This is a “work in progress” document that combines weekly tests from past years. We’ll fine tune it as time allows (we made a major update on March 17, 2021), with the long-term goal of creating an easy way for a player to complete a test and submit it on-line.

We have some quizzes related to soccer game sense, which includes decision-making, positional sense, and what to do when you don’t have the ball. We also have a separate page for soccer skills quizzes.

Soccer sense quizzes: quick links

Decision-making
Positional sense
Soccer body shape
Support (helping a teammate)

Decision-making:

Question: You win a loose ball near our goal. An opponent is right in front of you. What is your smartest play, and why?

Try to beat the defender on the dribble.
Turn to shield the ball and look for a teammate supporting from behind, or safe space where you can dribble away from goal.
Try to juggle the ball over the defender’s head.
Pass back to our goalie.

Answer: We think answer #2 is the smartest play. This gives your team the best chance of keeping the ball and getting out of pressure.

Question: A teammate wins a loose ball near our goal. An opponent is right in front of her. What is your smartest play (not your teammate’s smartest play), and why?

Run to an open space directly behind your teammate.
Run to an open space diagonally behind your teammate.
Run to an open space in front of your teammate.
Get up close to your teammate.

Answer: We think answer #2 is the smartest play. If your teammate turns away from the opponent, you’re in position to call for the ball and help your team keep the ball and get away from pressure.

Question: You win a loose ball inside the other team’s penalty area. An opponent is coming toward you from the side. A teammate behind you is calling for the ball. What is your smartest play, and why?

Try to beat the defender on the dribble.
Turn to shield the ball and pass back to your teammate supporting from behind.
Take a shot on goal.
Pass back to our goalie.

Answer: We think answer #3 is the smartest play. You’re in a good position to take a shot, so give it a try!

Question: You’re dribbling at top speed down the side of the field. An opponent is coming up fast from behind you on the inside, and you think she’ll catch you. What should you do?

Try to shoot before she catches you.
Cut inside toward goal and try to shoot.
Wait for the opponent to get ahead of you, then do a dribbling turn and cut inside.
Wait for the opponent to get even with you, then do a stop-and-go move.
Wait for the opponent to get ahead of you, then do a dribbling turn and pass back to a teammate (forward or center back).

Answer: We think answer #4 is the smartest play. A stop-and-go move will freeze the opponent for a moment. If you take a firm getaway touch, you will create open space to continue your dribble.

Positional sense:

Playing in the back:

Our goalie just made a save with her hands. Where should you position yourself? (Answer: Setup a few steps away, with your booty facing the sideline so you can see the field. Look around so you can already have a plan in case our goalie decides to play the ball to you.)
Our goalie has just thrown or kicked the ball, and it’s heading toward the middle of the field. What should you do? (Answer: Make a quick decision: who do you think is about to win the ball: a teammate or an opponent? If you think a teammate will win the ball, setup 5-10 steps behind her to provide support. If you think an opponent will win the ball, setup between the ball and our goal to shut down the opponent.)
Our goalie is getting ready to take a goal kick. Where should you position yourself? (Answer: Setup in front of the ball, at an angle. You don’t want to setup close to the “get back” line, because you want as much open space as possible between you and the opponent if you receive the ball.)
You’re our left back. Our forward is attacking up the side in front of you. What should you do? (Answer: Stay connected to the forward [about 5-10 steps behind her]. This gives the forward an extra passing option in case she is about to be shut down.)
The other team just won the ball in their own end of the field. Where should you position yourself? (Answer: If you’re close to the ball, go pressure the opponent. Otherwise make sure you are goal-side of the ball, and goal-side of any opponents who are open in dangerous attacking positions.)
You’re our left back. The other team is attacking on the other side of the field. What should you do? (Answer: Shift inside toward the center of the field. Our right back should pressure the ball. The ball isn’t near your normal position, so your job is now to help defend the area near our goal.)
One of our other backs is challenging for a loose ball. What should you do? (Answer: Provide what coaches call “cover:” get behind your teammate at an angle, so you can step in and pressure the opponent if she gets past your teammate.)
How can you score while playing in the back? (Answer: The most common way for a back to score is to win the ball from an opponent and quickly turn defense into attack. If you attack at speed, you may get into a good shooting position before the other team has a chance to react. A less common way is to score on a 1-touch shot from a teammate’s “dream ball” pass.)

