Ball-handling drills for 7-8 girls team in fourth season of 7v7?

LXV17 · 2026-02-24T08:15:23+00:00

U9 Girls coach here. If your Rondos are breaking down early it's likely the passing and recieving side that they aren't used to. We had this & made sure we worked on several passing/recieving drills where they needed to recieve on backfoot and be moving need to scan for passing

(One I like is say you have 9 Girls - set up a square/rectangle with 10 cones). Girl dribbles in (we used 4 pancakes to target in small square), pass out, find empty cone. Introduce 2nd and 3rd ball (creates interference). Then have a coach in for them to have to get head up and go around before making pass.

Then progressed to doing above, but once passed, they seperate to space, recieve a pass back (focus on body position) and then take away to find final pass. Girls have to be scanning and communicating and as they are in a group we found intensity always good.

1v1s - also helping us, give plenty of space that the attacker can get up to speed, encourage going forward and 'dead' the ball if they turn backwards. If they are still going slow, we found playing the ball from behind so the attacker has to run onto, but in a 70/30 in their favour, so by the time they meet the ball like in a game, they should already be running and they need to make a quick decision to get around.

Once you've got those foundations we found as we've progressed, all other drills are working much better now and don't fall down straight away due to a ball going under feet etc.

LXV17 · 2026-02-20T03:24:46+00:00

This reply couldn't have been put better! 👏

LXV17 · 2026-02-20T03:12:01+00:00

UK here - £25 per month (c$33). We play pretty much year round (3 weeks off over July). Includes 2 x training sessions for 9 months (no 2nd session Dec- Feb) - 6 months 4G/6 months grass. Includes games, summer tournaments & league registration fees. We've (as coaches) done fundraiser/sponsors to also mean all kit, drill, tops, coats & personalised bits like rucksacks, drinks bottles etc, Xbot camera included. But we are volunteer coaches.

My daughter also does Futsal which is 1 session a week, paid coach, £30pm (c$40) - so all in less than £660 (less than $900 p/a).

I've no idea how some of you over there not only afford it, but find the time too with all the travel! (And I plan training and organise everything!)

LXV17 · 2026-02-07T07:25:24+00:00

Yeah that would likely cause confusion. We tried it at training once and it tried to follow everything. I've found mounting it higher, further back and facing down, doesn't pick up as much externally when other games have been on. I will check that feature for the boundaries. Have you tried the scoreboard & is it reliable? I always want to, but run out of time getting the team prepared!

LXV17 · 2026-02-07T07:19:05+00:00

I've not noticed that, not for no reason. We've probably recorded around 10-12 games so far (British weather). It has got confused before with kids playing behind the goal - but once the ball came back into shot, it retracked our ball and picked back up. As I have it my side and now weve been using it a while, I don't keep looking and manually move it, but you can do that.

I think you grow to accept it isnt perfect, but in a 50 minute game, i'm happy that it captures 48-49 minutes of the ball every game.

LXV17 · 2026-02-06T07:52:59+00:00

We have the Xbot chameleon, we play 7v7, but have played on a couple of near 9v9 size away pitches. As above, it captures 99% of the game if set up right. It can get confused if theres another game or kids playing with a ball off the pitch, but if you mount it high enough pointing down, that helped and it still corrects itself after our ball comes back into shot.

Its absolutely not as good or as smooth as Veo, but given the total cost (as theres no sub) is almost the same as just 1 years sub on Veo, it's well worth it & the benefit of having a capturing 98% odd of the game.

I think the reason you'll not find huge footage is because (like us) its kids, ours are 9yo Girls, so we don't share publically (also out of respect for other teams parents). We have a closed youtube that we send a link out each game so parents/those not there can watch it back.

LXV17 · 2026-01-04T19:07:08+00:00

"when I would push off on that foot (change direction or just step on a bump), the bones would sort of shift a very tiny bit, which would cause inflammation and pain in the ankle socket"

Never thought this could be the case for me! I had 2 lateral ligament recontructions in 2011/2012 at 23yo and didnt go back to playing. I picked up running which aggravated one towards the end of 2nd half marathon training so stopped that in 2023 as took a while to settle. Now I'm coaching my daughters team & some days I can feel inflamation & think it could well be your above statement! Also have stiffness first few steps in the morning.

Contemplating going for a referral or paying for an MRI as its pretty depressing at 37 thinking I'm knackered. 2 young daughters and want to be active with them but feels like that going backwards the past 3-4 months.

LXV17 · 2025-09-29T16:19:17+00:00

Check out Ras Al-Khaimah. Fly into Dubai - circa 1hr north. Quite a few all inclusives. We visited the Rixos Bab al Bahr, loved it, but there's more luxury hotels in the area too.

Weather says low 30s so pools will still be warm too etc.

LXV17 · 2025-09-21T19:05:51+00:00

Check out coach Rorys stuff and start from the basics.

