USA Soccer - U5 Surfers & Crabs
USA soccer is on the up and with coaches using fun drills like this one you can see why. Surfers and crabs is about gettingthe players to dribble their soccer ball in different directions whilst keeping it under control.
Preparation
You will need a marked out area wide and long enough for the amount of players you have available. Their needs to be enough roomfor the kids to dribble their soccer ball comfortably between the 'crabs'. The kids will need a soccer ball each and will stand in a line at one end of the square. You will begin in the middle of the area without a ball.
Explanation
The kids will be the surfers and you are the lone crab in the middle of the area. To make this game fun the kids will have to act like surfers before dribbling their soccer ball toward the other end. You will shout out "surfers are you ready?" The kids will jump sideways onto an imaginary surf-board and shout "surfs-up dude!"
You will then in reply have to do a fun crab dance (the kids love this). Use your hands as crab claws and sing the following verse.
"A snappy to the left, a snappy to the right, a snappy in the middle because we're having surfers tonight!"
USA soccer has taught me that if you make games fun the kids will learn more. As a crab you need to be on all fours with your feet in front and your stomach facing upward moving around using your hands and feet.
Shout out 3,2,1 GO! and the kids have to dribble their soccer ball toward the other end of the area. If you catch a surfer they will become a crab with you for the next round. Make sure you do the surfer's chant and crab dance every round.
progression
This fun USA soccer game comes to life if you can get parents involved as the crabs. The kids will love trying to dribble the ball past their parents and often try harder too.
coaching points
-> Make sure the kids use little touches and demonstrate what happens if you kick the ball too far in a game.
-> See if the kids can change direction by placing the bottom of their foot on the ball and rolling it behind them. This will eventually turn into the drag-back turn. Do this step by step with them!
-> Make sure the kids use the inside and outside of their feet wwhilst dribbling- not their toes.
