Warm-up/Fundamental (no pressure of opponent or time) 10-20 min.
Each player with a ball dribbles through the randomly placed gates in the grid. Use the analogy of car gears. Tell the players to start in first gear, then into second gear, etcwithout losing quality. On the coaches command players use right foot only, left foot only, inside/outside of the right/left foot only, and the sole of the foot. Give the players a chance to stretch in between activities.
Coaching Points: close control, head up, and good balance.
Match Related (more movement w/pressure of an opponent and time) 20-30 min.
All players except 2 have a ball. The players are dribbling in the grid for 2 minutes. The objective is to not let the players without a ball steal yours. After 2 minutes the players without a ball must sing a song. If a player dribbles out of the give they must give up their ball. Repeat several times.
Coaching Points: Change of pace and change of direction combined w/previous points
1v1 3v3
Players play small-sided games. To score the players must dribble across the end line under control. The games can be directional (score then its the opponents ball) or continuous (score then switch directions and scoring team keeps possession)
Coaching Points: Where and When to dribble
Match Conditions (what they came for) 10-20 min.
Even numbers playing to goals. Try not to make stoppages. No restrictions. If you want, give incentives for goals resulting from positive dribbling (i.e. a player close to the goal and in a 1v.1 situation shows a nice change of pace/direction and scores, 3pts.)
Encourage Celebrations!!!!
Training Session 2
Passing & Receiving 10/12 years old players
Warm-up (no pressure of opponent or time) 10-15 min.
Players working in pairs with one ball per pair. Players pass and receive (2-touch) between the cones. With success, encourage 1-touch and a little movement. As they get further away from each other it becomes more challenging. Stretch as necessary.
Coaching Points: Passing-Toe-up, heel-down. Plant foot pointing in the direction of the pass. Good balance Receiving-Toe-up, heel-down; cushion the ball in, good balance.
Fundamental (indirect pressure of an opponent and pressure of time) 10-15 min.
Place several gates randomly inside a grid. Players are still in pairs with a ball. For 2 minutes players try to pass to each other through the gates. Players must use all the gates and may not go to the same gate twice in a row. Make it competitive by telling the players to count the number of gates they successfully pass through in the 2 minutes.
Coaching Points: Accuracy of passing and quality 1st touch in the direction of the next gate.
Match Related (pressure of an opponent, time and space) 20-30 min. 3v.1> 4v.2> 6v.4
In a grid players play for possession with uneven numbers. Players score goals by completing a specific number of successful passes. Make the grid large at first, and then decrease the size to make more challenging.
Coaching Points: Accurate passing, 1st touch away from pressure Communication
Match Conditions: (actual pressure of an opponent, time, and space) 15-30 min. 3v.3 7v.7
Even numbers playing to goals. Give incentive for goals scored after successful passing. Avoid stoppages and over coaching. Let them play. Encourage celebrations!!!!
Training Session 3
Shooting 10/12 years old players
Warm-up (no pressure of an opponent, time, or space) 10-15 min.
Players working in pairs with one ball per pair approximately 20 yards apart. Players work on perfecting the technique of striking a stationary ball.
Coaching Points: Good balance, ankle locked toe down, heel up striking the ball with the laces and the plant foot pointed in the direction of the partner.
Fundamental (added pressure of space and an opponent) 10-15 min.
Players still in pairs playing vs. another pair. With a 8 yard coned goal in between the pairs. One partner receives the ball while the other shoots the ball through the cones to the other pair. Ideally this game should flow with the players getting a lot of shots in short amount of time. The ball should not stop in this game.
Coaching Points: Head down focused on the ball, follow through and land on the kicking foot.
Match Related: (added pressure of an opponent, time, and space) 20-30 min.
Small-sided games
2v.2 3v.3 to big goals.
With a very short field and large goals play 5 min. games. Players should get numerous opportunities to shoot and score.
Coaching Points: 100% of shots not taken do not score. Shoot, shoot, shoot and celebrate goals.
Match Conditions: (realistic pressure) 20-30 min.
4v.4 7v.7 to goals
Even numbers to goals. Avoid stoppages and over coaching.
The game is the greatest teacher of all!!!!