Dribbling the Ball - Head Up for coaches/players.
 

 One of the hardest things to do when dribbling is to see the ball and also to see what is happening around you.  If you watch really good players it looks like they don’t have to look at the ball when they dribble and when you look at lower level players it looks like they have to stare at the ball when dribbling.

The reality is that even top players have to see the ball when dribbling but the difference is they know they can see the ball and also see the field at the same time.  The good news is that this is a “skill” that can be worked on and improved.

Start with a soccer ball on the ground right in front of your feet.  Look straight ahead and see if you see the ball at your feet.  If you can, that that means you can dribble the ball while looking straight ahead and still see the ball.  If you can’t see the ball while looking straight ahead, then slowly lower your head  until you can see the ball with
your peripheral vision.  This is the point where you will be able to look forward and also see the ball.

Once you determine how far ahead you can see while watching the ball at your feet, the next step is to practice dribbling while keeping your head up to the level where you can still see the ball.  This can be done by dribbling randomly in an area, or dribbling around cones or really by doing any type of dribbling you want.   The more you practice dribbling with your head up, the more you realize how much you can see while also watching the ball.

 Learning to see many things at the same time will help you become a much better soccer player.