dribbling U13 soccer drills

dribbling U13 drills that you can apply to help your players progress on the dribbling aspect. Sign up to receive our latest drills.

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4v4 Game with Colored Gates and Mini Goals

A very dynamic game that involves various cognitive aspects, it is ideal for working in a fun way through a possession exercise followed by progression with shooting on mini-goals.

Mark out a field of about 30x30m and place 4 gates and 4 colored goals on each of the 4 sides of the field (see animation). Then form 2 teams of 4 players.

The exercise starts with a 4v4 opposition with the objective of making at least 3 passes before dribbling through one of the colored gates. This passage will then unlock the goal of the same color and will be followed by a 4v4 with the objective of scoring on the small goal.

If the opposing team recovers the ball, they will proceed in the same way and will have to unlock a mini-goal by dribbling through one of the colored gates.

Here are some possible progressions for this type of exercise:

Limit the number of touches to 2 touches.
Give a direction of passage within the gates (inside vs outside)
Limit the number of passes to be able to score in one of the goals
Allow passing through multiple gates to unlock multiple goals at once.

Progression 2: define a direction of passage in the gates

U10 U11 U12 U13 U14 U15

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What is the U13 category?

The U13 category represents children aged 12 to 13 years, and it is at this time that soccer concepts and training intensity increase a notch. At this age, children face significant physical changes, requiring training adaptation to support their growth, muscle development, and coordination improvement. Sessions must therefore be designed to meet these needs while continuing to develop their technical and tactical skills.

Objectives of the U13 category

The objectives for U13 expand to include not only technical development and coordination but also the integration of more complex and technical exercises. The focus will be more on developing game awareness both individually and collectively, decision-making in match situations, and improving more specific qualities like passing, shooting, set pieces or even dribbling.

Some tips for coaching a U13 team

For U13 players, it is advisable to avoid overly physical training and to favor activities that promote agility, endurance, and mastery of fundamental soccer qualities. Sessions should be simple yet dynamic, allowing players to improve through exercises that stimulate both their psychomotor development and tactical understanding. The integration of recovery periods is also essential to prevent injuries and promote healthy growth.

To summarize, here are our tips regarding your U13 training sessions:

Avoid "physical" training as you are used to practicing. Favor exercises for agility, endurance, and flexibility to promote psychomotor development.
Conduct simple exercises for your players. Simplicity is crucial as it allows for better learning. It is your animation that will give rhythm to your U13 workshops, not the complexity of your training sessions.
Remember to integrate recovery periods.

What training exercises for U13?

Exercises for U13 should include games and workshops that emphasize individual technique while integrating more advanced tactical elements. Small group play exercises, shooting sessions, and sessions focused on developing team strategy should be prioritized for your training.

Here are some additional ideas to help you:

Possession game: In small groups to improve game awareness and maintaining possession.
Shooting workshops: With various scenarios to work on shooting under pressure, from different angles, with both strong and weak foot…
Quick transition exercises: Attack-defense exercises, and vice versa to develop reactivity and team strategy.
Dribbling sessions: With technical challenges to improve agility and control in match situations.
Small-sided games with specific conditions: For example, limiting the number of touches to encourage quick play and decision-making. Also consider implementing different tactics to teach players the importance of positioning and understanding what works best for your U13 team.