10 Fun Soccer Drills For 10 Year Olds (U11)
Soccer training sessions with U11 kids should be fun-filled with lots of drills and games. As it can be difficult to come up with fresh activity ideas, we have put together this list of our top 10 Fun Soccer Drills For 10-Year-Olds. The drills below are all designed to maximize the fun for the kids and develop the skills and techniques that 10-year-old kids need to grow as players.
10 Fun Soccer Drills For 10 Year Olds
Drill 1: 2v2 Plus 2
The first drill is a fantastic game that can be used as a warm-up to practice passing, dribbling, and combination play. It’s a fast-paced game that 10-year-olds love more every time they play!
Set up
Make a 16×20 yard grid with four small goals. Choose two players to act as ‘neutral players’ and have them stand between each pair of goals. Split the remaining players into two teams and have them line up in 4 equal groups. Have a selection of balls ready to help facilitate quick restarts.
How to Play
The coach plays a ball onto the field, and then two people from each team enter to play a 2v2 game with the assistance of the 2 neutral players. The neutral players can move side to side in between the goals but cannot enter the field of play. The neutral players always play for the team in possession of the ball. As soon as a goal is scored, the four players leave the field, and four new players enter. The first team to 5 goals wins. Switch the neutral players out and repeat!
Coaching Points and Tips
Players should look to play quickly and use the numerical advantage of having two neutral players to the maximum. Encourage players to make positive 3rd person runs after a pass to a neutral player, and be creative in their decision-making and movement off the ball. To increase the speed of the game further, switch four players out every time the ball leaves play.
Drill 2: The Lightning Game
Be warned! Once 10-year-olds play this fun and exciting shooting game, they will want to play it at every practice! There are plenty of variations to work on different types of shooting, but the classic form of The Lightning Game is arguably the most popular shooting game amongst kids on planet earth!
Set-Up
Start with a full-size goal and have one player start as the goalkeeper. The rest of the players should line up approximately 18 yards away from the goal. The coach should stand next to the goal with a supply of balls and act as a server.
How to Play
The coach plays the ball to the first person in line, who must then shoot with their first touch. What happens next depends on the outcome of that shot:
If The Player Scores:
- The player who scored joins the back of the line.
- The goalkeeper is eliminated from the game and stands behind the goal.
- The following person in line becomes the goalkeeper.
- The next person in line after that takes the next shot.
If The Player Misses Or The Shot Is Saved:
- The goalkeeper is still in the game and joins the back of the line.
- The player who shot the ball becomes the next goalkeeper.
- The next person in line takes the next shot to try and eliminate the new goalkeeper.
Once a player gets eliminated, they must stand behind the goal and help collect the balls for the coach. If they manage to catch one of the missed shots before it hits the ground, they can rejoin the game by shouting ‘lightning’ and joining the back of the line. The last player in the game wins.
Coaching Points and Tips
As children learn the game, it’s important to remind them to pay attention so that they know what to do when their turn comes up! A couple of simple instructions you can shout to help them with that are “You’re in goal!” (When a player misses), and “The person behind is in goal!” (When a goal is scored.)
Once your 10-years-old players have got into the groove, you can take a moment in between games to demonstrate good shooting technique and challenge them to replicate it.
Drill 3: Team Lightning
Chances are you’ll get bored of The Lightning Game before your U11 soccer players do! When that happens, Team Lightning is a fantastic variation on the game that works on shooting but also passing and receiving the ball.
Set-Up
Set up a full-size goal and layout cones, as shown in the diagram above. Place ½ the balls on one side of the goal behind Cone A and ½ on the other side.
How to Play
Split the players into two teams and put them in pinnies (red and blue in the diagram above). Each team works on one side of the goal. Within each team, one person starts in Triangle C, one person on Cone B, and the remaining players should start on Cone A with a ball each. The red team also puts a player in goal to start as the first goalkeeper.
The blue team begins the game, passing and following in sequence (A-B-C). When ‘C’ receives the ball, they use their 1st touch to take it out of the triangle and their second touch to shoot. If ‘C’ scores, the blue team wins a point and repeats the sequence. The person who scored joins the back of their line, and the player standing in the red team’s triangle becomes the next GK. Play first to 10 goals, have the teams switch sides, and repeat!
