Dribbling - 5 Basic Steps

Dribbling Basics

Dribbling is the foundation of all soccer skills.  The other skills (passing, receiving, shooting, and heading) are important but good dribbling  gives you the confidence to do everything else well.  Without good dribbling skills, soccer becomes an endless game of kickball.

 

Here are 5 components of good dribbling: 

 

1.      Control

2.      Shielding

3.      Change of Direction

4.      Change of Speed

5.      Rhythm 

 

I’m sure there are others, but these 5 do it for me.  

 

CONTROL

 

Let’s face it, dribbling is all about ball control.  It’s your ability to keep the ball at your feet and not let it get away from you.  In order to do this, you need to be able to use every part of your foot (outside, inside, soul, heel, and instep).  You also need to use both feet ---- the good foot and the not so good foot.  One footed soccer players are about as effective as one handed basketball players.  Finally, when you really get good, you will be able to do all of this while looking up instead of down at the ball (like the girl on the left).

 

 

The best way to master ball control (like anything else) is to practice a lot.  However, there is one simple aid that can accelerate your learning curve if you have patience.  The smaller the ball, the harder it is to dribble it.  Therefore, practice dribbling with a size #1 ball or even a tennis ball ---- a golf ball would be overdoing it. It’s the same concept that baseball players use when swinging a lead bat just before they step up to the plate. 

Once you've mastered your "ground stokes", start practicing your ball control skills in the air via juggling.  Ball juggling is an great way to improve your 1st touch capabilities with all body parts - no hands, please.  Add a little music and you'll become a real "soccer Hamm".

SHIELDING 

You don’t have to be a fancy dribbler to keep the ball.  Just block your opponent from the ball (shown in this video clip on the left).  This is legal if you have the ball; it’s called obstruction if you don’t. In order to do this effectively you need to keep a body part between the ball and your opponent.  

 

One great way is to dribble the ball with the outside of your feet (shown in the video clip below). 

Using the outside of your feet may seem awkward because most of us walk like ducks --- toes pointed outward.  And, if you walk like a duck you will dribble like a duck.  Duck dribbling is bad for a couple of reasons.  First, it’s a slower more deliberate way of moving the ball down field.  Second, the ball is more exposed to being stolen by your opponent. 

 

It would be a lot better if we all walked like pigeons --- toes pointed inwards.  And, if you walk like a pigeon, you might dribble like a pigeon too. Try practicing this pigeon walk at home.  It'll seem totally weird at first, but keep trying.  Once your pigeon walk becomes comfortable, put a ball at your feet and keep on truck'in.  Don't forget to use both feet - not just your good foot. Once you get both feet working in rhythm, you'll look like a pro.    

 

CHANGE OF DIRECTION AND SPEED

 

How do you beat an opponent off the dribble?  Once you have the ball under control and shielded, then what?  Probably if you were Ronaldinho (great Brazilian attacker shown here), you would dribble directly at your opponent and do some incredible move to leave him/her in the dust.  Well, let’s put that method on the back burner for awhile.

The easiest way to beat an opponent is to run away from him/her --- not at them.  Football players do this all the time to avoid being tackled.  Therefore, make life easy on yourself - dribble toward open space.  If necessary, you might have to create this space by doing 2 things --- change direction and change speed --- they go together like salt and pepper. Changing direction and speed causes your opponent to become hesitant and unbalanced giving you the edge.  And once you have that edge, fire your jets and get behind (not just past) your opponent.   

 

Dribbling moves like soul in and out, pullbacks, hooks, step overs, scissors, etc. are all about changing direction.  Practice at home by setting up an obstacle course (anything from socks to chairs) and do your moves accelerating out of each turn --- just like a NASCAR driver.  Please avoid the crash and burn.  Next, try our unique MYSL obstacle course at the MPR.  It's challenging, fun, and guarenteed to greatly improve you dribbling prowess.

 

RHYTHM

 

  The next time you’re riding a chairlift at Stratton, Okemo, or Killington, watch the skiers/snowboarders coming down the slope.  The good ones have rhythm; the not so good ones battle the slope.  Michael Jordan (basketball), Rory Mcilroy (golf), Derek Jeter (baseball), and Leo Messi  (Argentine soccer star shown here playing for Barcelona FC) are poetry in motion.   I have always enjoyed watching an ESPN clip of these great athletes while a contemporary song is played in the background.  They dribble, shoot, swing, and catch without missing a beat.   

