Several of these games are "knock-out" games where the losers are knocked out and the last player left is the winner. Since the first ones out are often the ones who need the most practice, the ones knocked out should be required to do something to either get back into the game or to keep them working on their ball skills until the game is over.

Numbers
This exercise is good for 1v1 dribbling skills. It is especially good on a hot day as the defending players can rest a bit. Divide the players into two groups. Assign each player a number depending upon the number of players you have so that each group has a number one, number two and so on. Try to make sure that the kids with the same numbers are evenly matched.

Set up two very wide goals with pylons. Spread the kids on each side across each goal line. Call out one or more numbers, and those kids come out to play 1v1, 2v2, etc., and the rest of the players remain spread out across the goal line as defenders. Throw a ball from the sideline to the center and let them play until a goal is scored, the defenders stop it, or it goes out of bounds.

Variation: Colors. Use two each of different colored pinnies, armbands or stickers to place on shirts (as younger kids will have trouble remembering numbers).


Monkey In The Middle
All players form a circle and choose someone to be the Monkey to be in the center. The players forming the circle pass one ball among them while the person in the center tries to gain control of the ball. When this happens, the person in the circle who last touched the ball goes to the center. Some level of competitiveness develops but never on an individual basis and the "losers" quickly get a chance to redeem themselves.

Ice Monster
Mark off an area for the game to be played and select one player to be the Ice Monster. Have the rest of the players (each with a ball) dribble around within the area. The Ice Monster attempts to touch each player's ball, at which point that player "freezes" with their foot on the ball. If a player's ball goes out of bounds, they also freeze. The last remaining unfrozen player gets to be the new Ice Monster for the next round.

Pirate
Everybody gets inside a circle (the center circle is fine) with a ball. One player without a ball is the Pirate. Every player with a ball begins dribbling around. The Pirate tries to steal a ball from any player and pass it out of the circle - now, the two players are Pirates and go after the others...then three, then four. Finally, only one player is left with a ball, and he/she becomes the Pirate for the next round.

Variation: Bomber. Just like Pirate except that the player who is "it" has a ball and tries to roll or throw it at the other players and knock their ball out of the circle.

Kick Out
Everyone dribbles and shields their ball within a circle while trying to kick everyone else's ball out and simultaneously protecting their own. You cannot kick someone else's ball out if your ball isn't in the circle. If your ball goes out, you have to leave the circle until to gets down to two players in a duel. The coach may need to participate to keep the game from becoming too competitive, as the ones eliminated early may feel badly.

Egg Hunt
Have more players than balls (the more balls, the better). Have the players line up across one end of the field. Take the balls and spread them out around the field (the eggs). At the other end of the field is a goal called the basket. Blow the whistle and turn them loose. The object of the game is to get all the eggs into the basket as quickly as possible. The players are all on the same team and aren't allowed to take a ball away from another player. Time them to see how fast they can accomplish the task.