Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): ADP U12 - Passing/Receiving

Warm-up (20 mins)

Organization: Set up a series of 5x5 boxes opposite each other and about 15 yards apart.  14-16 players

Activity: With a partner in adjacent boxes, players will pass back and forth with a sequence of different focuses.

1) passing 2 touch - receiving ball with inside of foot

2) passing 2 touch - receiving ball with either inside or outside of foot, pushing ball to side to create a different passing angle, then making pass with 2nd touch 

3) passing 2 touch - dropping to baseline of box after making pass, then stepping up to receive pass      

4) dribble + pass - dropping to baseline of box after making pass, stepping up to receive pass, dribbling past the frontline of box before returning a pass

Coaching Points:  Technically- lock ankle, part of ball, part of foot, weight, accuracy.  Are players on toes ready to receive pass? Are players communicating to let teammates know they are making or receiving a pass?  Are players making quality directional first touch out of feet?  For progression, are players dropping to give themselves, time or space, and ability to step into the pass?  For final progression, are players able to receive ball on the move, dribble into space before making quality pass?

SSG: Queens Court w/Bumpers (20 mins)

Organization:  Set area per diagram above with cones along outside of area.  Approx 14-16 players.

Activity:  Create 3 even teams of 3 different coloured pinnies.  Play series of small sided games, with 2 teams versing, and a 3rd team acting as neutral bumper.  Players score by shooting into opponents net from inside penalty area. If a team scores, all their players retreat to half, other team become bumpers, while previous bumpers retrieve ball from net and play live from their end.  Once the team has retrieved the ball from the net and their opponents are all retreated new game starts.  Continue to play, winners stay on. (play without goalies).  If ball goes out of bounds, bumpers play ball in to other team.  

Coaching Points: Technically- lock ankle, part of ball, part of foot, weight, accuracy. Are players on toes ready to receive pass? Are players communicating to let teammates know they are making or receiving a pass? Are players making quick, quality and directional first touch out of feet? Are players moving or dropping into space to give themselves angles, passing lanes, and time to identify where teammates and passing options are? Are players able to receive ball on the move? Are they able to dribble if they have space, or if they need to delay for passing options to develop? How quickly can players look, think and execute?