Indoor Football Training Drills and Exercise for Kids

There is only so much a footballer is going to understand, if the only resources available are a chalkboard and an instructor. Being able to actually execute techniques and skills while practicing indoor football training drills is what enables the skills to become muscle memory.
While there are many football training drills for kids, ‘Stuck in the Mud’ is one of the most popular and highly effective drills out there. This drill focuses on improving two important aspects of a player’s game – dribbling and making quick turns. Let’s have an in-depth look at this simple drill.

1. Setting Up the Drill

As with any of the other training drills for youth football, the first step is to set up and prepare the players and the field for the drill. In the ‘Stuck in the Mud’ drill, give each player a ball and have them stand in a coned-off square area. Choose one player who will go in without a ball, and with the title of the ‘Mud Monster’.

2. Working of the Drill

The goal of this drill is for the players to keep dribbling the balls that they have. As soon as the coach says ‘go’, the Mud Monster will try to tag the dribbling players. This improves the shielding techniques of the dribblers. Once a player gets tagged, he has to stand in the middle of the square leaving a wide gap between his legs and yell “I’m stick in the mud!” In order to rescue this player, another player will have to make a pass from between his legs. The drill ends when all the players have been tagged and there is no one left to carry out the rescues.
Points to Remember

• Players cannot use their toes while dribbling.
• Ensure proper safety standards – light touches, short kicks and accurate passing.

This and other linebacker training drills can help a good player become a much better one, while making training fun!