South Jersey Elite Barons Youth Academy

Juggling Program

Here’s a great way to improve your skills and challenge your friends and family! Join the First Touch Program!

Purpose
The First Touch Program is designed to promote, encourage and challenge our players to spend more of their free time juggling. As we all know, juggling is an integral part of player development. It is also a known fact that all good jugglers are not necessarily good soccer players, but it is certain that all good soccer players are good jugglers. We want to encourage our young players to make juggling a habit because:
    •    Players develop better overall ball manipulation skills.
    •    Players develop coordination, balance, reaction, speed, & learn to use both feet etc.
    •    Players can set and achieve goals (personal juggling record) and also develop good work/practice habits and determination to reach those goals.

Levels
    •    Gold: 1,000 juggles - name on website and t-shirt.
    •    Silver: 500 juggles - name on website and certificate.
    •    Bronze: 100 juggles - name on website.
    •    Junior (U11 and below): 50 juggles for U11 players, 25 juggles for developmental players - name on website and certificate.

Process
    •    All juggles must be done in front of a coach and not in front of a team manager, parent, friend, etc.
    •    All juggles must be feet only!
    •    The coach will email John Thompson, at jthompson@sjbarons.com with the participant’s name, team, and number of juggles.
Here are some ways to improve your First Touch!

THE ONE-BOUNCE GAME
Players juggle but are allowed a bounce in between each touch. It is important to make sure that you use both feet. This is a great activity for those players just learning how to juggle/improve their first touch.

Modifications:
- Alternate feet.
- Take a bounce juggle twice with the same foot, and then bounce, then juggle twice with the opposite foot, repeat etc.
- Juggle foot, thigh, then a bounce, then switch feet/legs.
- Juggle foot, head, thigh, foot then a bounce and switch legs/feet.

REGULAR JUGGLING IDEAS
- Juggle Feet Only.
- Alternate right to left foot.
- Around the world - this is a hard one! Start with ball on right thigh, then right foot, to right shoulder, to head, to left shoulder, to left thigh, to left foot, back to right thigh and then repeat.
- Juggle feet only, keeping the ball below your knees.
- Juggle feet only keeping the ball below your shins.
- Take one to two touches (start any touch progress to feet only) then knock the ball to head level, then receive, take one to touches then hit the ball to head level again.
- Take one to two juggles, knock the ball over your head/find it, then take the ball out of the air (without a bounce), and continue the process with one to two touches, then knock the ball over again.

JUGGLE SEQUENCE GAME
Players will begin with one juggle with either foot, then add one more juggle with the other foot, then switch back to the other foot, and add another juggle. Keep on going as high as you can go.
Example: Right foot = 1, Left foot =2, Right foot = 3, Left Foot = 4 and continue.

JUGGLE AGAINST A WALL
Take one to two touches, and hit a ball up against a wall and or a hard surface. Then, receive the ball out of the air without a bounce; take one to two touches again.
Modifications:
    •    one foot only.
    •    alternate feet.
    •    touch to the wall must be headed.
    •    must receive the ball out of the air feet only.

SOCCER TENNIS
This is a great game to play with a partner and something great to do before and after practice. Here is the basic game.

Set up a makeshift "net" out of cones, a ladder, or even a row of soccer bags stacked up, or use one of the very cool soccer tennis nets. Then cone off a small sized "court" to fit the number of players and the net. If you are playing on the driveway use some chalk or just the lines in the pavement. Needless to say, if you have a real tennis court at your disposal, try it..... (As long as you don’t get yelled at by the tennis coach.)

Divide up teams. You can play 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or even 4v4 on a large court. You can play odd numbers like 2v3, etc. One player serves from deep in their court across the net to the other team. At first the idea is not to win the point on the serve, but just get the point started.