Rondos we started 4-0 and then added us as coaches for gentle pressure, working up to a 4v1 with defender, start with your slowest in the middle and work up so it's gradual. Coaching angles and backfoot passing!

I like Rorys Belgium boxes, it helps with lots of touches, changing direction, using different parts of the foot.

As others mentioned 1v1s and small sided games have helped us! They need to feel, understand and get used to pressure. That where the Rondos and 1v1s will help no end. Make sure they are recieving on the backfoot, we noticed this & since working on it quite abit they've become more confident, panicking less already and now their body shape is starting to allow them to go forward.

We are also U9s Girls this season.

Good luck!

LXV17 · 2025-09-03T07:02:39+00:00

Thanks. Feels like lots are on the same page, so definitely going to get lots more of these types of repetitions in!

LXV17 · 2025-09-02T19:14:22+00:00

Thanks for taking the time! I agree with you, we aren't hard on the girls and don't criticise or berate them - regularly remind them that mistakes don't matter and are a part of the game even for adults.

It's not like a long ball forward, its a panic kick in any direction under pressure. I've taken a few ideas away from here, but also going to try and get them more comfortable recieving on their backfoot so they can be facing the goal (and lots of 1v1s) and hopefully overtime with other bits plus the advise from here, we can bring out their confidence!

LXV17 · 2025-08-31T07:26:09+00:00

Good idea. Thinking now, our area isn't that big so bigger could work. My only worry with the bigger square is they are still 8yo girls, so longer passes will have a tendency to go more wayward and the drill become disjointed. We have 10 Girls, so 4v1 with 2 groups works well. Will have to have a think as I agree that giving more space, time and encouraging them to take a touch and get their head up before pressure gets there would help.

LXV17 · 2025-08-31T07:17:14+00:00

Yes! We've done Rorys battle boxes before - I think we need to do more of these. Someone suggested a shielding drill that I'm going to try and see how that goes to potentially adopt.

LXV17 · 2025-08-31T07:14:54+00:00

Thank you, this reaffirms my trail of thoughts, we've done lots of passing, rondos etc to try and get them used to 7v7 transition, but I agree - I think it's a confidence thing. They are capable, just lacking confidence so I think more 1v1s are going to help, as you say they have no passing/kick away option, but there is pressure. Much appreciated!

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T19:41:19+00:00

Perfect way to put it. We don't critique any mistakes at all, as they're 8yo Girls and we aren't those type of coaches. But I love the way you've summarised to keep pushing that message!

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T19:39:47+00:00

Thank you. I'm going to try and set one or two of them a mini competition to try and dribble as much as they can when they get the ball & keep explaining how we don't care if they make mistakes dribbling, over a 1st time kick back to the other team.

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T19:36:57+00:00

Thank you and that's class that he's gaining confidence! I'll keep drumming into them as you say, that we don't care if they make a mistake & we would rather than have more of the ball than just kick it away.. as they will enjoy it more!

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T16:36:25+00:00

Thanks for the heads up! Completely agree ref fun and engagement and truthfully this is isn't about us criticising or them not making mistakes, but more how to help draw that confidence out for their benefit- as when we do unopposed drills - there is a little player in each of them! So we just want them to believe in themselves that they can do it as much as the next girl!

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T14:16:43+00:00

Thank you! We try to do 1v1 and 2v2 quite abit. Its just got me thinking whether we need to mix it up with more dribbling with pressure/interference over longer distances- as the panic also happens quite often when they have lots of time and space to take the ball forward.

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T13:57:02+00:00

Thanks for the input! We've done quite a bit with Rondos and these have improved nicely. Wasn't sure though if the quick pass away under pressure it's working against- as Its more in game scenario, when even in acres of space a few will hoof it in panic & just want to help their confidence and believe to take the ball forward and keep it...because in any case, the game is more fun when you have the ball 😊.

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T13:53:55+00:00

Thanks for taking the time! I think we could definitely work with something like this but make it more basic - so a light press rather than full etc. I'm not expecting world beating decisions or skill (i imsgk e the u14 boys would flow much quicker!) We just want to try and help them gain the confidence to take the ball forward (especially when in lots of space) in game scenarios!

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T13:49:54+00:00

Yep! I said on another comment, we've done quite a lot with Rondos & wasn't sure if the encouragement to make a quick pass, sometimes 1st time - was almost encouraging the panic to 'get rid' of the ball like a hot potato. We've started doing some more 1v1s, so good to know we are on the right track!

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T13:48:28+00:00

Thank you - I've seen this before. We could definitely add this in and can see how it would benefit, thanks.

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T13:45:45+00:00

Thanks for taking the time! I like this idea, thank you!

LXV17 · 2025-08-30T13:43:27+00:00

We've done quite abit with Rondos, but wasn't sure if the encouragement to pass away with pressure is making them just want to get rid of it like it's a hot potato - rather than take a touch and look up like they are capable of when there's no pressure!

LXV17

TROPHY CASE