This drill is fairly simple. You need about 30-35 cones (or any object of a similar size if you don’t have cones). Scatter these cones around randomly in a small area with no set pattern or design (that’s the idea: make them look like land mines in the grass). The closer together the cones are, the more challenging this drill will be.

Now, it’s as simple as taking your ball, and for 2 minutes at a time dribble your soccer ball in and out of the cones, again in no set design. Really concentrate on keeping the ball close to you as you zig zag through the cones, trying your best not to hit any.

Note: the closer together the cones are, the more difficult it is to not hit a cone. Depending on your ability and playing level, you may want to start with the cones no closer than 4-5 feet apart. As you improve, you can move the cones closer together. Also, you can challenge yourself by saying you’ll do 9 sets of 2 minutes, and for each cone you hit, you do an additional 5-10 seconds in a 10th set.

Remember, as you start to fatigue, this is when you need to concentrate harder because you’ll start to lose control of the ball as your legs get tired. Good luck, and remember: Perfect Practice Makes Perfect!

Start from the ground up. Work on hitting the ball directly underneath it, dead center on your laces to pop it straight back up in front of you. Start slow. Always do 1, and catch it. Look for that perfect 1. 1 and catch, 1 and catch. Don’t forget to use both feet as well.

Getting several, perfect “one and catch” is more beneficial to your development than 5-10 out of control, poor juggles in a row. Always strive to perfect the basics, and build it up from there.

After you start to feel you’ve mastered one and catch, move on to two and catch, and so forth. If you don’t want to move on to two with your feet, try using your thigh. One and catch, same thing. You want to hit the ball in the center of your thigh, NOT your knee. If you find the ball is getting away from you, it’s because you’re using your knee and not your thigh. Pop the ball straight back up, and for good practice you can even raise your thigh up as if you were going to pop it back up again, but instead catch it to make a perfect one. This will build good habits for your progression.

Finally, you can up to your head. Look straight up at the sky, hit the ball with the center of your FOREHEAD, not the top of your head, pop it up, and catch it.

Begin to challenge yourself once you’ve perfected one and catch. Can you perform an “elevator” – foot to thigh to head and catch it; head to thigh to foot and catch it? Can you try to do a ladder: 1 and catch, 2 and catch, 3 and catch, 4 and catch, and so on until the ball hits the ground? Then you start from zero again.

Juggling is so important to your development as a player. Remember, always master the perfect ONE before trying to move on to multiple. Perfect Practice Makes Perfect!

This mini-drill is called “Wall Passing.”

Find yourself a strong wall. Any solid surface that provides good bounce-back works. Stand about 12-15 yards away. Pass the ball with enough force that after it hits the wall, it comes back to you at a good, challenging pace. When the ball returns to your foot, take a small touch away from your body, pass the ball against the wall, back up and wait for it to come back. Repeat.

As you get better using two touches, you can start to perform this drill one touch, where after the ball hits the wall and returns to your foot, you don’t take a touch away from your body but pass it against the wall again in one touch instead, repeating.

If you find you’re now mastering this, you may start to approach the wall, getting closer and closer, always staying on your toes and ready for the return of the ball. As you get closer, the ball pace will speed up and you will have to be ready quicker.

Do this for about 15-20 minutes a week, working on different variations of taking the ball away from your body (if you’re using two touches) and working on getting closer and closer to the wall to improve your reaction time and awareness.

Remember, “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.”