If your child is on a soccer team, their skills will improve depending on how often they practice. Besides helping them attend group practices with their team, you can also encourage them to build basic skills at home. Here are a few of the most important skills you can help your child learn during soccer training.

Which Soccer Skills Should My Child Be Practicing at Home?

1. Passing

Passing a soccer ball takes more power and precise aim, so encourage your child to turn their hip out and use the inner side of their foot to kick it. Start by practicing stationary passes at different distances so your child can work on aim and power. 

Have your child pass the ball to you, then pass it back to them so they can learn to receive a pass as well. Once your child’s accuracy improves, try having them dribble the ball a few steps and then pass it.

2. Dribbling

This skill will allow your child to keep control of the ball and move quickly with it. To dribble, have your child kick with the top of their foot, where the laces are, instead of kicking with the toe or the side of the foot. Rather than kicking the ball hard so it shoots forward, try to move it just enough so there’s room to take one more step. 

This way, your child is kicking the ball with every step they take, giving them tight control and allowing them to change directions easily. Have your child dribble up and down the lawn at a slower speed to practice the technique, then more quickly as they improve.

3. Goals & Penalty Shots

Set up a net or a backboard that will give your child something to aim for and prevent them from hitting your home. Then, have them practice both goal kicks with a stationary ball.

Encourage them to kick with their laces again to get more power. First, focus on getting the ball into the goal; then try for specific parts of the goal, like the center, the edge, or the top corner. This type of soccer training will help them get around the goalie during a game.

To speak to an experienced coach about your child’s soccer training, sign them up with Beachside Soccer Club in Norwalk, CT. Serving children 5 and up in Fairfield County for almost 30 years, they teach all ages and skill levels, and provides development and tryout opportunities for the U.S. Soccer Academy Program. To sign up, call (203) 852-6969 or reach out online.