A good way to develop rhythm is to play music while practicing your soccer moves.  “Soccer Aerobics” is fun and improves your coordination and rhythm.  So, start blasting Rihanna, Taylor Swift, or Frank Sinatra (ikes!) as you do the soul, the  step over, the pullback, the scissors, and the pigeon.  As you listen to the music, feel the ball rather than kick it.  Look at the ball as little as possible.  I guarantee, once you get a rhythm to your game, your soccer ability will explode.

 

By the way, in 1999 I started teaching soccer aerobics (MYSL and Mountain Soccer) as a fun way for kids to learn basic soccer moves and develop a sense of rythm with the ball.  Recently I've found that this crazy concept has become a touted coaching practice worldwide.  Click the link below and see.

That's it --- the 5 basic components of good dribbling.  Master each one and you will be waltzing around the soccer field like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (shown right).  Click here and watch this dancing duo put on an incredible show of rhythm and teamwork.  

Video Clips 

Brendan Donahue of the Lexington United Soccer Club demonstrates a bunch of soccer moves to beat a defender (click soccer moves )  

Put a little music to these moves and have some fun  - click Soccer Cardio Blast

 

AS ALWAYS - WATCH, PRACTICE, and have FUN!!

 

Dribbling Basics

Dribbling is the foundation of all soccer skills.  The other skills (passing, receiving, shooting, and heading) are important but good dribbling  gives you the confidence to do everything else well.  Without good dribbling skills, soccer becomes an endless game of kickball.

 

Here are 5 components of good dribbling: 

 

1.      Control

2.      Shielding

3.      Change of Direction

4.      Change of Speed

5.      Rhythm 

 

I’m sure there are others, but these 5 do it for me.  

 

CONTROL

 

Let’s face it, dribbling is all about ball control.  It’s your ability to keep the ball at your feet and not let it get away from you.  In order to do this, you need to be able to use every part of your foot (outside, inside, soul, heel, and instep).  You also need to use both feet ---- the good foot and the not so good foot.  One footed soccer players are about as effective as one handed basketball players.  Finally, when you really get good, you will be able to do all of this while looking up instead of down at the ball (like the girl on the left).

 

 

The best way to master ball control (like anything else) is to practice a lot.  However, there is one simple aid that can accelerate your learning curve if you have patience.  The smaller the ball, the harder it is to dribble it.  Therefore, practice dribbling with a size #1 ball or even a tennis ball ---- a golf ball would be overdoing it. It’s the same concept that baseball players use when swinging a lead bat just before they step up to the plate. 

Once you've mastered your "ground stokes", start practicing your ball control skills in the air via juggling.  Ball juggling is an great way to improve your 1st touch capabilities with all body parts - no hands, please.  Add a little music and you'll become a real "soccer Hamm".

SHIELDING 

You don’t have to be a fancy dribbler to keep the ball.  Just block your opponent from the ball (shown in this video clip on the left).  This is legal if you have the ball; it’s called obstruction if you don’t. In order to do this effectively you need to keep a body part between the ball and your opponent.  

 

One great way is to dribble the ball with the outside of your feet (shown in the video clip below). 

Using the outside of your feet may seem awkward because most of us walk like ducks --- toes pointed outward.  And, if you walk like a duck you will dribble like a duck.  Duck dribbling is bad for a couple of reasons.  First, it’s a slower more deliberate way of moving the ball down field.  Second, the ball is more exposed to being stolen by your opponent. 

 

It would be a lot better if we all walked like pigeons --- toes pointed inwards.  And, if you walk like a pigeon, you might dribble like a pigeon too. Try practicing this pigeon walk at home.  It'll seem totally weird at first, but keep trying.  Once your pigeon walk becomes comfortable, put a ball at your feet and keep on truck'in.  Don't forget to use both feet - not just your good foot. Once you get both feet working in rhythm, you'll look like a pro.    