Playing midfield (left wingback or right wingback):

How should you position yourself when we have the ball? (Answer: Spread out toward the sidelines, setting up with your booty facing the sideline so you can see most of the field. Coaches call this “getting wide”.)
How should you position yourself when the other team has the ball? (Answer: Get “goal-side” of the ball. This means getting between the ball and the goal we are defending. This will make it harder for the opponent, because we’ll have several players blocking their path to goal.)

Playing up top (forward, also called “fronty”):

You’re playing forward. Our left back wins the ball. Where should you position yourself? (Answer: In open space somewhere in front of her at an angle. Our left back will be able to see you, but since you’re in front at an angle, you won’t block her path if she chooses to dribble.)
You’re playing forward. A teammate is dribbling toward goal on the right side of the field. Where should you position yourself? (Answer: If you’re already in the center of the field, move to the space in front of the goal. Setup your feet so you can see both the ball and the goal. [But don’t get too close to the goalie.] If your teammate gets shut down or runs out of space, she can play a crossing pass to you, and you’ll have a good chance to score.)
You’re playing forward. A back from the other team just won the ball. What should you do? (Answer: Try to shut down the opponent and win the ball back as soon as possible. If you win the ball, you’ll be in a good spot to score a goal.)
You’re playing forward. You beat an opponent and are dribbling toward goal. What should you do? (Answer: While still dribbling, look around and ask yourself if you think you can score. If so, take a prep touch, locate your target [away from the goalie], and take a shot!)

Soccer body shape:

You can earn points if you can answer these questions about “body shape” and how it relates to soccer.

Does “body shape” refer to being tall or short, big or small, or something else? (Answer: It refers to setting your body position so that you can see as much of the field as possible. This changes depending on what position you are playing. A goalie will setup facing forward, while a wingback may setup in a sideways position.)
You’re defending near our goal. What’s the proper body shape? (Answer: Body between the opponent and our goal, feet pointed toward the sideline. You want to avoid defending while facing your own goal, because that shape increases your chance of accidentally scoring an “own goal” against your own team.)
You’re a center mid and have the ball near the center circle. What’s the proper body shape? (Answer: Body facing forward so you can see both the left and right sides of the field, and the spaces in between.)
You’re a forward looking to get open for a pass from a teammate. What’s the proper body shape? (Answer: Setup at an angle, sideways on so you can see both the ball and the goal your team is attacking.)
You’re a forward looking to take a shot on goal. What’s the proper body shape? (Answer: Body facing the goal.)

Support:

You can earn points if you can demonstrate how to support a teammate with the ball, and also answer these questions about the role of the 2nd attacker. (“Support” is a fancy word for helping a teammate when she has the ball.)

Support #1: Where do you support a teammate who isn’t under pressure?

Directly in front of her
Ahead at an angle
Directly behind her
Behind at an angle

Answer: 2. If your teammate isn’t under any pressure, she’ll be able to see you. And you won’t be in her way since you’re not directly in front of her.

Support #2: Where do you support a teammate who is under pressure?

Directly in front of her
Ahead at an angle
Directly behind her
Behind at an angle

Answer: 4. If your teammate is under pressure, she’ll likely turn away from the pressure, which may mean she’s facing her own goal. She’ll be able to see you, and pass to get out of pressure.

Support #3: What is the proper support distance from the 1st attacker?

5 yards away
10-15 yards away
20 yards away
Depends on whether the 1st attacker is under pressure or not

Answer: 4. You should get slightly closer to a teammate who is under pressure. She may not have time to properly set her feet before passing, which will limit the pace of her pass. You can setup farther away if your teammate isn’t under pressure, because she’ll have time to set her feet and make a firm pass.

Support #4: What do we mean by “proper body shape” and “receive with the front foot?”

Answer: Proper body shape means you set your feet and hips so you can see both the ball and the field. Coaches call this “sideways on” or “booty toward the sideline.” When you receive a pass in open space, you want to receive with the foot closest to the goal you are attacking.