Soccer: Matador and Bull Drill for Better Dribbling

Dick Moss, Editor

Here's a drill that will teach your players to make a quick lateral move when a defender advances towards them.

Matador and Bull Drill: Coach Advances Towards Dribbler, Who Sidesteps and Runs Past

Execution

Form a line of students facing a coach. As the first student slowly dribbles a ball forward, the coach advances directly at the student—just like a bull at a matador.

The student moves the ball to the side and dribbles past the coach. The student then returns the ball to the front of the line and assumes a position at the back. Coach returns to the original position and the drill begins again.

Additional Points

• Since we don't want to teach our defenders to run right at ballhandlers, have coaches perform this role.

• Initially, have the coaches move at a slow pace. As students develop this skill, coaches should advance at a faster pace.

• To work on your ballhandlers' faking abilities, have the coaches advance in slow motion, so that ballhandlers can take their time in faking to one side and moving to the other. Again, speed up as this skill is perfected.

Reference: Nelson McAvoy, Teaching Soccer Fundamentals, Human Kinetics Publishers, 1998.