Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Grassroots - Week 4

Intro Scrimmage (10 mins)

Organization:

-As players arrive, split them into teams and have them start scrimmaging. 
-Have balls in each goal to keep the intensity high.
-Make sure you send them for water after 10 minutes. 

 
Tips:

-Have players pass/dribble the ball into play rather than do throw ins.

-When a goal is scored, have the team that just scored retreat to their own goal and touch it before attacking again. This will give time to the opposite team to build out from the back and find space. 

-We want every player involved so keep it smaller than 5v5, if possible. 2v2's and 3v3's are better for keeping players engaged because it is harder to disappear on a smaller field. 

World Cup (15 mins)

Organization:

Create teams of two players. The players pick a country to play as. (Spain, France, Germany, Brazil, etc). If there is an uneven number of players, you can either have a team of three OR have an extra coach (if you have 1) join the single-player team.

The teams are trying to score a goal and as the ball is going in, say their countries name. If they don't the goal doesn't count!

The coach is the goalie. The goalie kicks/throws the ball into play. The coach is encouraged to play 2 to 3 balls at a time to keep most of the teams engaged.

It is a 2v2v2v2v2. 

Rules:

There are several ways to play the game, depending on the age and skill of the players:

1. Play for a set amount of time (2/3/5 minutes). At the end of the round, the team with the most points wins the round! (Best for all players because everyone is active the entire time)

2. If a team scores, they move on the next round and relax next to the goal until the round is over. The last team to not score is eliminated. (Fun for top players/worst for bottom players). The best way to use this format is to use this style in the final round (after 1 or 2 timed periods). If a team gets knocked out, they can go get water.

Recommendation: Start with option 1. Play 2 rounds or 10 minutes. End with option 2 and send players for a water break early as they get eliminated. 

Coaching Points:
-Our sub-topic for the day is crossing. See if teams can work together to score via crosses. There is more space out wide to ensure we can possess the ball. If our teammates can make a run back into the middle and prepare for a pass/cross, we will have a better opportunity for our team to score!

-Revisit the surface of the foot we should be using to strike the ball and what shots are hardest for the goalkeeper to stop. 

Progressions/regressions: 

1. If a player shoots and misses the goal, they have to go chase it down. This will make it tougher for the team to score until the teammate has returned. 

2. Shoot outside the 6-yard box.