Wild West Shootout | Shooting Drill

This fun soccer shooting drill is a fun activity to practice shooting from a distance. Players will work in groups of three and will practice shooting with their laces and with their instep.

Soccer Shooting Drill – Wild West Shootout

Set Up The Drill

Set up a 10×20 yard grid using small cones. In the center of the grid create an 8-yard goal using tall cones or flags. Repeat the setup so you have enough grids to accommodate all players. There should be 3 players per grid. Have a supply of balls ready to give to the players.

Instructions

Split the players up into groups of 3 with one group working in each grid. Position two of the three players at opposite ends of the grid and give one of them a ball. The third player starts as the goalkeeper in the central goal.

The players on the outside of the grid take it in turns trying to score on the central goal. They are not allowed to dribble towards the goal. All shots must be from distance and they must remain on the outside of the grid at all times. If the goalkeeper saves the shot they must roll the ball to the person who is next scheduled to shoot. Play for a designated time before switching out the goalkeeper. Whoever scores the most goals, wins!

Progression

Create a ladder system in which the person who scores the most goals in a grid moves up a grid and the person who scores the least moves down. Players should work their way up to the highest field possible (the championship field). Whoever wins the last game on the championship field wins!

Coaching Points

Between each game, talk the players through the following ABCs of shooting with your laces or instep:

• Approach: Players should approach the ball at an angle (use a setup touch with the outside of your shooting foot to help).
• Balance: The players balance should be over the ball with their standing foot next to the ball so they can push their full body weight through the ball as they strike.
• Contact (laces): The player toes should be pointing towards the ground as they use their laces to strike the ball, following through towards the target area. OR, Contact (instep): The player should open their hip up pointing their toes sideways and use the inside of their foot to ‘pass’ the ball into the goal.

Coaching Tip:

When playing the ladder game make each of the grids progressively bigger with the championship grid being the largest. This will add extra competition and push the stronger players in the group whilst helping the others find success on the lower fields also.