Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Mixing it up (Passing, Sprinting, 1-2's and mental focus)

Screen 1

Pass and sprint to the opposite side (Needs 8 players minimum)

Rules to help make it easier. The animation helps visualise the movement

1) A ball at the red cone always passes to the blue cone, which is then passed to the opposite red cone. (A-B-C-B-A)

2) The two outside yellow cone balls stay on the outside and are used for a SHORT 1-2’s. The 1st in line passing to the player coming from a blue cone, who plays the 1-2 to the second player in the line (D-D and E-E)

3) When a player passes from the blue cone to the red, they sprint to the opposite side yellow cone i.e if they pass to the right red cone, the sprint to the left yellow cone and vice versa.

 (a) The pass from B-C, means they sprint to D. 

 (b) The pass from B-A, means they sprint to E

4)When the 1st player feed the ball from a yellow cone, they then join the nearest red cone (D moves to A, E moves to C)

This setup can be mirrored for another set of 8 players, so I'm showing the ball movement in the top group and the player movement in the bottom group

Player and Ball movement

1) Start with the ball on the red cone (A)

2) A passes to B (receiver comes from C) and follows pass to B

3) B passes to C (right side) and then sprints to D (left side) for the 1-2. 1st player on D joins cone A

4) C passes to B (receiver should already have joined from A) and follows pass to B

5) B passes to A (Left side) and then sprints to E (right side) for the 1-2. 1st player on E joins line C

This is an excellent drill to sharpen up player focus.

They are mixing between following the pass (A-B and B-C), to sprinting to opposite side from pass (B-D and B-E)

The sprint is important (if only 8 players) as it allows the 1st player on D or E to be released and backfill the red cones

The mixture of distances also means this session should keep all the players moving relatively quickly