Soccer Shooting Drills for Fundamental Technique

We Shoot, We Score, We Win!

Shooting is arguably the most important skill in the game of soccer, since shooting is what usually scores the goals that ultimately win games. Therefore, soccer shooting drills like these should be an integral part of every practice and pre-game warm up ritual.

By practicing these soccer shooting drills, a weak offense can be transformed into a stronger one that scores more goals and therefore has a greater chance of winning more games. Not only will the weaker shooters improve their skills, but these soccer shooting drills also allow the stronger shooters on the team a chance to finely their accuracy and speed when taking shots.

Up Close and Personal

First, here’s a drill called "Penalty Box", in which players practice scoring goals from the penalty area, located directly in front of the goal. To begin, divide the team into groups of three. Each group of three will serve as a team. Half the players wear colored bibs to differentiate themselves.

At the start of the drill, two teams of three are in the penalty box with a goalkeeper in each goal. One goalkeeper throws the ball to a teammate, who tries to score on their opponent. Whenever a goal is scored, the team of three that scored the goal stays on the field while their opponents are replaced by another team of three from their group.

To keep the game moving quickly, impose a two-minute time limit for each game. If a goal isn’t scored within 2 minutes, both teams are replaced with other teams from their group. The winner is the team of three that scores the most goals after a predetermined amount of time.

So many places to shoot, so little time

Next, here’s a soccer shooting drill that encourages teamwork and good communication on the field called "Four Goals". To begin, set up a 20 by 30 yard playing field with a set of 2-cone goals at each corner. The aim of the drill is to score as many times as possible at any of the four goals.

To begin, divide the players into two teams. This drill is played with only one ball. Players may step in and act as goalkeepers to try and stop their opponents from scoring. The winning team is the team with the most goals scored after a predetermined length of time.

Run like the Wind

Here’s a simple yet effective shooting drill called "Go for the Goal". To start off, divide the team into two groups that form two lines on either side of the coach or drill leader who is standing about 20 feet from the goal.

The coach or drill leader serves a ball towards the goal while the player from the front of the line runs to catch the ball and shoot. Throughout this drill, proper shooting technique should be emphasized. After players’ skills improve, add a goalkeeper to increase the difficulty factor, or run both players from the front of each line to compete for the shot.

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