Coaching Points and Tips
This drill is an excellent game for players to work on their passing skills and their 1st touch. Encourage players to look before they receive, open their hips up and use their first touch to set up their pass or shot. Having crisp and accurate passing is also helpful as the quicker a team can get the ball to their striker, the easier it is to score!
Drill 4: It’s a Knockout
This drill is another fun game that 10-year-old boys and girls will be requesting to play over and over again. It’s also an excellent way for children to develop their turning and dribbling skills in an entirely opposed environment!
Set-Up
Set up a 20×20 yard grid with a small goal in each corner. Have a supply of balls ready to help facilitate quick restarts.
How to Play
Divide the players up into four teams. Each team stands in line directly behind one of the goals but outside the grid (one team in each corner). The coach plays a ball into the grid. Next, the 1st person from each team enters to play a 1v1v1v1 game against each other. Each player tries to defend their own goal while scoring on the others.
Once someone’s goal is scored on, that player is eliminated and joins the back of their line. The coach plays a new ball in, and the remaining three players play a 1v1v1 game with the same objective. Repeat until there is one player left. That player wins a point for their team. The following players in line for each team play the same game, and the first to 10 points; wins!
Coaching Points and Tips
Players should be positive and work hard to be first to the ball. Encourage the use of dribbling and turn moves to try and surprise opponents! To speed up the game, make it a rule that if someone kicks the ball out, they are eliminated from that round.
Drill 5: The Bermuda Triangle
This unique small-sided shooting game provides ample shooting opportunities and helps young players improve their decision-making and passing and receiving skills. And it’s fun! 10-year-olds love fun!
Set-Up
Set up an 8x8x8 yard triangle using tall cones. Each side of the triangle is a different goal. Make a grid on the outside of the triangle approximately 40×40 yards in size. You’ll need two sets of pinnies and a ball. Select two players to start as the goalkeepers.
How to Play
Select two players to start as the goalkeepers. Split the remaining players up into two teams. The GK’s must defend all three goals between them. The two teams compete for possession of the ball and try and score in any of the goals. Players are not allowed to run through the triangle, but if a goal is scored and the ball re-enters play through a different side of the triangle, the game continues. The first team to 5 goals wins!
Coaching Points and Tips
Players will naturally gravitate towards the three goals, making the game more challenging. So be sure to encourage them to spread out and keep their options open. If they can’t score on one side of the triangle, they can switch the play to another side for an easier shot on goal!
Drill 6: Multiball Shooting
Multiball shooting is another unique small-sided game with many elements that can help 10-year-old players develop good vision, awareness, and decision-making skills. It’s fun, competitive, and best of all, there are lots of goals!
Set-Up
Set up a 35×25 yard grid with two goals (one on either side). You’ll need at least 12 balls. Place them around the field, as shown in the diagram.
How to Play
Split the players up into two equal teams. Kick a ball into the grid to start the game. The rules of the game are the same as a regular game. The only difference is that if a team scores a goal or kicks the ball out, the other team can choose any of the balls around the grid to restart the game.
Only one ball is allowed on the field at any time. If a team brings two balls onto the pitch, the other team gets a free kick. Play until all balls have been used, and the team with the most goals is the winner.
Coaching Points and Tips
Players should evaluate which ball they are bringing onto the field next and why they are doing so (can they work the rules to their advantage?). Encourage both teams to transition quickly on both offense and defense. You can also use this activity to develop players’ skills when turning with the ball and put a condition on the game that they must use a designated turn move to bring a ball into play.
Drill 7: The Four Goal Game
This classic 4v4 drill is a simple game for working on passing, receiving, dribbling, defending, and so much more. It’s an excellent game for U11 soccer players and other age groups, too.
Set-Up
Make a 25×35 yard grid with four small goals. Split the players up into two teams of 4. You’ll need one ball.
How to Play
Teams compete for possession of the ball. Play is directional, with each team attacking one set of goals and defending another. There are no goalkeepers, but all other soccer rules apply. Play for a predetermined amount of time, and whoever scores the most goals wins!
