Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Running with the Ball C Cert

Technical (5 mins)

Key Factors -Technical Practice (5 mins)

·        Running with the ball

Organisation

·        Coaches available at session: 2

·        10 Players. 30x 20 area

·        10 white cones perimeter (largest area) 5 on each side oppositeeachother - bibs on one side for players

·        5 yellow cones for turning point in skill practice.

·        Goal each end

Aim of the session

Encourage running with the ball by providingopportunities to do so unopposed and opposed.

Think 'Pace into Space' whenrunning with the ball. Ensure 1st touch takes the ball out of their feet intospace.

Technical

Blue

Blue player to passthe ball into the red player and follows pass

Red

Red player receivesthe pass, knocks the ball out of feet and runs with the ball across to the other end applying themechanics.

Red turns, passesto blue, blue runs with ball. Repeat (roles automatically switch)

Mechanics

Running with theball

1. Get ball out offeet.

2. Make contact with the laces

3. Head up

4. Get into running stride

5. Move quickly

Observation/interventionconsiderations: 

One coach either side outside thepractice perimeter moving to observe all aspects of technique and practice

Monitoring pairs, feedback on techniqueand praising / encouraging good technique (1-2-1)

Keywords

'Pace into space'

Progressions - can player with the ball change direction into space to move awayfrom crossing player?

Regression / Progression - Is the distance creating too much fatigue in players? Is the distance giving the players enoughtime to perform the topic? shorten/lengthen - individualobservation may be relevant rather than across the board.

Drinks transition

SSG (15 mins)

Small Sided Game

(Transition: Drinksbreak while yellow cones are moved to split pitch into thirds.

Key Factors:

5v5

Organisation:

Coach 1:  Move yellow conesalready in practice area to create a third

Coach 2: Add yellow cones to create athird

Spare footballs on outer edge - coaches/eitherside to keeps the game live by re-introducing the ball if it goes out.

Coaching position - outer edge toobserve group and be close to spare footballs to keep play live.

Objective:  Apply / encourage running with theball skill wherever possible

(15 minutes)

·        5 mins

o   Free play. Have the players taken the learning onboardand applied it?

·        7 mins

o   Add challenges: Can you travel through zone(s) by RWB - 1point per zone travelled through

·        Final 3mins

o   Free play. Have the players taken thelearning onboard and applied it?

Conditions/Challenges:

·        Can players drive into space with the ball through thirds for a bonuspoint

·        Can defenders winning the ball immediately break into space?

·        No point for running backwards through zones (positive play to breaklines going forward)

Considerations: Area size big enoughto achieve success? If not, increase width as practice is live

Observation/interventionconsiderations: 

team focused - improve their chancesof success - if intervention applies to whole/ several of the group, moves thepractice on

individual - observe correcttechnique and mechanics. In-play reminders of mechanics to improve (considerrolling ball time/impact on player during practice/during break/after practice)

Encourage:

Key words - Pace into space

Width to stretch and create space onthe pitch

movement, finding space

mechanics

be specific on positive feedback (welldone for creating the space. Goodrunning with the ball, nice control of the ball - not just well done, good)