NEENAH SOCCER CLUB - 2018 Recreational Program U5/U6 Age Group Week 1 & 2 Freeze Tag - 5 minutes When players are tagged they are frozen and cannot move. To get back in the game they must call for another player to help, get a HiFive and tell each other their names. If a player goes out of the activity s area they are tagged too. Start the game with Coach(es) as tagger(s). Then, set one player or more as tagger(s) Skill of the Week: Dribbling Copy the Coach - 5 minutes Coach will dribble with the ball and demonstrate different foot surfaces to be used. Each player should have a soccer ball. Use all foot surfaces, no instructions at this point, just encourage them to copy Coach s movements. Important: Sometimes, go around the ball as the next drill will demand this movement. Variations: 1. Coaches demonstrate and players copy them. 2. Use parents to run without the ball and have players following them with the ball 3. Players are numbered as #1 and #2 and one follow another. Rotate leaders Use half of the field for this activity. Place a cone line over the goal box line and in between throw in lines. Same area will be used for both activities. Avoid using goal/end line to avoid players hanging on the crossbar and playing with nets. What time is it Mr Wolf? - 5 minutes Players line up across one end of the area and the coach, as the wolf, has his or her back to them on the other side. Players ask, What time is it Mr. Wolf?. Whatever time is that is how many steps forward they can take (i.e. 2oclock = 2 steps). Coach can call Dinner time at any moment, and then coach turns and chases players who at this moment should turn all the way back and dribble toward the initial line. Dinner Time means the Wolf will try to EAT soccer balls. If the coach turns around at any point (not dinner time) the players must put the sole of the foot on the top of the ball and keep their balance until Coach looks away.. Same area of the previous activity, however Wolf should be out of the activity s area. Or use 2 cones to set up Wolf s position. Play 3-4 rounds 30-45 seconds. Rotate taggers. Coaches can be the taggers. Include parents as taggers too. Play 3-4 rounds of 30-45 seconds. Pick 2 variations only. Repeat them twice! Play 1 round without ball; just steps forward, turn and run. Then play other rounds with players dribbling their soccer ball. At each round switch foot in contact with the ball when players freeze. Also use go around the ball and freeze. Add more than one Wolf. And switch Wolves. Communication and interaction with teammates Change directions with the ball; Go around the ball, turn, change directions; Discover foot surfaces to touch on the ball Main Goal: Dribbling with the ball
NEENAH SOCCER CLUB - 2018 Recreational Program U5/U6 Age Group Week 3 & 4 Team Tag - 5 minutes Split the team into 2 groups and give them names (lions vs tigers). Players move around the area, when the coach calls a team name they must tag all the other team s players as quickly as possible. When a player is tagged they are frozen until that round is over. Start the first round with coaches as taggers. Each coach goes after one team. Then set the teams and play the normal team tag game. Divide into 3 teams if possible (3 different pinnie colors) Use 2/3 of the field as activity s area. Set 2 cone lines as shown. Avoid using goal/end line to avoid players hanging on the crossbar and playing with nets. Play rounds of 30 seconds and see what team can tag the most opponents. Increase and decrease time if they tag everyone fast or they don t tag many players at each round. Mix up teams after each round. Communication and Team work Skill of the Week: Dribbling Relay Race - 5 minutes Split the team into small groups. Players race in a relay format against each other with the ball. At each race set a foot (and maybe its surfaces) to be used while dribbling with the ball: First round let them dribble up and down freely Then, use right foot, left foot, inside of both feet. Mix them up (i.e. inside of the foot to go and speed up back in line) Set 3-4 lines of 2-3 players. No big lines! Use 5-10 yards for the activity. Start short and increase it as needed. Then, add in cones that players can zigzag w/ the ball. Keep the groups 3-5 yards apart. Play sets of repetitions: 1-2 times each player/group. Switch opponents (line 1vs2, 3vs4). Manage session time versus repetition sets: 30-45 sec max per play. Small touches; Keep the ball close to foot; Ball control under pressure; Use both feet (if possible) Sharks and Minnows - 5 minutes Line up few players with a soccer ball each on one side of the area; Sharks. Spread others players, on their knees and without soccer ball, over the playing area; Minnows. Sharks should dribble across the area ( Sea ); from one side to the other avoiding Minnows to tag their soccer ball. When Sharks have their soccer ball tagged, they become a Minnow. Game goes until last Shark wins it. Variation: Split them into 2 teams. Use half of the field and the space in between throw in lines for Minnows positions ( Sea ). Same area used for the initial activity. Play 1-2 rounds of last Shark wins. Rotate Minnows. Coaches may start as Minnows too. Play 2-4 rounds with teams: Sharks go back and forth across the Sea. The team that tags all Sharks faster wins. Time each round. Rotate roles so both teams can play as Sharks and Minnows. Main Goal: Ball Control
NEENAH SOCCER CLUB - 2018 Recreational Program U5/U6 Age Group Week 5 & 6 Link Tag 5 minutes The game starts with one tagger. Once other players are tagged they must link arms (or hold hands) with the tagger(s) and work as a team to tag as many players as they can. Encourage them to talk and communicate with each other. Variation: Set 2 groups of 2 players linked to each other, once these groups tag more players add them into one big group to tag remaining players. Use half of the field for this activity. Place a cone line over the top of the goal box line and in between throw in lines. Avoid using goal/end line to avoid players hanging on the crossbar and playing with nets. Play 3-4 rounds of 30-45 seconds. Combine coaches and players. Combine different players at each round. Play more than one group linked (Variation above). Communication and Team Work Skill of the Week: Soccer Skills / Moves Copy the Coach - 5 minutes Coach will demonstrate soccer moves and players will copy the coach. Spend a few