Technical Challenges

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The Skillzys® Technical Challenge is a series of 9 different technical challenges that can be set up on a single full-size soccer field.  Perfect for camps, tournaments, and club outings, there are challenges to test any level player. 

As with nearly all our products, Technical Challenge Skillzys® can be fully customized with team or club logos and designed using any color you choose.  We can even use your own levels, terminology, or design brand-new Technical Challenge Skillzys® for you.

Hosting all 9 Technical Challenges? Click to see our suggested field layout (PDF).

Note that these are simple challenges designed first and foremost to be fun and enjoyable for the kids.  If you're looking for more advanced testing, measurement, and tracking of technical skills, please check out our partners over at iSoccer (iSoccer.org) and their National Assessment, or check out the iSoccer Skillzys® page here.

 

 

Crack the Crossbar

OBJECTIVE: Hit the crossbar from specific distances

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Ball Striking, Ball Striking Accuracy, Leg Strength

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: One goal, 7 disks, cones, or other field markers

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, set up Start Lines at each of the following distances away from the goal: 10 yards, 15 yards, 20 yards, 25 yards, 30 yards, 35 yards, and 40 yards.

PROCEDURE: Players place their ball on the Start Line 10 yards away from the goal and attempt to kick the ball and hit the crossbar.  Contact with any piece of the crossbar earns the Skillzy® for that Start Line distance.

CHALLENGE ME MORE!: For a more difficult challenge, try these variations:

  • Variation 1 - Use your nondominant kicking foot.
  • Variation 2 - Have a teammate pass the ball towards you and one-touch it (do not control it first) at the crossbar.
  • Variation 3 - Have a teammate pass the ball towards you and one-touch it (do not control it first) at the crossbar using your nondominant foot.
  • Variation 4 - Back up from the Start Line with your ball, touch the ball forward towards the Start Line, and kick the ball at the crossbar as it is moving away from you.
  • Variation 5 - Back up from the Start Line with your ball, touch the ball forward towards the Start Line, and kick the ball at the crossbar as it is moving away from you using your nondominant foot.

On all the moving ball variations above, make sure to kick the ball from behind your Start Line.

SKILLZYS®: 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 yards

 

Dribbling Turns

OBJECTIVE: With two Turn Lines spaced 5 yards apart, see how many times players can cross each Turn Line in 30 seconds using a specific Dribbling Turn

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Dribbling Turns, Dribbling, Ball Control, Speed, Quickness

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 4 disks, cones, or other field markers per station, 1 stop watch or other time-keeping device

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, set up 5x5-yard squares (stations).  Designate two opposing endlines as the Turn Lines.

PROCEDURE: Players begin behind one Turn Line, facing the opposite turn line.  On the "Go!" signal, the players dribble past the opposite Turn Line, use a specified Dribbling Turn to turn and cross back over the Turn Line they just dribbled over, and move towards the initial Turn Line to repeat the Dribbling Turn.  Every time a player turns back over a Turn Line they just crossed, count 1 towards their final tally.

CHALLENGE ME MORE!: For a more difficult challenge, try these variations:

  • Variation 1 - Use your nondominant foot to dribble and to turn with

SKILLZYS®: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Black for the following turns - Pull Back Turn, Stop Turn, Cap Turn, Step Over Turn, Inside Hook Turn, Outside Hook Turn, and Cruyff Turn.  You choose what Skillzys® represent the total number of turns completed based on your own team's ability.

 

Kick for Distance

OBJECTIVE: See how far players can kick a soccer ball accurately in the air

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Ball Striking, Ball Striking Accuracy, Leg Strength

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 12 - 17 disks, cones, or other field markers

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, set up a 50x15-yard channel with distance markers 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards, and 50 yards from the Start Line.

PROCEDURE: Players place their ball on or behind the Start Line and attempt to kick the ball and land it beyond a distance marker but within the 15-yard wide channel.

CHALLENGE ME MORE!: For a more difficult challenge, try these variations:

  • Variation 1 - Use your nondominant kicking foot.
  • Variation 2 - Have a teammate pass the ball towards you and one-touch it (do not control it first) for distance.
  • Variation 3 - Have a teammate pass the ball towards you and one-touch it (do not control it first) for distance using your nondominant foot.
  • Variation 4 - Back up from the Start Line with your ball, touch the ball forward towards the Start Line, and kick the ball for distance as it is moving away from you.
  • Variation 5 - Back up from the Start Line with your ball, touch the ball forward towards the Start Line, and kick the ball for distance as it is moving away from you using your nondominant foot.

On all the moving ball variations above, make sure to kick the ball from behind your Start Line.

SKILLZYS®: 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 yards

 

Pinpoint Pass

OBJECTIVE: Pass the ball into a small goal from various distances

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Passing Technique, Passing Accuracy, Passing Distance

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 14 disks, cones, or other field markers, and a small Target Goal.  4'-wide pop-up goals work great.

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, set up Start Lines at each of the following distances away from the Target Goal: 10 yards, 15 yards, 20 yards, 25 yards, 30 yards, 35 yards, and 40 yards.

PROCEDURE: Players place their ball on or behind a Start Line and attempt to pass the ball into the Target Goal.

