Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Heading - offensive.

Technical practice. (15 mins)

Session design:

Organisation: 

- 6 players on the outside all with a ball in their hands.

- 6 players on the inside.

- The players on the inside will begin inside the area and move towards the outside to receive a throw-in from a player on the outside.

- They will then head the ball back to the player's hands, turn, move through the orange cones and find another ball.

Progressions/Regressions: 

1. Progression - increase the area size to make physical element of session more demanding.

2. Progression - the delivery of throw-ins must be different each time (looped, driven, quick etc).

Planned Interventions:

- Coaching process to identify technical mechanics involved in heading; do this when there is a breakdown in performing these mechanics.  

Small sided game. (25 mins)

Session design:

Organisation: 

- 8v4 small sided game.

- team in possession has the 8 (wide players are always in possession).

- aim is to create and score chances via crossing and heading.

- emphasis on attackers moving into the box.

- defenders cannot enter the wide zones to begin with; will encourage free crosses.

Progressions/Regressions:

1. Progression - allow one defender to enter wide zone which will challenge deliveries.Emphasis to then use the 2v1 in wide zone via overlaps/underlaps/lay back and cross. 

1. Regression - only allow two defenders back into box and encourage attackers to arrive in the box as frequently as possible to create overloads.

Planned Interventions:

- Coaching process to focus on the mechanics of heading.

- Fly by to encourage and instruct player on arriving in the box; details such as pace of run to meet delivery, identifying space before arriving in the box to run into space, technique of header once arrived.