Practicing shooting alone is one of the most common things a player does when they step on the pitch by themselves. It is very common to drive by a soccer field and see someone shooting on the net alone. Although shooting at the net is what we do in soccer to win games, it is not necessarily the right way to practice if you want to get the most out of your training sessions.
If you go to a soccer field to practice alone, you need a game plan. Showing up to the field and just shooting the ball will not give you game specific scenarios. When have you played a game where the net is wide open without any defenders or goalie and you can just shoot the ball into the net without a worry in the world? Not many.
This is where game specific scenarios come in when practicing shooting the soccer ball during a training session alone. You need to get into the mentality that shooting the ball in the goal requires more than just a shot; it requires actual soccer intelligence.
Intelligent Soccer Shooting Techniques Require:
- Knowing when to pass the ball or when to take the shot
- Know where the goalkeeper is positioned
- Anticipate defender movements
- Anticipate your own teammate passes
- Use your other teammate runs as decoys to take your shot
Below are the top 8 best simple soccer shooting drills you can do alone to get the most out of your training sessions. The soccer shooting drills are organized from easiest to hardest. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 1 – Sprint Shooting
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice a sprint maneuver coming off-sides and back on-sides with a quick turn back towards the center. The ball will be placed in the center of the box.
Training Scenario
Pretend you are off-sides and someone in the midfield is looking to play you a through ball. You sprint back on-sides (towards the first cone), and run back towards the direction of the ball (where the midfielder sent the pretend through ball). As you approach the ball, aim for a finesse shot in either corner of the net. Even though this drill is simply and easy, practice this drill with intensity as if it were a real game situation.
There are many times you might catch yourself off-sides coming back from a play and you need to sprint back on-sides so your teammates can pass you the ball.
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the goal. If you have more than 1 ball, keep them at the first cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 2 – Run Behind Defender Shot
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice runs behind the defenders using one training cone as the pivot point. The ball will be placed just before the 18 yard box.
Training Scenario
There will be three cones placed on the field. The first will be the starting cone, where you will start the movement. The second cone will be placed diagonal from your starting point to act as the defender standing there. The third cone is where the ball will be placed.
Start your sprint towards the second cone and pivot in towards the direction of the ball. The movement here is to emphasize the runs behind a defender. In a game situation, there will be plays where you need to make movements off the ball, to create passing opportunities for your teammates. If you make a run behind the defender starting from the center, it will naturally pull the defender one way and create the opportunity for you to change directions fast looking for a through ball.
Once you approach the ball, aim for accuracy in either corner as if you were 1v1 with the goalie. See Drill Scenario image below for more detail.
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 1 ball, keep them at the first cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 3 – Run-In Accuracy Shooting
The purpose of this shooting soccer drill is to practice run-in accuracy shooting starting from outside the 18 yard box and making your way towards the center. The balls will be placed next to each cone.
Training Scenario
There will be four cones placed on the field. The first will be the starting cone (with no ball), where you will start the movement. The second, third, and fourth cone will be placed diagonal from your starting point with a ball next to each cone.
Follow the running path as shown in the animation. As you approach each ball, focus on aiming with accuracy but keep the movement going towards the next ball. For example, once you kick the first ball, do not stop and watch it go in. Make a quick accurate shot and immediately go to the next ball.
This scenario practices in-game shots where you are approaching the ball with speed and have the opportunity to shoot the ball with no defender on you. Sometimes you are faced with a situation where there is a dead ball (the ball is not moving) and you are running towards it with a defender approaching you. You either can try and win the ball and make a pass or in this case, once you make it to the ball first, you take that quick shot.
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 4 – Sprint Turn and Shoot
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice run up power shots after a sprint with both feet. Two balls will be placed on each side outside the 18 yard box.
Training Scenario
There will be four cones placed on the field. The first will be the starting cone (with no ball), placed directly in the center, where you will start the movement. The second, third, and fourth cone will be placed as shown in the animation, creating a triangle shape. One ball will be placed on the two side cones outside the 18 yard box.
Starting from the first starting cone, sprint towards the main middle cone away from the goal and immediately make a sharp turn to the cone where the ball is at. As you’re approaching the ball, hit it with power and follow through with the shot. Immediately turn around and sprint to the furthest middle cone and back to the center starting cone. Repeat for the other side with the opposite foot.
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 5 – Diagonal Sprint Shots
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice accuracy power shots while making fast movements in the opposite direction.
Training Scenario
3 cones will be placed outside the 18 yard box and 1 cone will be placed inside the box as shown in the animation below. 3 total soccer balls will be used. One soccer ball will be next to each cone, not including the starting cone.
Starting from the first starting cone, sprint diagonal towards the first cone and shoot the ball. Immediately make a sharp turn to the next cone and follow through until the last ball. The first shot should focus on power with the shot going to the top right corner. The second shot should be a powerful accuracy shot with the left foot to the first post on the right. The last shot is inside the box as if you were one on one with the keeper and needed an accurate shot on the left far post.
Shoot with a purpose while practicing this drill. In other words, don’t just shoot to shoot. Make all your shots intelligent, in a way that you know where you want the ball to go and decide if you are going for accuracy or more power.
Equipment
If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 6 – Beating Off-Sides Trap Shot
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice a scenario where you are given a through ball past the opponents defenders beating an off-sides trap.
Training Scenario
3 cones will be placed inside the 18 yard box diagonally from each other as shown in the animation below. 1 soccer ball will be used for each repetition. The soccer ball will be placed next to the last cone.
Starting from the first cone, sprint forward towards the second cone. Immediately, make a quick turn back towards the first cone and then sprint towards the last cone where the ball is at. As you approach the ball, aim the ball with accuracy to either the left or right post.
Pretend you are in a situation where your teammate is looking to pass you the ball up top but the defenders are looking to play an off-sides trap. You sprint forward but have to immediately turn around to get back on-sides. This small movement leaves the defender behind, allowing you space to sprint forward looking for the through ball being played.
Equipment
If you have more than 1 ball, keep more next to the last cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 7 – Simple Layoff Shot
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice a simple moving ball shot outside the 18 yard box.
Training Scenario
2 cones will be placed outside the 18 yard box straight from each other as shown in the animation below. 1 soccer ball will be used for each repetition. The soccer ball will be placed next to the last cone.
Start at the first cone and roll the ball forward to the second cone. As the ball is rolling, approach the ball and strike it with the inside of the foot to practice accuracy shots or with the laces for power shots. This scenario is based on an attacking position coming from the corner. Sometimes you will be placed in a situation where you move inward with the ball towards the center, which can create the opportunity to shoot.
Equipment
If you have more than 1 ball, keep more next to the last cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 8 – Turn And Shoot
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice shooting inside the 18 yard box with your back away from the goal and defender.
Training Scenario
3 cones will be placed inside the 18 yard box creating an ‘L’ shape as shown in the animation below. 1 soccer ball will be used for each repetition. The soccer ball at the starting cone.
This scenario involves you facing away from the net and quickly turning either left or right and putting the ball in the net in the fastest time possible, as if you were under pressure. Begin at the starting cone and sprint forward with the ball to the second cone. Maintain control of the ball at all times. Once you reach the second cone, make a sharp turn in the direction of the last cone and shoot the ball.
There will be many times in a game where you are inside the 18 yard box after receiving the ball with your back turned away from goal. It is very important to be able to control the ball and make quick movements to the left or right and shoot the ball under pressure.
Equipment
If you have more than 1 ball, keep more by the first cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
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