By Tim Bradbury, Director of Coaching, Eastern New York Youth Soccer Association
Maybe it’s because I played the game as a kid and hated every drill I was put through. Maybe it’s because I can still remember the boredom as another repetitive exercise drained all the joy from soccer as quickly as a cold drink disappears on a hot day. Or maybe it’s because I was a creative kid who loved solving problems in my own way, and drills offered nothing but rote learning, with someone telling me exactly what to do and when to do it.
Whatever the reason, my dislike for drills runs deep.
That dislike only grew stronger when I studied Physical Education at university in England. Everything I learned about teaching methods, learning theory, and effective practice reinforced what I already knew: drills were joyless, restrictive, and ineffective. I felt validated — and inspired to create training activities that gave players freedom to think, solve problems, and have fun.
And the evidence keeps piling up. Every research article, every seminar on learning environments, every training course only strengthens the case against drills.
Which is why it’s so frustrating to see so many youth coaches still leaning on them. Time and again, I watch players slog through endless drills, their body language shouting the same message: I’m bored. I’m disengaged. I’ll make my own fun if the coach won’t. Ironically, it’s often these same coaches who then ask for advice on discipline or complain that their players lack focus.
And don’t get me started on pre-game warmups. How can a string of lifeless drills — with zero connection to the actual game — possibly prepare players to compete with energy, creativity, and intensity?
It’s time to stop. For good.
Here are the Top 10 Reasons Never to Use Drills:
- Drills are zero fun.
- Soccer is all about decisions and drills shut down thinking.
- Drills are boring.
- True skill development (myelination) depends on thinking, not repetition without thought.
- Drills create robots, not problem-solvers.
- Quality training looks like a slice of the game but drills never do.
- Drills push players away from the sport.
- The game demands decisions under pressure and drills don’t replicate this.
- Drills involve standing around waiting, guaranteed to be a fun killer.
- There are simply better, more engaging ways to teach.
What to Do Instead
- Design activities that look and feel like real soccer.
- Let players think, make mistakes, and find solutions.
- Are competitive, challenging, and fun.
- Can be structured to repeat key skills under increasing pressure.
- Keep everyone involved at all times.
- Force players to juggle multiple problems at once, just like the demands in the game.
Do this, and your players will show up to practice with energy, passion, and joy. They’ll learn more, improve faster, and fall in love with the game — the way it’s meant to be played.