Game version
Roller catches: a partner rolls from different angles and you scoop. The pair counts clean scoops in 60 seconds.
Keeper Scoop Catches
Gather balls rolled along the ground with the keeper's scoop.
By Coach Evan Waechtler Youth soccer coach (U11, Cache Valley, Utah) and founder of SSTracker Updated October 30, 2026
Set up
Your partner stands 5 steps away and rolls the ball straight at you.
Core: Medium. Beat your own best.
- Ages
- 7 and up
- Time
- 8 min
- Players
- You and a partner or parent
- Space
- Yard or field
- Bring
- Soccer ball, partner or parent
- Level · skill
- Beginner · Defending
The steps
How it works
- Your partner stands 5 steps away and rolls the ball straight at you.
- Step behind the line of the ball and bend forward, little fingers close together.
- Scoop the ball up into your chest and hug it.
- Do 20 catches, then have the rolls go one step to each side.
Coaching point
Get behind it, scoop and hug.
Safety: Practice falls on soft grass or a mat, start from your knees, and never dive at a player's feet without a coach.
Make it fun
Play it, don't drill it
Challenge
Levels: Less (slow), Core (medium), More (to your side). Beat your own best.
Story
You are a digger scooping treasure from the sand.
My best
Beat your own count
Beat your own best. Only your own number counts: today against last time.
Practice makes progress
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