Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): u10 13/06/2025 (UEFA C Session 8) (Start Time: 2025-06-13 17:30:00)

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Name:	Alex Efthimiou
City:	WINDSOR
Country:	United Kingdom
Membership:	Adult Member
Sport:	Football/Soccer

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Description

MOMENT: IN POSSESSION

PRINCIPLE: SPACE AND WIDTH

CAPABILITIES: TIMING, SCANNING

CORE SKILLS: PASSING AND RECEIVING

OVERARCHING LEARNING OUTCOME:

Players learn the benefits of using space and width to try and create opportunities for progressing the ball, thinking about how and when to move into those positions and how they can use core moves to facilitate this

COACHING POINTS:

Receiving: Can you…

Position yourself in a good place so that you see the whole pitch, or at least as much as possible?
Be aware of the ball and what is happening with it so that you are ready to move into space at the right time without leaving your teammates short?
Control the ball forwards with back foot on your first touch to make the most of your space to attack?

Passing: Can you…

Play the ball into the player in space at the right time with the right technique and power?
Weigh up the risks and rewards of passes, do you need to play safe or can you play forwards?
Disguise your intentions to surprise the defenders?
Move into a new position, maybe to receive the ball quickly in a core move?

INDICATORS OF UNDERSTANDING:

Players are using core moves to access wide areas and space effectively
Players are ensuring the time they move is beneficial to their teammates and not just standing around in space waiting for the ball

PLAYER ENGAGEMENT:

Keep the activities moving fluidly onto the next, similar dimensions for the play area and less set up and adjustments needed between activities
Give ownership of scoring where possible
Provide opportunities for success in all activities to suit players ability and development needs
Introduce new players to group and tie them in with existing players they know from being helpers at the trial

COACH BEHAVIOURS:

Welcome and engage with players prior to the session, check in on their weeks and make them feel valued
New players confirmed following trial - speak to them and introduce them to the group - ask the existing players they met at the trial to take them under their wing
Intervene in a full group during the arrival activity and with small groups where possible afterwards
Provide aids for learning - whiteboard, half speed run through etc
Focus on small groups so as not to isolate new players and include them in discussions

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:

Public park - Car park and road nearby, members of the public etc. Ensure play area is clear of debris and obstacles

LINK TO MATCHDAY:

Use Wide Spaces 2 as part of technical warm up
Use the pregame/midgame/endgame discussion to refer back to the why SPACE is necessary and how width gives us space centrally and wide
Matchday target: Shots in and around the box in space - players decide gold/silver/bronze threshold. Subs count to stay engaged

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): ARRIVAL MINI GAME

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Learning Objectives

	Technical All key technical skills, introduction to session goals and technical detail
	Tactical Understanding the game, applying the session principles in a whole game scenario
	Physical ABCs, speed and endurance, physical activation
	Psychological Game scenario - Confidence in a game and information regarding the session enables focus from this early activity
	Social Communication, leadership and sportsmanship as players are running their own game

ARRIVAL MINI GAME (10 mins)

INTENDED ACTIVITY OUTCOME:

Welcome the players as they arrive. Engage them with a quick catch up and prepare for the session by introducing the learning outcomes at the halfway stage

PRACTICE SPECTRUM: OVERLOAD / MATCHED UP

ACTIVITY TYPE: WHOLE GAME

PLAY AREA: 10x20m

DURATION: 20mins - 2x 10min blocks with discussion in the middle

DELIVERY INFO:

As players arrive, they are allocated into teams and join the ongoing match

Goals are scored by dribbling through the gates at each end of the pitch

Once the coach allocates the players, they are responsible for the running of the game

Once the sessions starts, bring the players into a group and introduce them to the intended outcomes of the session - find out what they understand of the moment / principle / capabilities / core skills - ask the players to keep these in mind for the rest of the session and restart the match

COACHING POINTS:

Minimal intervention prior to the session introduction

Ask questions of players individually about what they are thinking / feeling during the activity - relate back to the session introduction

PROGRESSIONS:

None - allow the players a free game with only the learning outcomes in their mind - this is just an introduction element to help with engagement and focus

STEP CONSIDERATIONS:

SPACE - Play area is same size for all activities - similar to normal pitch proportions but smaller to accommodate 5v5 games with increased touches and less space available to encourage SUPPORT

TASK - Introduction to the session - kids come to football to play matches so this is good to get them focused in on the game immediately

EQUIPMENT - cones to mark pitch, different colours for goals, bibs (ideally matching the bibs) and 2-3 balls at the side of the pitch to help with restarts. Not too many balls to ensure players respect the equipment and go and get any lost balls if needed

