Thigh and chest control soccer drill (no heading)
Thigh and chest control is a pairs drill in which one player throws the ball gently underarm and the other cushions it with the thigh, chest or foot and passes it back. It trains bringing a bouncing or dropping ball under control without using the head.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
Thigh and chest control: setup diagram
At a glance
| Detail | For this drill |
|---|---|
| Ages | U8 to U12 (ages 7 to 12) |
| Players | Pairs |
| Space | 10 x 8 yd (9 x 7 m) |
| Equipment | One ball per pair, in the right size for the age group |
| Time | 8 minutes |
| Skill | First touch |
Change the size of the area to fit your group: bigger makes it easier for the player with the ball, smaller makes it harder. Everyone who goes out comes straight back in, and nobody runs laps.
How to run it
- Partners stand 5 yards apart. The server throws underarm, softly, in a low arc.
- Foot: the receiver meets the ball with the inside of the foot and pulls the foot back a little as it lands, like catching an egg. Pass back on the ground. Ten each.
- Thigh: lift the thigh so it is level, and drop it slightly as the ball lands so the ball falls at your feet.
- Chest (U10 and older, soft throws only): lean back a little, arms out wide, and let the ball drop off the chest to the feet.
- Game: the server calls “foot”, “thigh” or “chest” while the ball is in the air. A point for every ball controlled and passed back in two touches.
Coaching points to say out loud
- “Cushion it: give with the ball.”
- “Get in line early.”
- “Arms out, away from the ball.”
- “Down to your feet, then pass.”
Make it easier or harder
Easier
Let the ball bounce once before controlling it with the foot.
Harder
The receiver’s first touch must send the ball to one side, and the pass back is with the other foot. Or the server follows the throw to put on light pressure.
Common mistakes
- A stiff leg or chest, so the ball bounces away. The surface has to give.
- Arms pulled in near the chest, which risks a handball. Arms stay wide.
- Hard or flat throws. The serve must be soft enough that nobody flinches.
Why it matters in a game
Goal kicks, throw-ins and clearances all drop from the air. In US youth soccer, there is no heading at age 10 and under, so the thigh, chest and foot are how a young player wins these balls. Then the receiving lesson takes over: what do you do with it next?
The lesson that teaches it: Look, Then Turn or Return.
Do it at home
One parent serving underarm from five steps away is ideal. Use a size 3 or light ball for the youngest players.
Questions about Thigh and chest control
How can kids control a high ball without heading?
With the foot, the thigh or the chest, or by letting it bounce first. This drill teaches all of them with soft, underarm throws.
At what age can kids head the ball in the US?
Heading is allowed in games from age 11, with limits on heading in practice at 11 and 12. Players aged 10 and under do not head the ball at all.
Is chest control safe for young kids?
With a soft underarm throw and a ball of the right size, yes. Start with the foot and thigh, and add the chest from about U10 when players are ready.
Lessons that teach this idea
- Look, Then Turn or Return (7v7 lesson)Look for pressure before receiving. Turn into room or give the ball back.
- Receive: Turn or Connect (9v9 lesson)Check the space before receiving; a turn and a return solve different pressure.
- After the Restart: Rebuild the Back Three (9v9 lesson)After our right back takes a throw-in, they hurry back so we have three defenders again before joining the attack.
Related drills and guides
- Throw-in game (drill)It trains a legal throw with both hands from behind the head, and a first touch that controls a ball arriving from the air.
- Receive across the body (drill)It trains an open body shape, so the player can see the whole field and play forward with the second touch.
- Wall passing (drill)It trains a firm, accurate pass and a clean first touch with both feet, because the wall always gives the ball back.
- First touch gates (drill)It trains a first touch that moves the ball away from pressure into space, not one that stops it dead.
- Heading rules for kids in the USNo heading at 10 and under
- First touch (soccer term)The touch you take as the ball arrives
- The throw-in ruleBoth feet down, both hands, from behind and over the head
- U8 soccer drills for 7 and 8 year oldsTen drills for 7 and 8 year olds: dribbling, 1v1, first passing and 3v3
- U10 soccer drills for 9 and 10 year oldsTen drills for 9 and 10 year olds: rondos, first touch, 2v1 and first goalkeeping
- U12 soccer drills for 11 and 12 year oldsTen drills for 11 and 12 year olds: 4v2 rondos, possession, defending in pairs and finishing
- Soccer drills to do at homeSolo and parent-and-child drills for a yard, a driveway or a wall
- All first touch drillsReceiving the ball so the next action is easy.
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.