seconds demonstrating a soccer move/skill and then give time to perform it. After each round choose one or more players to demonstrate the move. At each move/skill repeat the same process. Use the following moves: 1. Toe Tap 2. Side to Side (tic toc) 3. Pull back (heel to toe) 4. Push (toe to heel) Set up players in one half of the field with a coach standing out of it and his/her back to all players. This coach demonstrates the skills while other coaches help. Players should hold the ball with sole of the foot during demonstrations. Coach demonstrates the drill for 10-15 seconds, then players perform it in their own spot for 20-30 seconds, and finally coach will call one or more players for a quick demonstration; 5-10 seconds. Repeat this process for all 4 skills above. Pick different players for demonstrations. Proper foot surfaces for each soccer move; Balance and Coordination Fund Game: Pirates of Caribbean - 5 minutes Players (Pirates) dribble in any direction over the activity s area. Coach is the captain. On Captain s command Pirates should perform a move, such as: Salute the captain One foot on the ball and salute Wind in the sails Dribble as fast as possible Long John Silver Toe taps Scrub the deck Side to side variations Ice berg Push (Toe to heel) Man over board Pull Back (heel to toe) Shark attack Coaches try to steal players balls Here the players should be dribbling over the area and on Coach s command they should stop and perform the move/skill called out. Use 2/3 of the field as activity s area. Set 2 cone lines as shown. Avoid using goal/end line to avoid players hanging on the crossbar and playing with nets. Play 3-4 rounds of 30-45 seconds. At each round add one or two moves. Start with 2 moves and shark attack. Foot skills and soccer moves for Coaches for players
NEENAH SOCCER CLUB - 2018 Recreational Program U5/U6 Age Group Week 7 & 8 Hit the Cone - 5 minutes The coach places cones randomly over the area. Initially, players should run to any direction and touch as many cones as they can. First, they can use their hands to touch the cones and then their feet. Then, with a soccer ball each, players will dribble and try to hit the cones by passing their soccer balls toward cone s direction. Skill of the Week: Passing Clean the Room - 5 minutes Split the area in half and have two teams in each half as shown. Players must pass their soccer balls from their half of the field to the other. The game is free flowing so as soon as they have passed their ball they look around their area for other soccer balls to pass to the opposite side of the field. Soccer balls should land in field area. Kick the Coach - 5 minutes Using correct passing techniques (inside and laces) show the players how to correctly pass the ball toward coaches legs. Coaches should run over the area and the players must chase them and try to pass the ball toward their legs; aiming below the knee. Every time they hit the coach they get. Coaches can make a goal by both holding a pinnie and players try to score on moving goal. Invite parents to participate too! Use field area in between goal boxes to spread cones over. Set a cone line over the midfield line for better visual. Set cone lines over the box line and in between throw in lines (suggestion as the diagram doesn t show them). Use 3/4 of the field (less goal box area) Play 4 rounds of 30-45 seconds. Initially play 1-2 rounds without ball, as described above. Then, with a ball per player, play 2-3 more rounds using different feet and foot surfaces (inside, laces) to pass/kick the ball to cones directions. Play 4 rounds of 30-45 seconds. Add more soccer balls. Team with least amount of soccer balls on their half will win each round. Change passing techniques (inside and laces). Use both feet. Play 4 rounds of 30-45 seconds. Change passing techniques (inside and laces) to pass/kick the ball. Use both feet. Use both feet to pass the ball; Passing with inside of the foot; Passing with laces and Passing accuracy Passing accuracy and Passing techniques Main Goal: Passing techniques Diagram is the Activity layout is the visual
NEENAH SOCCER CLUB - 2018 Recreational Program U5/U6 Age Group Week 9 & 10 Tails Tag - 5 minutes Skill of the Week: 1v1 Jack in the Box - 5 minutes Race and Shoot - 5 minutes Set the players in pairs of two. One tucks the pinnie in their shorts like a tail. Their partner must try to steal the pinnie. When the partner gets their tail they tuck it in and try run away from the opponent. Whoever ends up with the pinnie/tail wins the round. Coaches and/or Parents may start as taggers. Set 2-4 boxes with a player; Jack, in the middle of each. Players try to get in and out of the box without losing the ball. If they leave through a side of the box they get 100, if they can go all the way across the box they get 300. Set a group for each box Variation: Players with the ball can go to any box on the field. Whoever has the most wins. Start with Coaches and/or Parents in the box. On Coach s command the first players of each line race out to get the ball. They should race from the end line and go around a cone positioned in front of them. The objective is to get first at a soccer ball passed by the coach and shoot to score a goal. Have cones in the corners of the goal for extra when players hit them. Spread players in pairs over the soccer field area in between goal boxes. This is the starting position Play 1-2 rounds with Coaches/Parents as taggers. Then, play 2-3 rounds of 30 seconds with players in pairs as described above. Use the soccer field area. Set 2-3 boxes with good visual to all players (different cone or pinnie colors). Have the players inside the box using pinnies for good visual too. Rotate players in the boxes at each round. Play 4 rounds of 30-45 seconds. Rotate players inside the boxes. Then, play 2 Team Games; one group inside the box and other out of it, with a soccer ball per player. Rotate roles. Movements around the opponent; Reaction speed Dribbling across the area (1v1); Defending the area (1v1) and Dribbling at Speed NO GOALIES! Set 2 lines with 2-3 players on each side of the goal. Use 2 cones to set players line on the end line. Set up one cone 1-2 yards away from midfield line and facing players line for them to run around of it Play rounds of 1 minute. Set up two games going on in each half of the field. Play different opponents at each round. Main Goal: 1v1 Decisions