What Coaches See: Dribbling

Watching your Tiny Trooper during soccer class each weekend is a joy. Your little one is growing and learning to play soccer. You might see a child kicking a ball around Soccer Island, but their coach is seeing much more. Every time your Tiny Trooper dribbles, stops, or moves around an obstacle, they are practicing controlling their body and the ball at the same time. This skill takes time to master and is a big part of what the coach is watching for in class.

Learning Body Control

Toddlers and preschoolers are still figuring out how their bodies work. They are learning how to run and how their legs need to move to propel their bodies. Simply running is one thing. Running while controlling a soccer ball is much harder. During classes, coaches are watching how Tiny Troopers move their feet. They are watching to see how they change direction, slow down, stop, and start again. These movements help children develop body control. This is an important foundation for future sports.

You might see your child run straight toward their ball, but a coach may be watching to see if they can adjust and move around it. You might see them stumble when they change direction. However, a coach will be excited to see that they attempted to reposition their feet. It all looks like simple play, but there’s a lot happening beneath the surface.

Keeping the Ball Close

One of the first things Tiny Troopers learn about dribbling is that they need to keep the ball close. They learn to use the inside, outside, and tops of their feet to make little kicks. They learn about not using their big toe, and that their big toe likes to make big kicks. Learning to keep the ball close can be surprisingly difficult for a Tiny Trooper. It takes coordination to kick the ball gently enough and keep propelling it forward.

At first, your Tiny Trooper may give the ball big kicks and chase after it. It takes practice for those kicks to become smaller and more controlled. Through trial and error, they begin to understand how much force each kick needs. Coaches are watching for players to make this connection.

Stopping, Starting, and Moving Around Obstacles

Soccer is about more than just moving a ball forward. Tiny Troopers also need to learn how to stop their bodies and the ball. Coaches’ class plans are designed to give players as many opportunities as possible to practice starting, stopping, and changing direction with the ball. These skills require Tiny Troopers to coordinate what they see with how their bodies move. Coaches might ask players to trap the ball when they hear the word “freeze”. Doing so allows Tiny Troopers to practice their listening skills while controlling their body and the ball. It may look like a simple game, but it involves a lot of thinking, too.

Moving around obstacles is another skill that requires body and ball control. Coaches might set up games that place obstacles in players’ paths. They’ll then watch how Tiny Troopers approach these challenges. Do they slow down? Do they change direction? Do they try again? Are they more comfortable with the activity this time? These are all important parts of soccer development.

Progress Isn’t Perfect

Toddlers and preschoolers are still learning how to coordinate everything their brains want their bodies to do. That means that soccer may look messy in the beginning, but it’s completely normal. The ball might go too far when kicked. They might get mixed up during a game and turn the wrong way. They might even trip over their own feet. All of this is okay! Coaches don’t expect perfect technique. Rather, they are looking for opportunities to help each Tiny Trooper practice and develop their skills.

What This Means for Parents

The next time you watch your Tiny Trooper in soccer class, try looking at the activity through a coach’s eyes. Instead of only watching where the ball goes, notice how your child moves their body. Are their kicks becoming a little softer? Are they starting to stop the ball? Can they change direction more easily? Are they becoming more comfortable moving around obstacles? These small changes are signs that your child is developing. Soccer gives Tiny Troopers a fun reason to run, kick, stop, turn, balance, and explore. While they may think they are simply playing a game, they are learning how to control their bodies and becoming more confident in what their bodies can do.

Ready to let your toddler or preschooler learn how to dribble and kick? Find a class near you!