Indoor Soccer Ideas

Playing soccer in an indoor environment comes with many advantages. The coaches, players and spectators don't have to worry about the games being cancelled due to weather. Since an indoor field is often shorter and narrower, the action happens faster, and players can use the walls to their advantage. However, the smaller field also mean adjusting playing strategies and practice drills.

  1. Goals and Goalies

    • For outside play, an adult soccer goal should be 8 feet high and 24 feet wide, according to Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) regulations. Children 10 and up can play with an adult soccer goal. An outdoor goalie should have strong legs so he can cover a great distance to protect the net. Indoor goals are scaled down in size to 6 feet 6 inches in height and 12 feet in width to accommodate the smaller field. Indoors, a goalie with quick hands to guard the goal is desirable.

    One-Touches

    • The smaller indoor field and goal size result in many goals being scored from close range. This allows your players to use a lot of one-touches -- touching the ball only once to pass or make a shot. Constantly moving the ball between players makes it very hard to steal. Use short passes in order to get the ball into scoring position. In this position place your best scorer. When the ball rebounds -- hits the goal or wall, or is blocked by the goalie -- your scorer is positioned to recover the ball, make a one-touch shot and score a goal.

    The Walls

    • Use the walls as another player on your team. If on the defensive, instruct your players to force the opposing player to dribble the ball to the wall. He will have a more difficult time scoring from this position, as the wall limits his range of motion. When on the offensive and an opposing player tries to block you, bounce the ball off the wall and around the other player. Maneuver around your opponent in order to retrieve the ball.

    Dribbling

    • Dribbling in soccer consists of carrying the ball past an opposing player, usually using a series of small kicks. It takes a great amount of control. Since you have a smaller playing area indoors, if a player loses control of the ball while dribbling, an opposing player will be right there to make a shot off of your player's slip-up. It's better to continually pass the ball. During indoor soccer, dribble only when you are faced with one or more opponents and no teammates to pass the ball to.