We usually bounce the ball and then half-volley it across for the serve, but some variations we use are - serving the ball off the ground after a "toe-lift", or just directly "flipping" it over with one’s toe. Sometimes we toss it up in the air and "head" it over to get things started. Then the defending player controls the serve, sometimes after a bounce but occasionally out of the air. They will learn quickly to get their bodies in front of the ball and use their thighs, chest or head to make contact.
Then you start counting bounces on the ground. Of course in real tennis, the players are only allowed 1 bounce. You will eventually get this good with soccer tennis, but start with more bounces to allow for learning. I let my little kids take 3 or 4 bounces but the older kids are allowed only 1 or 2. (And of course, the coaches are only allowed 1.)

Juggling (without the ball bouncing) is encouraged. It doesn’t "count" against the player and they can maneuver the ball close to the net for a better shot. Players can and should pass to each other. They will learn to chip a deep shot up to their team mate who then can try to put it away.
It can be lots of fun while they refine a soft touch with their juggle touches, volleys and half-volleys.

Age Group
Name Juggles Year

U8 Boys

U9 Boys

U10 Boys

U11 Boys

U12 Boys Mason Bitar 436 2011

U13 Boys Mason Bitar 768 2012

U14 Boys
Will Stewart 962 2012

U15 Boys Will Stewart 1,242 2012

U16 Boys

U17 Boys

U18 Boys

U8 Girls

U9 Girls Carly Reighard 486 2012

U10 Girls Kylie Daigle 968 2012

U11 Girls Olivia Kedzoria 198 2012

U12 Girls Megan Silvia 200 2012

U13 Girls Sarah Bockius 200 2007

U14 Girls Shea Levi 1,100 2007

U15 Girls

U16 Girls

U17 Girls

U18 Girls

Juggling & Tricks

The following tables are the juggling guidelines to develop coordination and comfort on the ball. Every exercise is done with a ball, with out pressure so that the player develops confidence. Eventually, increase the speed of the move. Later, these moves can be incorporated in another more complex setting.

#	U6 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	Kick Right High	Kick the ball with your right foot as high as you can.
2	Kick Left High	Kick the ball with your left foot as high as you can.
3	Punt Right Distance	Punt the ball with your right foot as far as you can to a partner up the field.
4	Punt Left Distance	Punt the ball with your left foot as far as you can to a partner up the field.
5	Punt Right Off Bounce	Kick the ball with your right foot off the bounce as high as you can.
6	Punt Left Off Bounce	Kick the ball with your left foot off the bounce as high as you can.
7	Kick Catch	Kick the ball with your foot 3-4 feet in the air and catch. Alternate your right and left foot.
8	Thigh Catch	Play the ball with your thigh 1-2 feet in the air and catch. Alternate your right and left foot.
9	Scoop Ball for Height	See how high you can scoop the ball up in the air.
10	Scoop Ball for Distance	Scoop the ball to a partner.

#	U7 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	5 Kick Catches, Right	Kick the ball with your right foot 3-4 feet in the air and catch. Do this five times in a row.
2	5 Thigh Catches, Left	Kick the ball with your right foot 3-4 feet in the air and catch. Do this five times in a row.
3	Head Catch	Head the ball straight up and catch.
4	Feet Twice	Juggle the ball with your feet twice in a row and catch.
5	Thigh Twice	Juggle the ball with your thigh twice in a row and catch.
6	Head Twice	Juggle the ball with your head twice in a row and catch.
7	Thigh Foot Catch	Juggle with your thigh then to your foot and catch.
8	Head Thigh Catch	Throw the ball up in the air and juggle from your head to your thigh to your foot, catch.
9	3 Juggles	Juggle the ball three times in a row.
10	Inside of Foot	Kick the ball with the inside of your foot and catch.

