By Mike Smith
Question - Are there drills I can use on a Futsal court to train the overall fundamentals of soccer?
Absolutely! Our local YMCA used to section off their basketball courts for the winter Futsal league – and it was packed with players of all ages. I decided to coach a group of 5th graders in the development league and after one season, these players had the best touch of any group of soccer players in our school. Their passing and movement was top shelf as well – all due to their work on the futsal court.
By far, the drill below is my favorite:
Set up a grid and have the players make an angled run (with the ball), a straight run, another angled run and then make a pass. Every aspect of touch and timing is at play here. The first angled run should involve a quick burst to come under control and make the turn at the cone. The straight run is one where they want to touch the ball with every step. The next angled run is another burst but they need to make a good accurate pass to finish. The next player in line meets the ball at the cone as it arrives – they do not stand and wait on it. If you have enough players and they get going well, add another ball – just make sure the dribblers stay under control in the center of the grid.
Above is another good one for speed combined with control. Two players pass between themselves as they move between the cones. One player is making a square pass, while the other is making a diagonal. Players can switch roles by changing which player makes the initial service to start the drill. This can be done in several groups around the space. The focus for the coach is to make sure the players come under control at the cone with the proper body position to control the ball and make the next pass. I would let the groups run continuously for set periods of time, with breaks in between. For example 30 seconds, 10 second rest. 45 seconds, 15 second rest. 60 seconds, 20 second rest.
Finally, set the players up to go 1 v 1 in a small rectangular grid ( below ). Play starts with one player sending the ball to the other, and then closing down the space. The player receiving the ball should attempt to dribble by the defender , but must stay in the grid. IF the defender gets the ball, the defender becomes the attacker and can try to dribble over the end line. Players get points each time they dribble UNDER CONTROL over the end line. They usually love to make this a tournament where every one faces every one and the player with the most points wins.
On top of these activities, any series of footwork drills will be beneficial to your players on the futsal court. I usually do some footwork – the Maradona, Cryuff, Scissors, Step Over, even some cone dribbles, etc..to start each session and end with a scrimmage. All of this work will translate directly to improved fundamentals when you get back out on the grass!
By Mike Smith
Currently the Head Coach for University Heights Academy Boys Soccer in Hopkinsville, KY , Mike is in his 14th year as a high school head coach with 23 years coaching experience overall and 34 year as a student and fan of the game. He holds a USSF D License.
