David Vaughan
| Name: | David Vaughan |
|---|---|
| City: | Denver |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Membership: | Adult Member |
| Sport: | Football/Soccer |
Session designed to improve team possession
Five Elements of a Training Activity
1. ORGANIZED: Is the activity organized the right way?
2. GAME-LIKE: Is the activity game-like?
3. REPETITION: Is there enough repetition for the players, when looking at the overall goal of the session?
4. CHALLENGING: Are the players being challenged? Is there the right balance between being successful and unsuccessful?
5. COACHING: Is there effective coaching, based on the age and level of the players?
Self-Reflection Questions
1. How did you do in achieving the goals of the training session?
2. What did you do well?
3. What could you do better?

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Two-Team Possession Game
Divide players into two teams with equal numbers. Work on aspects of team possession, keeping the ball as long as possible. If defenders win the ball, they serve to opposite grid for their team to play, trying to keep it as long as possible. If the ball goes out of bounds, possession is awarded to the proper team by the coach serving in new ball to keep the game active.
Variations:
1. Play short-interval games for time (3-5 minutes) where team in possession wins the game
2. Scoring is based on the number of consecutive and uninterrupted passes a team can make
3. Scoring is based on the number of times a team in possession can split any two defenders
4. Every time a point is scored (regardless of your method) add another defender to increase challenge to team in possession
5. Use either a free service for defender once ball is one, then progress to active pressure
6. "New" defending team cannot enter opposite grid before the ball crosses the line, but they can try to intercept the service
7. Add touch restriction for any team having too much success
Coaching Points:
1. Know when to dribble, when to pass (read pressure of defender)
2. Movement off the ball
3. Positive first touch into space
4. Fakes and feints to stretch and lose the defender
5. Communication
6. Angles of support and team shape
7. Transition to attack and defense
8. High target(s) on opposite side to keep field stretched early

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Three-Team Possession Game
Divide players into three teams with equal numbers (can be done as 2v2v2 up to 6v6v6 with older players on a larger field). Work on aspects of team possession, keeping the ball as long as possible from the defending team. If defenders win the ball, they serve to the group of attackers who did not turn the ball over, and then join that attacking team.
Variations:
1. Play short-interval games for time (3-5 minutes) where scoring takes place by the number of times a defending team wins the ball (two teams will lose)
2. Timed game where scoring is based on the number of consecutive and uninterrupted passes two attacking teams can make against one defending team
3. Timed game where scoring is based on the number of times the teams in possession can split any two members of the defending team
4. Free-flowing active game where player who loses the ball for their attacking group puts that group in as the new defending group (transition). Team left in the middle as the defending team when time expires loses the game
5. Have the player responsible for losing the ball do an extra sprint around off-field cone or flag before they are allowed to defend with their group to teach defending in small numbers
6. Add touch restriction for any group of teams having too much success
Coaching Points:
1. Know when to dribble, when to pass (read pressure of defender)
2. Movement off the ball
3. Positive first touch into space
4. Fakes and feints to stretch and lose the defender
5. Communication
6. Angles of support and team shape
7. Transition to attack and defense

See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
2nd Play Phase: The Game
Objective: work on how we keep the ball while trying to score
Qualities:
Make the field as big as possible by spreading out, look to move into open spaces away from defenders, vision, receive-pass-move, know when to dribble vs. pass, etc.
**Recognize when to score vs. when to keep the ball
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Animation Controls (PCs, Macs, Laptops):
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Intentional Free Play (15 mins)
1. Play for 6-7 minutes, then give a quick water break. Before they get a drink, ask them to think about how can we keep the ball from the other team. The answers are to make the field as big as possible by spreading out, look to move into open spaces away from defenders, vision, receive-pass-move, keep the ball by dribbling and passing, etc. are the answers (don't tell them, you just want them to think about it and not give answers right now)
2. Come back from water break, and let them play another 6-7 minutes
3. End the game and then bring everyone together, asking them the same question: How can we keep the ball from the other team. The answers are to make the field as big as possible by spreading out, look to move into open spaces away from defenders, vision, receive-pass-move, know when to dribble vs. pass, etc.