7TH-12TH GRADE PLAYERS

7TH-12TH GRADE PLAYERS

Week 1: Dribbling & Ball Familiarization Warm-Up Dribbling w/different parts of foot, as many touches on the ball, changing direction (acceleration). Combinations: Inside outside inside outside repeat. Inside, inside outside outside repeat. Inside stop, inside stop, outside stop, outside stop (stop the ball using the sole of the foot). Etc. Etc. 1v1 to two wide gates. Encourage players to use all parts of the foot to try and off set defenders balance. Ball cannot stop moving. 1v1 with 2 Gates/goals Play 1v1 to 2 wide gates. Encourage players to use drag back turn, drag back push, Matthews feint, scissors etc. to change point of attack. Start by dribbling directly to 1 of the 2 gates and change point of attack with a slow approach and sharp change of direction. Simple condition, players cannot pass the ball forwards. Only when shooting, throw ins and from goal keeper. No other explanation needed. if ball is passed forwards, free kick to other team. (10 mins). Let players discover for themselves how to make progress forwards. (The only way to move forward is to dribble!!)

Week 2: Passing & Receiving Warm-Up (Re-cap previous session) Dribbling w/different parts of foot, i/s cut & o/s hook turns, Matthews Feint etc. (10 mins) Introduction to passing, dribbling within area exchange soccer balls with other players in grid. Concentrating on passing and receiving techniques. All players must use the same foot, atleast 7-10 yards apart. Encourage players to communicate both verbally (calling for the ball) & visually (as player lifts up their passing foot to pass the ball, use this is a visual cue). 1st touch is a pass to yourself (10 mins). Use four discs to create three gates side by side. In pairs players have to pass between one of the three gates. Once the ball has been played through, the ball may not be played back through the same gate. Start with a maximum of 3 touches per player. Variations: Restrict players to two touches. Inside of foot only to control and pass. Outside of foot only to control. In pairs passing and receiving between 3 gates. Cannot score through same gate twice. Simple i/s and o/s receiving or one touch working on wall passes (5 mins). 3/4 players in group holding a pinnie, 3/4 players with a ball 3/4 players without a ball. Players holding pinnie can only tag someone if they don t have a soccer ball. If they tag someone they hand over pinnie. Encourage players to look for the ball and help out team mates & work together. Encourages players to want the ball (10-15 mins). Simple condition is # of passes counts as a goal (10 mins). Try walking soccer!! Encourages players to pass and receive with precision and under limited pressure. If players run with or without the ball it is an indirect free kick to the other team (must pass before they can score)

Week 3: Passing for Possession Warm-Up (Re-cap previous session) Dribbling w/different parts of foot, exchanging soccer balls with others in the group (10 mins) (30 mins) Hand Ball/Sequence Passing Give each player a number and line them up in number order so that players can see where they appear in the sequence. Give a ball to player number one and allow players to hold the ball in their hands. One passes to two to three, to four etc, the last player in the sequence passes it back to number one. Chest passes only and players must call out their number before the player in sequence before them receives the ball. This enables the player receiving the ball to control the ball towards the next person in sequence. The player with the ball in their hands must stand still, but all other players and the ball must keep moving at all times. Sequence Passing Variations: Progress to players using their feet. Add 1/2/3 balls. Players must check away around one of the outside discs as soon as they have passed the ball. Players can only pass in front of them within their 180 degrees field of vision. (15 mins) Simple condition is # of passes counts as a goal. As last week try walking soccer!! Good to do for a few minutes to encourage passing. Encourages players to pass and receive with precision and under limited pressure. If players run with or without the ball it is an indirect free kick to the other team (must pass before they can score)

Week 4: Defending Warm-Up (Re-cap previous session) (Add more defenders as this is the session content) 3/4 players in group holding a pinnie, 3/4 players with a ball 3/4 players without a ball. Players holding pinnie can only tag someone if they don t have a soccer ball. If they tag someone they hand over pinnie. Encourage players to look for the ball and help out team mates & work together. Encourages players to want the ball (10 mins). (10 mins) Introduce defending as a surfers or skate boarders stance as it is an easily recognizable picture for all players at this age. Knees bent, feet balanced and both feet pointing in a north-east or north west direction. Balance is essential for any defender so spend a few minutes to introduce the defensive stance. In pairs players work together facing each other, one dribbling and one passively defending. Defender stands 1 large step away from partner with the ball and takes up the defensive stance. Partner dribbles slowly whilst defender shuffles backwards keeping in the defensive stance, balanced and focussing on the ball. Repeat for each player and correct technique. Progressions: Quickly allow defenders to attempt to tackle partner using the front foot (poke tackle) and then the inside of the back foot every 2-3 touches (block tackle) Still very passive but concentrates on defenders timing of tackles and introduces them to holding up the ball. Stand up, Don t dive in players will not know what you mean so tell them. 1v1 to a disc, line to begin with so as to encourage pressure on the ball and correct defensive technique. Do not allow players to defend on the disc or line. If players disc hang award their opponent a point each time you see it. Explain the importance of pressuring the ball as opposed to a disc, line or goal, as if you are beaten it gives you time to recover and defend again. Variations: Play 1v1 to a goal which places more emphasis on the defender taking a position between opponent/ball and the goal. The ball is the defenders focus and a position between the ball and the goal is essential. When playing 1v1 to a line/disc the attackers window of opportunity is much less as they have to physically go around the defender. Playing to goal allows the attacker to pass/thread the ball past the defender, so greater emphasis placed on the defenders defensive stance and position (15-20mins). (15 mins) 6v6/7v7 to goal(s). Simple condition: If you are the first pressuring defender (the first person at the ball) you must call out ball so that all your team mates know you are the first defender. Introduce an indirect free kick if 2/3 players consecutively forget to call out ball and progress to if only one player forgets.