Coaching Points and Tips
Encourage the attacking team to have a good team shape on the ball. One defender, two midfielders, and an attacker can create a diamond shape, providing depth and width in an attack. In addition to this, encourage players to:
- Keep their heads up and look for the open goal to attack.
- Keep good passing and communication throughout.
- Create positive angles of support to be clear, visible, and in open space.
- Get goal side when they lose the ball and make it difficult for their opponents to get behind them and score in the closest goal.
Drill 8: Goals from Chaos
10-year-old kids love chaos! And they love dribbling! And they love goals! Luckily, this game has it all! Goals From Chaos is a great 1v1 drill that works on vision and awareness skills!
Set Up
Set up a 25×25 yard area with two small goals on each side of the square (8 goals total). Place a small cone between each pair of goals for 1/4 of the players to line up behind. Prepare as many soccer balls as possible.
How to Play
Split the players up into four groups and line them up, as shown in the diagram. Each player in lines A and C should have a ball. The first player in line A passes the ball to the first player in line B. They play a 1v1 game and try to score in the two goals they are facing by dribbling through and maintaining possession (i.e., you can’t just kick it through the goals).
The first players in lines C and D do the same thing simultaneously. Essentially two games are going on in different directions at the same time. As soon as a game finishes (i.e., a goal is scored or the ball goes out of play), the next kids in line begin the next 1v1 game. Whichever player scores the most goals by the end of the designated time wins!
Coaching Points and Tips
Players need to play with their heads up and be aware of what is going on around them at all times. You can also encourage players to use their favorite tricks to beat their opponents and give them extra points for doing so!
Drill 9: 1v1 Gatekeeper Game
This fast and energetic 1v1 game will wear your U11 players out in no time. A great game to start practice, especially when you have a high-energy group!
Set-Up
Set up a 20×20 yard grid with 4-5 small gates placed randomly within the area. Split the players up into pairs give one ball to every group of 2.
How to Play
Split the players up into pairs, numbering them 1 and 2. (1) will start as the attacker and have a ball at their feet, (2) will start as the defender (or gatekeeper). All pairs work within the grid at the same time. Upon the coach’s call, all the attackers try to dribble through as many of the gates as possible whilst maintaining possession of the ball.
Players cannot dribble through the same gate twice in a row, and they get a point for each gate they successfully dribble through. The gatekeepers try and stop their partners from scoring points by blocking whichever gate they can. If the gatekeepers win the ball, they give it straight back to their partner, and the game continues.
After 90 seconds, the players switch roles. Whoever gets the most points wins! Have players switch partners and repeat!
Coaching Points and Tips
You can progress this drill into a small-sided game by splitting the players up into two teams and having them compete for possession of 1 ball. Both teams are allowed to score points by passing to a teammate through one of the gates.
Drill 10: Team Knockout
Our final fun soccer drill for 10 year olds is a competitive and fun warm-up game that encompasses plenty of touches on the ball while encouraging passing and receiving skills and dribbling and shielding. It is a fun and popular activity that you can use to get the players warmed up and ready to play at the start of almost any session.
Set-Up
Set up a 25 x35 yard grid and split the players into two teams.
How to Play
One team starts inside the grid with a ball each, and the other team stands outside the grid without any balls. Upon the coach’s call, the defending team sends in one player to try and kick each of the offensive players’ balls out of the grid. Every 20 seconds, the defending team sends an additional player in until all the defensive players are inside the grid.
Once an offensive player loses their ball, they can support another teammate who still has a ball. The offensive team can shield, dribble and pass to try and keep as many balls in the grid for as long as possible. Once all the balls have been kicked out of the grid, the teams switch roles. Time how long it takes each team to kick all their opponents’ balls out of the grid, declaring the team with the best time as the winners!
Coaching Points and Tips
This game usually goes by quickly, so encourage the kids to transition into a support player as soon as they have lost possession of their ball. Play multiple times and challenge teams to win the game and get the best time of the day!
More Games And Drills
Thanks for reading! I hope your 10-year-old players have lots of fun playing these games. If you coach other age groups, you may find these related posts useful:
5 Fun Soccer Drills For 5-Year-Olds
7 Fun Soccer Drills For 7-Year-Olds
8 Fun Soccer Drills For 8-Year-Olds