Becoming a great soccer player is not all about skills and talent. Besides individual ability, it is teamwork that makes a great player. There are 11 players on the pitch and unless they communicate and cooperate, it will be hard to win any matches. Wondering on how to increase team spirit? Some of the best ways to do so are on the training ground. Take a look at these simple drills you can include into your training sessions in order to improve teamwork skills as well as individual skills.

Bounce Bounce Pass

This is a drill that all coaches use when they want their players to form better relationships. The entire team is split in groups of two and each group gets a ball. It is up to first player to bounce the ball to himself twice, once on each leg. Hence the name of the game is “bounce bounce”. The player than lets the ball fall on the ground and passes it to his partner who is supposed to do the same. The difficulty of the drill can be increased with the players’ level of ability. As they get better they don’t have to let the ball fall on the ground, or they can have some obstacles between them. Drills like this improve the players’ overall ability but also improve their cardio and overall health.

Running Shot Relay

Another drill that helps build the teamwork is running shot relay. The whole team is split into two groups. Both groups should have soccer balls placed at the same distance. Once they hear the whistle, the first player in each team runs towards the ball and takes the shot. If he does not score a goal, he should grab the ball and get back to the line. The drill is finished once all the players in each group have scored a goal. Once there are only a few players left, all of the others will start shouting and cheering. This is how team spirit is built, and team spirit is the foundation of teamwork. For more advanced players, there can be cones placed between them and the goal, in order to make their way to the goal more difficult. If you are looking for a place to get cones and other training equipment, look at soccer training equipment online.

Playmaker Exercises

The players who play mid-field have to communicate with the rest of their team during the game. If there is no proper communication between the playmaker and the rest of the squad, the team is not going to do good. While you work on your playmaker’s ability to cooperate with the other players, the game in general will benefit from it. Make up a couple of plays for the players and give the ball to the playmaker. The other players should fight for their positions and the one who feels that he has the highest chances of scoring should give a sign to the playmaker who is going to pass him the ball. While practicing plays that might actually happen during the game, the players actually learn how to communicate with each and start understanding the importance of teamwork.

Even though individual skills are important, there is no “I” in “team”. That is why these drills can be of great help. Not only will they improve the mood in the locker room but also improve the players’ game.