#	U8 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet 3 Times	Juggle the ball with your feet 3 times in a row.
2	Thighs 3 Times	Juggle the ball with your thighs 3 times in a row.
3	Head 3 Times	Juggle the ball with your head 3 times in a row.
4	Punt High, Catch	Punt the ball in the air with your right foot and catch it. Do the same only with your left foot.
5	2 Thighs – 2 Feet	Juggle the ball twice with the thigh then twice with your feet.
6	Foot, Thigh, Foot	Juggle the ball from your foot to your thigh and back down to your foot.
7	Bounce Kick 5 Times	On a bouncing surface juggle the ball and let it bounce in between each juggle. Do this 5 times in a row.
8	10 Feet Catches	Juggle with your foot and catch. Do this 10 times in a row.
9	10 Head Catches	Juggle with your head and catch. Do this 10 times in a row.
10	10 Thigh Catches	Juggle with your thigh and catch. Do this 10 times in a row.

#	U9 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet 5 Times	Juggle the ball with your feet 5 times in a row.
2	Thighs 4 Times	Juggle the ball with your thighs 4 times in a row.
3	Head 3 Times	Juggle the ball with your head 3 times in a row.
4	Head – Thigh – Foot	Juggle the ball with your head down to your thigh then down to your foot.
5	Sombrero	Kick the ball over your head and behind you then kick it again with your foot then catch.
6	Inside Foot 2 Times	Juggle the ball with the inside of your foot twice in a row.
7	Bounce Kick 10 Times	On a bouncing surface juggle the ball and let it bounce in between each juggle. Do this 10 times in a row.
8	High Kick, Thigh, Foot	Kick the ball over your head at least then juggle it with your thigh and back down to your foot.
9	Head – Shoulder	Juggle the ball from your head to your shoulder.
10	Head, Shoulder, Catch	Juggle the ball with your head then your shoulder then catch.

#	U10 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet 25 Times	Juggle the ball with your feet 25 times in a row.
2	Thighs 10 Times	Juggle the ball with your thighs 10 times in a row.
3	Head 10 Times	Juggle the ball with your head 10 times in a row.
4	½ Around-the-World	Right foot, right thigh, left thigh, left foot. Continue around twice or 8 touches.
5	2 Left and 2 Right	Juggle the ball twice in a row with your left foot then twice in a row with your right foot.
6	Head, Shoulder, Head	Juggle the ball with you head, then shoulder, then head and catch.
7	Ball Up with Feet	Pick the ball up with your feet and juggle 5 times.
8	High Punt – Foot – Foot	Juggle the ball above your head 5 times in a row.
9	Thighs 2 Left, 2 Right	Juggle the ball with your left thigh 2 times in a row then your right thigh 2 times in a row.
10	Donkey Kick-Up	Pinch the ball between your feet and hop to pick the ball up and juggle 5 times.

#	U11 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet 50 Times	Juggle the ball with your feet 50 times in a row.
2	Thighs 25 Times	Juggle the ball with your thighs 25 times in a row.
3	Head 25 Times	Juggle the ball with your head 25 times in a row.
4	2 Left and 2 Right with Feet x6	Juggle the ball with your left foot 2 times in a row then your right foot 2 times in a row. Continue until you reach 6 times without dropping ball or 24 touches.
5	2 Head, Shoulder	Juggle the ball twice with your head then your shoulder and back up to your head twice and catch.
6	½ Around-the-World x5	Right foot, right thigh, left thigh, left foot. Continue around 5 times or 20 touches.
7	Pick Up the Ball w/ Feet	Place sole of foot on ball, roll ball back and quickly move foot underneath ball to pop it up, juggle.
8	Pick-Up Ball-Pinch	Place ball between feet and quickly pinch feet together to pick ball up and juggle.
9	Pick-Up Ball-Scoop	Place foot behind ball and scoop ball up and juggle.
10	2 Left and 2 Right Thighs x6	Juggle the ball with your left thigh 2 times in a row then your right thigh 2 times in a row. Continue until you reach 6 times without dropping ball or 24 touches.
11	Inside of Foot Left and Right 6 Times	Juggle ball with inside of foot alternating left and right foot for 6 times in a row.
12	High & Low Head 2 Times	Juggle ball with head high and then low continue for 2 times in a row or 4 touches.
13	Pick-Up Sole, Opposite Foot	Place sole of foot on ball, roll ball back onto opposite foot and pick ball up by hopping and juggle.