CHALLENGE ME MORE!: For a more difficult challenge, try these variations:

  • Variation 1 - Use your nondominant passing foot.
  • Variation 2 - Have a teammate pass the ball towards you and one-touch it (do not control it first) into the Target Goal.
  • Variation 3 - Have a teammate pass the ball towards you and one-touch it (do not control it first) into the Target Goal using your nondominant foot.
  • Variation 4 - Back up from the Start Line with your ball, touch the ball forward towards the Start Line, and pass the ball into the Target Goal when the ball is moving away from you.
  • Variation 5 - Back up from the Start Line with your ball, touch the ball forward towards the Start Line, and pass the ball into the Target Goal when the ball is moving away from you using your nondominant foot.

On all the moving ball variations above, make sure to pass the ball towards the Target Goal from behind your Start Line.

SKILLZYS®: 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 yards

 

Punt for Distance

OBJECTIVE: See how far players can punt a soccer ball accurately in the air

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Ball Striking, Punting Accuracy and Distance, Leg Strength

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 16 - 23 disks, cones, or other field markers

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, set up a 70x15-yard channel with distance markers 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards, 50 yards, 60 yards, and 70 yards from the Start Line.

PROCEDURE: From behind the Start Line, players attempt to punt the ball and land it beyond a distance marker but within the 15-yard wide channel.

CHALLENGE ME MORE!: For a more difficult challenge, try these variations:

  • Variation 1 - Use your nondominant kicking foot
  • Variation 2 - Drop-kick the ball
  • Variation 3 - Use your nondominant foot to drop-kick the ball

SKILLZYS®: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 yards

 

Speed Dribble

OBJECTIVE: See how fast players can dribble 45 yards

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Dribbling, Running With the Ball, Ball Control, Field Awareness

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 18 disks, cones, or other field markers, another 4 preferably in a different color, and a stopwatch or other time-keeping device.

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, set up a 50x3-yard channel.  On one end of the channel should be a designated Start Line.  Use the 4 different colored markers to form a 5x3-yard Stop Box at the farthest end of the channel away from the Start Line.

PROCEDURE: Players begin with a ball at their feet on the Start Line.  At the "Go!" signal, time is started and the players dribble their ball in the channel towards the Stop Box.  Time is stopped when the player takes their first touch IN the Stop Box.  The narrow confines of the channel and the need to be in control of the ball in order to stop it at the end of the channel make this a true challenge.

CHALLENGE ME MORE!: For a more difficult challenge, try these variations:

  • Variation 1 - Use your nondominant kicking foot
  • Variation 2 - Drop-kick the ball
  • Variation 3 - Use your nondominant foot to drop-kick the ball

SKILLZYS®: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 yards

 

Super Swerve

OBJECTIVE: Bend the ball into the goal from acute angles

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Ball Striking, Bending the Ball

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 6 disks, cones, or other field markers, and a goal

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, mark out 3 Start Points on each side of the goal.  Start Points are 1 yard out onto the field from the endline, and set up 10 yards, 15 yards, and 20 yards out from each goal post.

PROCEDURE: From a Start Point players try to bend the ball into the goal.

CHALLENGE ME MORE!: For a more difficult challenge, try these variations:

  • Variation 1 - The ball must be played in the air and cross the goal line after the first bounce
  • Variation 2 - The ball must be played in the air and cross the goal line without bouncing

SKILLZYS®: Inside of the Foot 5, 10, and 15; Outside of the Foot 5, 10, and 15; Inside of the Weak Foot 5, 10, and 15; Outside of the Weak Foot 5, 10, and 15

 

Throw-In for Distance

OBJECTIVE: Using proper throw-in technique, see how far you can throw the soccer ball accurately in the air

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Throw-In Mechanics, Throw-In Accuracy, Upper Body Strength

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 14 - 20 disks, cones, or other field markers

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, set up a 30x5-yard channel with distance markers 5 yards, 10 yards, 15 yards, 20 yards, 25 yards, and 30 yards from the Start Line.

PROCEDURE: Players use the Start Line like a regular soccer sideline and attempt to throw the ball and land it beyond a distance marker but within the 5-yard wide channel.

SKILLZYS®: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 yards

 

Traveling Juggling

OBJECTIVE: Juggle the ball while moving forward

TECHNIQUES TESTED: Juggling, Ball Control

EQUIPMENT NEEDED: 22 disks, cones, or other field markers

SETUP: Using disks, cones, or other field markers, mark out a Start line and 10 distance lines at 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards, 50 yards, 60 yards, 70 yards, 80 yards, 90 yards, and 100 yards away from the Start Line.

PROCEDURE: From the Start Line, players attempt to juggle the ball (keep the ball in the air using any soccer-part of their body) as they move forward past distance markers.  Note that a player must complete three juggles once they get past a distance marker and before they reach the next distance marker in order to earn the Skillzy® for the distance marker they just crossed over. 

CHALLENGE ME MORE!: For a more difficult challenge, try these variations:

  • Variation 1 - Feet Only!

SKILLZYS®: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 yards

 

 

Skillzys® iDIt™ - Make It Yours

Make your Technical Challenge Skillzys® yours by adding your club logo, team name, or even your own name to your cards through Skillzys® iDIt™.  Logos are printed on the front of the cards in full-color, and text can be printed in any color you choose. 

 

 

Our online store is currently an offline store, undergoing some major overhauling.  We apologize for any inconvenience. 

 

Skillzys® retail at $2.95 a piece.  Volume pricing available for teams, clubs, and organizations.

Please contact us at sales@skillzys.com or call (888) 943-8997 to place an order, inquire about products and pricing, or just to talk.