The best players I've coached don't just show up to practice three times a week and call it done. They put in work on their own, in the backyard, at the park, in the driveway. I'm not talking about hours of grueling training. I mean focused reps on the skills that matter most at their age.
I'm Coach Aaron Anderson, and here are five soccer drills for 10-year-olds (and U8-U12 players in general) that any kid can do at home with minimal equipment. A ball, a wall, and some cones (or water bottles) are all you need.
What it develops: First touch, passing accuracy, rhythm
This is the single most effective drill a young player can do alone. Find a wall (a garage door, the side of a house, or a rebounder if you have one) and pass the ball against it. Receive with one touch, pass with the next.
How to do it:
What to focus on: Keep the ball on the ground and your first touch soft, so it doesn't bounce away from you. You're chasing rhythm and control here, not power.
Level up: Move back to 10-12 feet. Add a one-touch rule (no extra touch to control, just pass it back immediately).
This drill alone, done 10 minutes a day, will improve a player's first touch faster than anything else. Every U10 soccer drill program should start here.
What it develops: Close ball control, change of direction, confidence on the ball
Set up 5-6 cones (or water bottles, shoes, whatever you have) in a straight line, about 3 feet apart.
How to do it:
Progression (add these as the player improves):
What to focus on: Head up. This is the hardest part for young players. If they're staring at the ball, they're not developing the vision they'll need in games. Start slow enough that they can keep their eyes forward.
What it develops: Ball feel, coordination, confidence
Juggling is the soccer skill for kids that feels impossible at first and becomes addictive once they hit double digits. It develops the soft touch and body awareness that translate directly to game situations.
How to start (for beginners):
How to progress:
What to focus on: Use the laces (top of the foot), not the toe, and keep the ankle locked. Small, controlled touches are the goal, so the ball should go up 1-2 feet, not 6 feet in the air.
Set a challenge: Track their personal record. Kids who juggled 3 times last week and hit 7 this week are seeing real, measurable growth. That's motivating.
What it develops: Turning, spatial awareness, quick feet
Set up a 5x5 yard square with four cones.
How to do it:
Why this matters: In games, players don't dribble in straight lines. They receive the ball, scan, and turn. This drill trains the movements that happen in tight spaces, which are exactly the situations U10 players face in small-sided games.
What to focus on: Decelerate before the cone, execute the turn cleanly, then accelerate out of it. Game speed is about changing speed, not just running fast.
What it develops: Shooting technique, placement, finishing under control
You don't need a full goal for this. Set up two cones as a "goal" (3-4 feet wide) and place a target inside, whether that's a water bottle, a backpack, or a cone laid on its side.
How to do it:
What to focus on: Plant foot pointed at the target. Strike through the middle of the ball for a low, driven shot. Placement beats power at every age, but especially at U10 where most goals come from composed finishing, not 30-yard rockets.
Level up: Add a dribble before the shot. Receive a pass (roll the ball to yourself from the side), take a touch, and shoot. This simulates a game situation more accurately than a dead-ball shot.
Fifteen to twenty minutes, three to four times a week. That's it. At this age, consistency beats volume. A kid who does 15 focused minutes daily will develop faster than one who does a 90-minute session once a week.
The key word is focused. Standing in the backyard kicking a ball against the fence while watching YouTube isn't practice. Real practice is setting a timer, picking two drills, and working with intent.
The drills are the easy part. Getting a kid to start is what usually trips families up. A few things work well for our players at Apex United:
These youth soccer drills at home build the foundation. Organized training (with coaching, teammates, and game situations) is where that foundation gets tested and refined.
At Apex United FC, our players train Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at Anderson Fields at McAllister Park. We focus on the same fundamentals outlined here, layered with tactical and team concepts that take individual skills and put them in a game context.
If your child is working on their game at home and looking for soccer training for kids in San Antonio that matches their commitment, check out our programs or get in touch.
Coach Aaron Anderson is the founder of Apex United FC, a 501(c)(3) non-profit youth soccer club in Converse, TX, serving players ages 7-12.
