Soccer Bees Drill: A Youth Dribbling Game

The Soccer Bees game is a simple way to give young players many touches while practicing awareness and change of direction.

Setup

Create a square about 15–25 yards wide depending on numbers.

Each player has a ball.

Choose one or two “bees” without a ball.

How to play

Players dribble around the area while the bees try to tag them.

When tagged, a player performs a quick skill task before rejoining, for example:

• five toe taps;
• three pull-backs;
• dribble around a nearby cone;
• freeze with a foot on the ball for three seconds.

Change bees frequently.

Coaching points

• keep the ball close in traffic;
• look up between touches;
• change direction before the defender arrives;
• use both feet;
• accelerate into open space.

Progression: protected islands

Add small cone islands. A player can enter an island for no more than three seconds.

Now players must scan for both danger and safe space.

Progression: steal the ball

Give every player a ball. Rather than tagging, bees try to poke a ball outside the area. The owner retrieves it and completes a skill task.

Progression: directional finish

Place two gates on opposite sides. On the coach's signal, every player tries to escape through either gate while the bees defend.

Why it works for young players

The game creates repeated ball contacts and perception without long explanations.

Do not eliminate children for the rest of a round. Elimination reduces touches for the players who may need practice most.