Week 5: Shooting Warm-Up (Re-cap previous session) Players dribble around area using different parts of the foot. Progress to players dribbling with one foot, using there laces in a stabbing motion. Knee over the ball, small delicate touches using arms as balance. Change feet so that players experience a shooting action with left and right foot. (10 mins) Players are placed with a partner, one ball between two. They stand opposite each other with a ball on top of a disc separating them. In turn Luke Skywalker and Han Solo attempt to blow up the death star (soccer ball on a disc) by passing their laser guided missile (soccer ball) against it. Point awarded for each time they blow up the death star (collectively between partners). Older players can play competitively against each other. Variations: Increase/decrease distance. Change feet. Introduction to shooting using the laces. Shooting Wars: In pairs players stand 30 yards apart with a goal/gate in between. In pairs they alternate shooting between a goal/gate scoring a point every time successful. Extra points can be awarded by making smaller gates in the corner of each goal. Use alternate feet. Variation: One player s acts as a goal keeper standing in the goal. Player shoots but continues to run towards the goal and takes the place as goal keeper. Previous goal keeper moves backwards and strikes at goal. Player continues running towards the goal incase of any rebounds. Players are allowed only one rebound which must be a first time shot (15 mins) Make field shorter to allow more shots on goal. Encourage an attitude to shooting.

Week 6: Attacking, Creativity & Defending Warm-Up 1v1 Megs Players play 1v1 in a designated area and score a point each time they manage to meg their opponent. Play is continuous and is a good introduction to defending, in particular the defensive stance. Player with the ball is encouraged to keep the ball the ball moving and be creative as possible in an attempt to expose the defender. Play 2 minute games and then change players around. Players keep their own score. (10 mins) Shadow Dribble Players are in pairs, one ball between two. Player with the ball has to keep the ball and the other is a defender both inside a large working area. Progress to active 1v1 s with a time limit. Start off with passive defenders focussing on technique. Progressions: Award points. When the coach says stop, if Tails/defender can touch Sonic/attacker by both players reaching out, Tail scores a point. Obviously if Tails cannot touch Sonic, then Sonic scores a point, repeat. Enforce that players stop exactly where they are on your command, and don t cheat. Switch tails have to find a different sonic/attacker to follow (pinnies may help to distinguish players should they have difficulties). Encourages defenders to quickly find a player to mark/defend. 1v1 Good competition. Whoever has the ball when the coach says stop, gets a point/goal. Play small sided game(s) but each team has to defend 2 goals 1 on each side of there goal line/in each corner. Encourages attacking team to change point of attack, sharp changes in direction. Defending team have to defend 2 goals as opposed to 1 and so cannot all crowd the ball, cannot afford to dive in and so are encouraged to contain attacking team using surfers stance. May add a third goal in the middle, and then you can take away the two wide goals after 5 minutes and play an open scrimmage. (15 mins)

Week 7: Shooting For Accuracy Warm-Up 1v1 s Give each pair a socer ball & 3 discs to create a small triangle. Players play 1v1 and try to pass/shoot ball into triangle. Players can steel ball and attempt to pass/shoot into the same target/triangle. Make triangle bigger/smaller dependent upon players ability. Older and more advanced players can play to a smaller target such as a soccer ball on top of a disc. Players play 1v1 to goal. Set up in pairs a goal with two wider gates as targets. O o GK o O Players act as Gk s for their partners to score upon. 1 goal/point is awarded for a succesful shot on target. 2 goals for scoring in the middle goal and 5 goals for scoring through one of the wider gates. Can play with larger groups of 3 and can incorporate a feeder to allow players to strike the ball on the move (game realistic). Around The Goal Encourage players to shoot at the earliest opportunity. Players only need a small window of opportunity to shoot. Use creativity in an attempt to create the opportunity, offsetting the defender. Introduce the Position Of Maximum Opportunity (POMO) which is aiming for the far post across the goal when channel of attack is wide. This is the most difficult place for a goal keeper to make a save and a number of things can happen: score a goal, keeper saves and pushes ball out for a corner, keeper saves for a rebound or deflection, off the post and deflection, hit a defender on the way in for a deflection. When players run out with their back to goal they should make three looks over their shoulder at opponent. One very early to see where and if they are going to be challenged. Half way to the ball to check if they are going to get there first or whether they should take a defensive position. Finally immediately before they get to the ball to establish choices of shielding or turning to beat and take on defender. When playing 2v2 etc communication is needed to establish choices and positioning of partner as support or defender. Make field shorter to allow more shots on goal. Encourage an attitude to shooting.