#	U12 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet 100 Times	Juggle the ball with your feet 100 times in a row.
2	Thighs 50 Times	Juggle the ball with your thighs 50 times in a row.
3	Head 50 Times	Juggle the ball with your head 50 times in a row.
4	2 Left and 2 Right with Feet x10	Juggle the ball with your feet twice the right and twice with the left continue until you reach 10 times in a row without dropping ball or 40 touches.
5	Head , Shoulder, Head x5	Head the ball then shoulder then head. Continue until you reach 5 in a row.
6	½ Around the World	Right foot, right thigh, left thigh, left foot continue until you reach 10 times in a row without dropping ball or 40 touches.
7	Outside Foot Pick Up	Roll the ball back, and then scoop it up with the outside of your foot.
8	Pick-Up Ball-Toe It	Pinch ball between ankles, roll ball up by lifting right foot, toe the ball down toward the ground, turn and juggle off the bounce.
9	Pick-Up Ball-Heel It	Place right foot beside ball, with heel of left foot hit ball against right foot, ball will pop up, juggle.
10	Roll ‘N Spin	Pinch ball in between ankles, roll ball up left leg by lifting right foot, pivot quickly on left to juggle ball.
11	Outside of Foot	Juggle outside of foot 5 consecutive times. Complete with the other foot as well.
12	5 Foot – Heads	Head foot, head foot, etc. Continue until you reach 10.

#	U13 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet 250 Times	Juggle the ball with your feet 250 times in a row.
2	Thighs 150 Times	Juggle the ball with your thighs 150 times in a row.
3	Head 100 Times	Juggle the ball with your head 100 times in a row.
4	Sombreros	Juggle the ball over and behind head, juggle twice then repeat until you execute the skill 4 times in a row. Use both feet.
5	Head – Shoulder – Head 6x	Juggle the ball with your head, shoulder, head for 6 times in a row.
6	Outside-Inside-Outside-Inside	Juggle the ball with the outside of right foot then inside of right foot then outside of left foot then inside of left foot.
7	10 No-Look Thighs	Juggle the ball with thighs for 10 times without looking at the ball, look straight ahead.
8	Around-the-World	Right foot, right thigh, head, left thigh, left foot. Repeat going the opposite way.
9	Heel	Juggle with heel for 3 times in a row, repeat with other foot.
10	5 Small Juggles L & R	5 small juggles with the right foot. Repeat with the left foot.
11	Hold Ball on Foot for 10 Sec.	Pick up ball with foot and balance without ball resting on shin for 10 sec. Repeat with opposite foot.
12	Sitting	Juggle the ball 20 times while sitting on the ground.

#	U14 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet 500 Times	Juggle the ball with your feet 500 times in a row.
2	Thighs 300 Times	Juggle the ball with your thighs 300 times in a row.
3	Head 200 Times	Juggle the ball with your head 200 times in a row.
4	Around-the-World x5	Right foot, right thigh, head, left thigh, left foot. Continue for times in a row. Repeat going the opposite way.
5	Catch and Hold	Catch the ball with instep after several juggles and hold for 10 seconds. Complete with both feet.
6	5 Heels	Juggle the ball 5 times in a row with your heel.
7	10 Small Juggles L & R	10 small juggles with the right foot. Repeat with the left foot.
8	Pick-Up Scoop-Knee	Roll ball back with sole, lift ball up with foot, quickly hit ball back down with knee and juggle off bounce.
9	Pick-Up Kick Start	Pinch ball between feet, roll ball up with right foot and quickly hit ball towards ground with heel, juggle off the bounce.
10	Slalom	Juggle around 4 cones and shoot off the volley. Ball does not touch the ground.
11	Lane Juggle	Juggle ball through a narrow lane and then volley. Ball does not touch the ground.
12	Cross	Juggle ball out of air from a cross and then volley. Ball does not touch the ground.

