U8 soccer practice plan: dribbling and 1v1
A 60-minute practice for 7 and 8 year olds on the skill that matters most at this age: taking the ball past a defender. It builds from a ball each, to turns, to 1v1, to a game.
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.
At a glance
| Detail | This plan |
|---|---|
| Age group | U8 (ages 7 and 8) |
| Length | 60 minutes (guidance for U8: 45 to 60 minutes) |
| Players | 8 to 14 |
| Goal for the day | Beat a defender with a change of speed or direction |
| Final game | 4v4 with no goalkeepers, on about 30 x 20 yards |
The 60-minute plan
| Time | Activity | Stage | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00 to 0:08 | 3v3 games as players arrive | Play | Small fields, small goals. Notice who tries to dribble past a player. |
| 0:08 to 0:16 | Gates dribbling | Practice | Head up to find an open gate. Last round: two defenders close gates. |
| 0:16 to 0:19 | Water break | Break | Drink, and one question for the group about the last game. |
| 0:19 to 0:29 | Turn and go | Practice | The drag-back and the inside hook, each followed by three fast steps. |
| 0:29 to 0:41 | 1v1 to end zones | Practice | Many small fields. Use the turn or a change of speed to get past. |
| 0:41 to 0:44 | Water break | Break | Drink, and one question for the group about the last game. |
| 0:44 to 0:57 | Numbers game, then 4v4 | Play | Five minutes of 1v1 and 2v2 on the call, then a free 4v4 game. |
| 0:57 to 1:00 | Circle up | Finish | “When is a good time to dribble?” Listen to two answers. |
Times are minutes from the start of practice. Tap an activity for its setup diagram and coaching points.
Equipment
- A ball for every player
- About 20 cones
- Bibs in two colors
- A water bottle for every player
- A first aid kit and a ball pump
- 4 small goals, or 8 extra cones
Coach notes
- Teach one turn well. The second can wait for next week.
- In 1v1, change opponents often so everyone wins some and loses some.
- Praise the try. A player who is told off for losing the ball stops dribbling.
If it is going badly
Turn and go is flat and players are going through the motions.
Make it a contest in pairs: one dribbles and turns whenever they like, the partner shadows them. Swap after thirty seconds.
Give water breaks more often in hot weather, never use running as a punishment, and change the size of any area that is too hard or too easy.
How this plan is built
These plans follow the Play-Practice-Play structure that U.S. Soccer teaches grassroots coaches: players arrive and play small games, then practice the day’s idea in game-like activities, then finish with a game. The structure is U.S. Soccer’s; the minutes for each part are ours, so adjust them to your group.
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Drills in this plan
- 3v3 small-sided gameIt trains everything at once, dribbling, passing, shooting and defending, and gives each child far more time on the ball than a big game. U6 to U10.
- Gates dribblingIt trains dribbling with the head up, because players must look for a gate that is open. U6 to U10.
- Turn and goIt trains the three basic turns, the drag-back, the inside hook and the outside hook, and the burst of speed that makes a turn work. U8 to U12.
- 1v1 to end zonesIt trains taking a player on with a change of speed or direction, and for the defender, staying between the attacker and the line. U6 to U12.
- Numbers gameIt trains 1v1 and 2v2 attacking and defending, with a race to the ball to start. U6 to U12.
Questions about this U8 practice
How do I teach U8 players to beat a defender?
One move, a change of speed and many tries. Small 1v1 fields give each player a new attempt every minute.
Is 1v1 too competitive for 7-year-olds?
Not when turns are short and opponents change. Children this age enjoy the contest, and both the attacker and the defender are learning.
Why do we finish with a game?
It is the last stage of Play-Practice-Play. Players try what they practiced in a real game, and the coach watches to see what stuck.
Lessons to share with your players
- Carry or Pass? (7v7 lesson)Watch which route the defender leaves open.
- Give Your Teammate Room to Dribble (7v7 lesson)The sole middle midfielder leaves room for a wide teammate to try a one-against-one, then reconnects after the dribble.
- Stay Between the Ball and Goal (7v7 lesson)Move with the attacker while keeping yourself between the ball and your goal.
Keep reading
- U8 soccer practice plan: first practice of the season60 minutes: set the habits: play first, a ball each, a game to finish
- U8 soccer practice plan: passing60 minutes: pass to a teammate, then move
- U8 soccer drills for 7 and 8 year oldsTen drills for 7 and 8 year olds: dribbling, 1v1, first passing and 3v3
- Winger in soccerThe wide attacker who takes players on
- Tackle (soccer term)Winning the ball fairly with your foot
- Soccer age groups explainedWhat U6, U8, U10 and U12 mean
- All soccer practice plans12 ready-to-use soccer practice plans for U6, U8, U10 and U12, each with a clock table, equipment list and linked drills
- All soccer drills for kids46 soccer drills and practice games for U6 to U12, each with a setup diagram, coaching points and the lesson it trains
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.