Players either love or hate juggling… Those who have put in the hours of practice will enjoy these advanced juggling drills. You’ll notice these are not tricks, but instead things that will make your touch better in a game. Taking a touch out of the air in each direction is helpful because you might need that one touch to get away from the defender. The ability to take small or big touches is realistic vs only being good at the small stationary juggles. 7 ways juggling helps soccer players.
Zig zag through cones + juggle backwards
A fun challenge for even a skilled juggler is going through cones using only your feet. Try alternating right and left foot every touch.
Watch how Aidan keeps his focus and uses both feet equally…
Now it’s your turn…
If you mess up, start over. You got this!
Good luck and have fun:)
Juggling with pressure from defender
It’s one thing to juggle stationary using one method… If you have aerial skills, try juggling with someone coming at you.
This is helpful because in a game there are times you have to pop the ball over a defender or take a touch away from them.
Jillian shows great skill and composure to keep the ball in the air for so long. Credit to her for practicing many hours on her own!
Now it’s time for you to take these advanced juggling drills and put them to work.
Get side spin [outside bend]
This helps defenders and attacking players because it helps disguise your shot/pass.
Note: This drill is harder than actually hitting a volley shot or pass with side bend. So once you get it know that performing this type of kick in a game will be easier.
Coaching points:
- Follow through across your other leg letting your toes come up as you connect.
- Connect with the outside of your laces.
- Skim the outside of the ball to create the spin.
Notice the video above with Cole wearing all black… He does very well getting 9 in a row, while after that he gets less. Getting 3+ in a row is considered good.
Remember when you start – just try to get 1.
The more you practice the better you become.
Practice juggling with a partner
It’s one thing to keep the ball up by yourself, but to add a friend changes the element.
You have to kick the ball different and the difficult part is getting used to passing it – not too hard or soft.
3 fun ways:
- One touch only
- Unlimited touches
- Number game: Call out a number 1 – 3 and your partner has to get that many touches. Call the number as the ball is in the air.
How to get ‘juggling stamina’
When first learning to juggle you’ll notice it takes forever and you don’t improve very fast…
Here’s a short video of a U-10 building his juggling stamina… Notice we start with just 1 and 2 touches and build from there.
Remember… This can and probably will take months and years for most players. Use it for a challenge and don’t get frustrated.
Keeping the ball up barefoot
Whether at the beach on vacation or simply at the house, try juggling barefoot.
Kicking the ball without your shoes on will toughen up your feet and give you more of a feel for the ball.
Brazilians are known for this and are arguably the best with the ball… Anything to give you the edge is worth it.
Use a tennis ball
Using a tennis ball is something that will challenge any player!
The smaller the ball the more difficult it is. If the tennis ball is too much of a challenge, try using a size 1 soccer ball.
You can get a size 1 mini ball like this online for only $15.
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