Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Term 1 / Week 5 - player led session

Park play (15 mins)

Frame

Park play is exactly what is says on the tin; It's the games we used to play when we managed to round up a group of our mates in the local park and play until the street lights came on. We're talking Wembley / Cuppy / Hit & Run / Headers and Volleys / Tiki Taka Total etc. Get creative and have fun with it - the energy you put in, will be returned two-fold by the players.

Explanation

Wembley doubles - 2v2v2v2 scoring in one goal w/ GK

Wembley triples - 3v3v3 scoring in one goal w/ GK

Rules

1. First team to 3 goals wins. Each player earns 3 points each for a win.

2. The winning team qualifies for an early rest + water break.

3. Remaining teams have 2 minute to score and salvage 1 point each on the scoreboard.

4. Whoever touches the ball last before it goes in the net earns the goal.

Progression

+ Goals don't count unless you call a players name before you shoot. If your team is on 2 goals and you score a third but don't call a name - you lose a goal.

Coaching points

> Can you secure possession and combine with your partner?

> If you're the nearest defender, can you press the ball when not in possession?

> Can you lift your head and be aware of space around you? Especially when you're in tight areas.

Player-led game: two (30 mins)

Frame

[5 mins discussion / 5 mins set-up / 15 mins play / 5 mins feedback]. Set players a challenge, such as - can you create a game that focuses on 1v1's and encourages lots of creativity and beat the player moves? Here's the whiteboard and a marker, let's see what you come up with, you have 5 minutes. Ok, good - here's some cones etc, set it up.  Once you think you've got it, off you go and set-up a pitch that allows us to achieve that and create rules that encourage 1v1's in the game.

Explanation

Samba - pitch with no boundaries / 4v4 (+1 joker) / bazooka goals at each end / box around the goal is off-limits (no defending in the box).

Rules

1. No boundaries, ball is always in play.

2. 1 goal for scoring in the bazooka goal; 2 goals for nutmegging an opponent and keeping the ball; 3 goals for nutmegging an opponent and scoring in the bazooka goal.

3. No defending in the goal area - penalty awarded for breaking this rule.

4. Penalties are taken from the half-way line to open goal.

Coaching points

> do you feel like you can take a few more risks here? Yeah, why do you think that is? Maybe because we have unlimited space, or because we're protecting smaller goals. It could be that these things make us a little more trusting of our team mates to do their job. 

> it's about being bright, and quick and clever when we have the ball - so far, I've seen each and every one of us play without any fear of losing the ball; I think that's fantastic, because 1v1's are all about being confident on the ball and knowing when / where to release the ball vs. and when / where to carry it further. 

> Are we getting enough success when we get a chance to score? No, alright so how can we fix that? What if we make the nets a bit bigger, would that help? Or maybe we could add another bazooka goal? It's your call! 

> Alright, let's see if we can make this even more fun, and give ourselves a little more success when it comes to scoring goals. How about we swap mini-goals for big goals, make the goal area a little bigger and allow a GK to be in there for each team? Should we try that? Let's set it up then!