 

CHANGE OF DIRECTION AND SPEED

 

How do you beat an opponent off the dribble?  Once you have the ball under control and shielded, then what?  Probably if you were Ronaldinho (great Brazilian attacker shown here), you would dribble directly at your opponent and do some incredible move to leave him/her in the dust.  Well, let’s put that method on the back burner for awhile.

The easiest way to beat an opponent is to run away from him/her --- not at them.  Football players do this all the time to avoid being tackled.  Therefore, make life easy on yourself - dribble toward open space.  If necessary, you might have to create this space by doing 2 things --- change direction and change speed --- they go together like salt and pepper. Changing direction and speed causes your opponent to become hesitant and unbalanced giving you the edge.  And once you have that edge, fire your jets and get behind (not just past) your opponent.   

 

Dribbling moves like soul in and out, pullbacks, hooks, step overs, scissors, etc. are all about changing direction.  Practice at home by setting up an obstacle course (anything from socks to chairs) and do your moves accelerating out of each turn --- just like a NASCAR driver.  Please avoid the crash and burn.  Next, try our unique MYSL obstacle course at the MPR.  It's challenging, fun, and guarenteed to greatly improve you dribbling prowess.

 

RHYTHM

 

  The next time you’re riding a chairlift at Stratton, Okemo, or Killington, watch the skiers/snowboarders coming down the slope.  The good ones have rhythm; the not so good ones battle the slope.  Michael Jordan (basketball), Rory Mcilroy (golf), Derek Jeter (baseball), and Leo Messi  (Argentine soccer star shown here playing for Barcelona FC) are poetry in motion.   I have always enjoyed watching an ESPN clip of these great athletes while a contemporary song is played in the background.  They dribble, shoot, swing, and catch without missing a beat.   

A good way to develop rhythm is to play music while practicing your soccer moves.  “Soccer Aerobics” is fun and improves your coordination and rhythm.  So, start blasting Rihanna, Taylor Swift, or Frank Sinatra (ikes!) as you do the soul, the  step over, the pullback, the scissors, and the pigeon.  As you listen to the music, feel the ball rather than kick it.  Look at the ball as little as possible.  I guarantee, once you get a rhythm to your game, your soccer ability will explode.

 

By the way, in 1999 I started teaching soccer aerobics (MYSL and Mountain Soccer) as a fun way for kids to learn basic soccer moves and develop a sense of rythm with the ball.  Recently I've found that this crazy concept has become a touted coaching practice worldwide.  Click the link below and see.

That's it --- the 5 basic components of good dribbling.  Master each one and you will be waltzing around the soccer field like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (shown right).  Click here and watch this dancing duo put on an incredible show of rhythm and teamwork.  

Video Clips 

Brendan Donahue of the Lexington United Soccer Club demonstrates a bunch of soccer moves to beat a defender (click soccer moves )  

Put a little music to these moves and have some fun  - click Soccer Cardio Blast

 

AS ALWAYS - WATCH, PRACTICE, and have FUN!!

 

Dribbling is the foundation of all soccer skills.  The other skills (passing, receiving, shooting, and heading) are important but good dribbling  gives you the confidence to do everything else well.  Without good dribbling skills, soccer becomes an endless game of kickball.

 

Here are 5 components of good dribbling: 

 

1.      Control

2.      Shielding

3.      Change of Direction

4.      Change of Speed

5.      Rhythm 

 

I’m sure there are others, but these 5 do it for me.  

 

CONTROL

 

Let’s face it, dribbling is all about ball control.  It’s your ability to keep the ball at your feet and not let it get away from you.  In order to do this, you need to be able to use every part of your foot (outside, inside, soul, heel, and instep).  You also need to use both feet ---- the good foot and the not so good foot.  One footed soccer players are about as effective as one handed basketball players.  Finally, when you really get good, you will be able to do all of this while looking up instead of down at the ball (like the girl on the left).

 

 

The best way to master ball control (like anything else) is to practice a lot.  However, there is one simple aid that can accelerate your learning curve if you have patience.  The smaller the ball, the harder it is to dribble it.  Therefore, practice dribbling with a size #1 ball or even a tennis ball ---- a golf ball would be overdoing it. It’s the same concept that baseball players use when swinging a lead bat just before they step up to the plate. 

