Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Milton Magic FC - March Break 2025 (Day 1) (Start Time: 2024-03-11 09:30:00)

Station 1 PT I: Race Game (10 mins)

Organization:

• 22x22 yard space.
• 2 teams: 7 players holding red pinnies, 7 players holding white.
• No balls
• Pile of red and white pinnies ready for use.
• 10 minutes (2-3 intervals).

Instructions:

• Players run around area and try to tag player from opposing team.
• If a player gets tagged, he/she goes down on one knee. If player gets tagged again by an opponent, that player drops pinnie and becomes player on opposing team. If player gets tagged by a teammate after being tagged for the first time by an opponent, then that player is back in the game and rescued.
• First team with all players on their team wins.

Coaching Points/Questions:

• Reaction time and scanning surroundings.
• Identifying where teammates and opponents are when we scan.

Station 2: Ball Mastery/Semi Opposed (20 mins)

Organization

• Set up the practice as seen in the image above. Area 10x10yds, with two 1 yard square boxes to either side of players.

Instructions

• Players face one another and are separated by a line that the player without a ball cannot cross. The player with the ball attempts to dribble the ball to marked zones A or B.

Coaching Points

• Players need to shift the ball quickly from one foot to another to enable them to disguise where and when they will change direction. Players should be using different surfaces of their feet to enable them to manipulate the ball quickly (Inside, outside, sole, and laces).
• Players should keep the ball close to their feet to allow the defender to not recognise which direction they intend to go. In progression encourage players to sift the ball from left to right to make them unpredictable.
  

Progressions

Make It Easier

• The defender has the ball as well to give the attacker more time.

Make It More Challenging

• When the attacker enters the box it becomes a 1v1 skill practice to the mini goal.

3v3 Games (10 mins)

Organization:

 - 3v3 tournament

 - Players split into 4 teams

 - Each team plays each other twice

Activity

 - 3v3 tournament to assess the learning that has taken place through the course of the session

 - Coaches to encourage positivity while making good decisions (are we dribbling, passing or shooting)

Coaches Emphasis

-  Focus on dribbling away from pressure.

- Teammates look to get into space to receive.

- Make a triangle Shape

Station 5: 2v1 to 2v1 (Habits) (20 mins)

Organization:
• The pitch is divided into 2 halves (Attacking half can be larger) with a big goal at the end line & two counter goals in the opposite direction
• Game starts with a 2v1 in Zone 1 – Once the 2 Reds progress from Zone 1 to Zone 2, they attack the 2nd Defender with the aim of scoring
• Whites can counter-attack into the 2 counter goals going the opposite direction – Rotate players after rep

Coach/Facilitator Feedback:
• “Fix the opponent”
• “Diagonal Passing lines”
• When should you pass or dribble ?

Progressions:
• Increase to 3v2 in each half, which creates more options for the attacking team
• Set a time target for the attacking team to get a shot on goal (Forces faster actions and higher tempo of play)

5v5 (4 + GK) - 2 Goal Game (20 mins)

Organization:
• 4v4 Game to 2 Goals with Keepers
• 3-4 games of 4-5’ mins of duration
• Coach keeps score and ensures that
the game flows (Lots of balls around the pitch for quick restarts)

Coach/Facilitator Feedback:
• “Attack”
• “Escape”
• “Be creative”
• “What skills can you use to be effective in 1v1’s ?”

Progressions:
• Add a half-way line and the condition is you cannot pass backwards in the opposition half (Implicitly, players will be forward thinking)
• Marking is assigned so that players escape a direct opponent
• Reduce the player area space