Hey, Blayze soccer fans! Have you ever found yourself facing off against an opponent and hoping your 1v1 dribbling ⚽skills are good enough to defeat them? This week, we will be exploring the art of 1v1 dribbling.
Follow these tips from Sarah Woldmoe on how to improve your 1v1 dribbling skills and you may leave your opponent dazzled🤩 by your moves!
Go Direct
You want to dribble directly at the defender. If you go to one side, you are making the defender’s job easy. You want to make them guess where you are going to go. So if you dribble directly at them, then at the right moment, explode 💥to another side, you can leave them behind you.
Use Speed
You need to use speed 🏃♀️while nudging the ball with the outside part of your foot and to react to your opponent’s body movements. Nudging the ball ⚽allows you to have more control and you will be able to do what you want with it. This may allow you to do your moves, like stepovers or an elastico.
Keep a Low Center of Gravity
You want your body posture to be low. Bend your knees 🦵slightly to make it easier for you to change directions and speed. This is critical for slower players who are up against faster defenders. When you change your direction and speed,🏃♀️ you keep the defender guessing and usually, they will commit first. You can expose them and move around quickly when they commit to a move.
Awareness
One of the most critical parts of 1v1 dribbling is being aware🧠 of what is going on around you, and the space between you, the ball, and the defender. If you just look at the ball and you don’t know what’s happening on the field, you can make a bad decision. Thus, losing the ball. Watch 👀for the defender’s weaker side. The weaker side is the position where the defender turns their hops and makes it slower for them to get the ball.
Practice Drills
No matter your position on the field, you should develop the ability to beat an opponent in a 1v1 situation.💪 If you are not confident with this skill, you will become a predictable player who only passes the ball to a teammate.
Team training 🧑🏾🤝🧑sessions are great, but they do not always allow you time to practice your 1v1 dribbling skills. This is why you need to devote time on your own to allow you to fix your mistakes, pay attention to the details, and build your confidence.
The Zig-Zag – Set up cones in a zig-zag ⚡pattern. Dribble with pace through the cones. Practice some of your moves like stepovers. Once you feel you are comfortable with this drill, repeat it and go faster. Switch up the pattern of the cones as well.
Follow our Blayze drills here for more practice!👍
And of course, if you have any questions on how to improve your 1v1 skills, or how to run one of our recommended drills, please reach out! We are here to help you reach your maximum potential!💪
Do you have a question that you want answered? Reply to this email with your question; you might see it answered in our next newsletter!
Article of the Week: Steps to Determine When and How to Use 1v1 Dribbling in a Soccer Game
In order for a player to be successful in tight areas and spaces, a player needs to have the ability to dribble the ball. Players need to be able to beat an opponent, recognize space on the field, and know where their teammates and the opponents are located, all while being pressed.