Once you've mastered your "ground stokes", start practicing your ball control skills in the air via juggling.  Ball juggling is an great way to improve your 1st touch capabilities with all body parts - no hands, please.  Add a little music and you'll become a real "soccer Hamm".

SHIELDING 

You don’t have to be a fancy dribbler to keep the ball.  Just block your opponent from the ball (shown in this video clip on the left).  This is legal if you have the ball; it’s called obstruction if you don’t. In order to do this effectively you need to keep a body part between the ball and your opponent.  

 

One great way is to dribble the ball with the outside of your feet (shown in the video clip below). 

Using the outside of your feet may seem awkward because most of us walk like ducks --- toes pointed outward.  And, if you walk like a duck you will dribble like a duck.  Duck dribbling is bad for a couple of reasons.  First, it’s a slower more deliberate way of moving the ball down field.  Second, the ball is more exposed to being stolen by your opponent. 

 

It would be a lot better if we all walked like pigeons --- toes pointed inwards.  And, if you walk like a pigeon, you might dribble like a pigeon too. Try practicing this pigeon walk at home.  It'll seem totally weird at first, but keep trying.  Once your pigeon walk becomes comfortable, put a ball at your feet and keep on truck'in.  Don't forget to use both feet - not just your good foot. Once you get both feet working in rhythm, you'll look like a pro.    

 

CHANGE OF DIRECTION AND SPEED

 

How do you beat an opponent off the dribble?  Once you have the ball under control and shielded, then what?  Probably if you were Ronaldinho (great Brazilian attacker shown here), you would dribble directly at your opponent and do some incredible move to leave him/her in the dust.  Well, let’s put that method on the back burner for awhile.

The easiest way to beat an opponent is to run away from him/her --- not at them.  Football players do this all the time to avoid being tackled.  Therefore, make life easy on yourself - dribble toward open space.  If necessary, you might have to create this space by doing 2 things --- change direction and change speed --- they go together like salt and pepper. Changing direction and speed causes your opponent to become hesitant and unbalanced giving you the edge.  And once you have that edge, fire your jets and get behind (not just past) your opponent.   

 

Dribbling moves like soul in and out, pullbacks, hooks, step overs, scissors, etc. are all about changing direction.  Practice at home by setting up an obstacle course (anything from socks to chairs) and do your moves accelerating out of each turn --- just like a NASCAR driver.  Please avoid the crash and burn.  Next, try our unique MYSL obstacle course at the MPR.  It's challenging, fun, and guarenteed to greatly improve you dribbling prowess.

 

RHYTHM

 

  The next time you’re riding a chairlift at Stratton, Okemo, or Killington, watch the skiers/snowboarders coming down the slope.  The good ones have rhythm; the not so good ones battle the slope.  Michael Jordan (basketball), Rory Mcilroy (golf), Derek Jeter (baseball), and Leo Messi  (Argentine soccer star shown here playing for Barcelona FC) are poetry in motion.   I have always enjoyed watching an ESPN clip of these great athletes while a contemporary song is played in the background.  They dribble, shoot, swing, and catch without missing a beat.   

A good way to develop rhythm is to play music while practicing your soccer moves.  “Soccer Aerobics” is fun and improves your coordination and rhythm.  So, start blasting Rihanna, Taylor Swift, or Frank Sinatra (ikes!) as you do the soul, the  step over, the pullback, the scissors, and the pigeon.  As you listen to the music, feel the ball rather than kick it.  Look at the ball as little as possible.  I guarantee, once you get a rhythm to your game, your soccer ability will explode.

 

By the way, in 1999 I started teaching soccer aerobics (MYSL and Mountain Soccer) as a fun way for kids to learn basic soccer moves and develop a sense of rythm with the ball.  Recently I've found that this crazy concept has become a touted coaching practice worldwide.  Click the link below and see.

That's it --- the 5 basic components of good dribbling.  Master each one and you will be waltzing around the soccer field like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (shown right).  Click here and watch this dancing duo put on an incredible show of rhythm and teamwork.  

Video Clips 

Brendan Donahue of the Lexington United Soccer Club demonstrates a bunch of soccer moves to beat a defender (click soccer moves )  

Put a little music to these moves and have some fun  - click Soccer Cardio Blast

 

AS ALWAYS - WATCH, PRACTICE, and have FUN!!