Hey everyone, I was just wondering is practicing with a small ball bad or good for soccer itself. Was just wondering would juggling , dribbling etc with the smaller ball inside of my house ( instead of the size 5 ) be a detriment. Thanks!
Here is what some coaches said about it. http://andagain.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=3907403 Juggling and dribbling with a small ball will help you. Some people don't think it will help you more than spending the same time with a regular size ball, but some do. In my view, anything that makes practice fun for you is going to be good, because you will practice more often if you are enjoying it. Go to Brazil for 20 minutes. Try a small ball with some samba music. Or go Jamaican with some reggae.
For me after dribbling with a small ball then switching to normal size 5 ball its more difficult to dribble.
I'd say it's a pointless, and it hasn't helped me at all. The most common argument that people make for practicing with a smaller ball is that the "contact surface is smaller". Well, to me that doesn't hold water, because you don't actually strike "the ball" but strike a particular spot on the ball. What I do find helpful is practicing barefooted. Doing so reduces the contact area on your foot and forces you to be super precise. Also, if you want the ultimate juggling challenge, try juggling a tennis ball barefooted. You can use the number of times you can juggle as your progress gauge.
I see it as more of a test vs a skill builder. Its a difficult task but not necessarily a good skill builder. I think juggling a #5 ball around a cone pattern is infinitely more helpful in developing multidirectional touch in a complex balance situation. Also, another favorite series of drills is juggling at different heights. Juggle the ball below the knee, juggle at waist level, juggle at head level. Kicking the ball consistently to the same height using one touch will do wonders for the ability to weight passes properly and also striking the ball exactly at the right spot.