Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): U8 Junior Academy Activities

Juggling (10 mins)

Juggling:

Everyone has a ball. Hold hands out with ball inbetween. Drop the ball directly down and kick back up to hands, repeat. Players will use their laces and thighs to practice keeping the ball in the air. How many times can players touch the ball before it hits the ground? Ask the players to set juggling records.

Skills Box

Players dribble to the first cone and execute a change of direction skill (outside chop, inside chop, cruyff, step-over) and dribble back to the line.

Progression: Players now dribble to the first cone and excecute an attacking skill to move forward. When they reach the second cone they perform another change of direction move and dribble back to the line.

Coaching Points:

- Encourage Speed Dribbling (laces, toe down, heel up)

- scissors (single/double)

-

-

Tag

Tag:

The group is split into two teams. Half the players have soccer balls and are the attacking dribblers. The other half are defenders. The objective is for the dribbling players to keep posession of their ball and avoid being tagged. If a defender tags an attacker they then switch roles.

Coaching Points:

- headup when dribbling

- quick movements and decisions

- attack the open space

Pressured Gate Dribbling

Pressured Gate Dribbling:

Set up as many gates (cones) as possible in the grid. Ask the attacking players to dribble through as many gates as possible inside 60 seconds. If the defenders win the ball the attacking players are frozen for five seconds before they attempt to steal another ball. Ask the kids to beat their scores on the second and third attempts. Progression - players can only dribble using their left foot, right foot, etc.