with the outside. But learning this rarely used skill with the outside of the foot will give players the option of using the same foot to bend shots either side of their opponents.

Soccer coaching session for support play skills - Use these soccer (football) drills to coach players so they are comfortable running off the ball. This soccer coaching session will help them think about where they are in relation to their team-mates and how they can best find a position to receive a pass and offer support.

Quick passing soccer coaching game for young players - The aim of this soccer coaching game is to encourage short passing, so play is quick as teams keep the ball away from the defender. The defender must move quickly and try to win the ball by closing down and intercepting passes.

Soccer coaching session for combination play - In this soccer coaching session, players have a decision to make. They must choose whether to shoot, or cross if sent wide. The build up is unopposed and involves combinations of play between four players. The aim is to coach youngsters to pass the ball and use combinations to create goal-scoring opportunities.

Soccer drill session to get players moving to the ball to receive - Coaching your young soccer (football) players to move to the ball, prior to receiving, it makes it harder for the ball to be intercepted and creates space, allowing the player more time to control and pass.

Develop passing skills with soccer pyramid drill - Players need to practise their soccer passing skills so they begin to gain a "feel" for the weight on the ball - and the more they do it, the better they will get. But they need a good soccer (football) drill to help.

Soccer drill to get players practising passing on the run - One of the reasons why training sessions are so important is they enable your players to advance their technique step-by-step. Helping your players develop from using static soccer passing skills to being able to pass on the run involves getting them to focus on control, accuracy and the correct weight of pass.

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