#	U15 Juggling	DESCRIPTION
1	360°	Juggle the ball in a full circle in 7 touches. Once complete, turn the other way.
2	Ultimate Around-the- World	Right foot, right thigh, right shoulder, head, left shoulder, left thigh, left foot. Repeat the opposite way.
3	Spinning Ball	Put inside spin on ball with feet for 5 touches in a row, repeat with other foot. Put outside spin on ball with feet for 5 touches in a row, repeat with other foot.
4	No Spin Juggling	Juggle with both feet without any spin on the ball.
5	Around-the-Foot	While juggling with feet, move foot around the ball while ball is in the air and continue to juggle.
6	20 Yards in Air Foot – Thigh – Head	Punt ball 20 yards in air, then foot, then thigh, then head, repeat.
7	25 Small Juggles L & R	25 small juggles with the right foot. Repeat with the left foot.
8	Juggle on the Run	Juggle with your feet only for 60 yards with out dropping.
9	Heads on the Run	Juggle with your Head only for 60 yards with out dropping.
10	Thighs on the Run	Juggle with your thighs only for 60 yards with out dropping.
11	1•2•3•2•1•2•3•2•1…	Juggle once with the right foot, twice with the left foot, three times with the right foot, twice with the left foot, once with the right foot, etc.
12	Juggle – Catch on Neck	Juggle and catch ball on neck, flick ball up and repeat.
13	Balance on Head	Balance ball on head for 10 sec.

#	U16 Juggling (in 2’s)	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet	1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using feet only.
2	Feet 1-Touch	1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using feet only, 1-touch.
3	Feet 2-Touch	1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using feet only, 2-touch.
4	Head	1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using head only, 1-touch.
5	Head 2-Touch	1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using head only, 2-touch.
6	Distance	10 yards apart, 1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using all surfaces, no touch restrictions.
7	On-the-Run Juggling	1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using all surfaces while running.
8	Numbers Game	1 ball between 2 players, player calls out 1,2, or 3 and plays ball to partner, partner has only that number of touches to get ball back to partner and they call out new number, 1,2, or 3. If player drops ball, they get a strike, three strikes and you are out.
9	Italian Juggling	1 ball between 2 players, half-volleying the ball to each other. 3-5 yards away.
10	Distance 2-Touch	10 yards apart, 1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using all surfaces, 2-touch restriction.
11	Distance 3-Touch	10 yards apart, 1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using all surfaces, 3-touch restriction.
12	Left-to-Right / Right-to-Left	1 ball between 2 players, juggle with each other using feet only, left foot to right foot, to partner’s left foot, right foot, play back. Repeat the opposite way.

#	U17 Juggling (in 3’s)	DESCRIPTION
1	Feet	1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using feet only.
2	Feet 2-Touch Below Waist	1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using feet only, 2-touch, keep ball below waist.
3	Feet 1-Touch Below Waist	1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using feet only, 1-touch, keep ball below waist.
4	Numbers Game	1 ball between 3 players, player calls out 1,2, or 3 and plays ball another player, player has only that number of touches to get ball back to another player and they call out new number, 1,2, or 3. If player drops ball, they get a strike, three strikes and you are out.
5	Heading	1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using head only, 1-touch.
6	Heading 2-Touch	1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using head only, 2-touch.
7	1•2•3•2•1•2•3•2•1…	1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using all surfaces, a player takes 1-touch, next player takes 2-touches, next player takes 3-touches, next player takes 2-touches, etc.
8	Short , Short, Long, Head	2 players on outside, 1 player in the middle, 1 ball. Using head only, juggle short, short, then long, player in the middle turns and repeat.
9	Short - Short – Long – Head w/ Switches	2 players on outside, 1 player in the middle, 1 ball. Using head only, juggle short, short, then long, player in the middle switches with player who played long, continue.
10	On the Run	1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using all surfaces while running.
11	Distance	10 yards apart, 1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using all surfaces, no touch restriction.
12	Distance 2-Touch	10 yards apart, 1 ball between 3 players, juggle with each other using all surfaces, 2-touch restriction.