PEOPLE - Coaches allocate teams as players arrive to ensure that the game is even and balanced. If more or less players than expected the coach has the chance to ensure teams and players are well matched

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): WIDE SPACES 1

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Passing and receiving - using back foot to receive, secure first touch to enable quick pass
	Tactical Scanning, decision making, understanding the game - ensuring passes are effective, identifying solutions quickly
	Physical ABCs - receiving on the stretch, having to play quickly when possibly off balance
	Psychological Creativity, focus - finding gaps and opportunities to play out to wide players quickly and effectively with disguise
	Social Communication, teamwork - verbal and non verbal communication, holding width when not involved in play to support teammates

WIDE SPACES 1 (10 mins)

INTENDED ACTIVITY OUTCOME:

Provide opportunities for players to explore attacks in central and wide/half space by creating space with fixed width

PRACTICE SPECTRUM: Overload

ACTIVITY TYPE: Conditioned SSG

PLAY AREA: 30x10m

DURATION: 12 mins

DELIVERY INFO:

Players into three pairs - yellow, blue, pink

Pink are acting as neutral players who are locked in a 1m deep wide channel. They have a maximum of three touches to progress the ball but should try to use one or two where possible

Yellows are attacking the wide mini goals to score, blue are attacking the central larger goal

Play for two mins and then swap roles

One min halftime and then repeat

COACHING POINTS:

How can we identify when and where the space is? What can we do before the ball arrives with us?

What can we take from each role that applies universally? What is specific to each role?

What feels different when attacking centrally or wide? Do we need to do anything differently to have success?

STEP CONSIDERATIONS:

SPACE - Adapt the play area and channel sizes to accommodate age and stage of players

TASK - Three touches for wide player could be adjusted to accommodate more/less competent players

EQUIPMENT - Swap goals for end zones/target players to simulate different areas of the pitch

PEOPLE - Additional neutral player in the middle to allow for greater success

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): WIDE SPACES 2

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Passing and receiving - using back foot to receive, taking first touch forwards and trying to use the best technique for the correct weight of pass to player in space
	Tactical Scanning, decision making, understanding the game - knowing what to do and when to do it so that actions taken maximise opportunity and minimise risk
	Physical ABCs - receiving on the run or under pressure
	Psychological Creativity, focus - using core moves to disguise actions and being able to identify these moments when they arrive by staying focused and engaged in the game
	Social Communication, teamwork - verbal and non verbal communication, making movements to help rather than standing "open"

WIDE SPACES 2 (10 mins)

INTENDED ACTIVITY OUTCOME:

Explore use of width to attack centrally or wide, addressing the timing element of when to take up a wide position in space so as not to underload your team

PRACTICE SPECTRUM: Matched Up

ACTIVITY TYPE: Conditioned SSG

PLAY AREA: 30x10m

DURATION: 12 mins

DELIVERY INFO:

Players into two teams - yellow and blue

Yellow attacking the wide mini goals and blue attacking the central goal

The possession team are allowed to use the full play area, but the team out of possession must stay in the zone with the ball

When possession is transferred, the out of possession team can now access the other zone

Wide channels are safe for three touches max (ideally one or two touches)

Five mins then swap sides

COACHING POINTS:

How can we make the most of this space? What happens if we access it too early? How does that impact our team?

Have we considered core moves to unbalance the opposition and create a chance to safely access the space?

What about switches of play?

STEP CONSIDERATIONS:

SPACE - Adjust the pitch dimensions for age/stage

TASK - Create an additional central zone to allow for consideration of two directions when using width

EQUIPMENT - Swap goals for end zones/target players to simulate different areas of the pitch

PEOPLE - Add additional neutral players in each zone if players are struggling to find success

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): WIDE SPACES 3

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Learning Objectives

	Technical Passing and receiving - using back foot to receive, taking first touch forwards and trying to use the best technique for the situation
	Tactical Scanning, decision making, understanding the game - knowing what to do and when to do it so that actions taken maximise the chance to create space
	Physical ABCs, endurance - receiving on the run or under pressure, covering ground to make best use of space as it appears
	Psychological Creativity, focus - ensuring information gained when scanning is used properly with disguise and concentration
	Social Communication, teamwork - verbal and non verbal communication, making movements to help teammates without expectation of receiving the ball - dummy runs etc

WIDE SPACES 3 (15 mins)

INTENDED ACTIVITY OUTCOME:

SSG to encourage use of width to create space and using core moves to progress the ball

PRACTICE SPECTRUM: Matched Up

ACTIVITY TYPE: SSG

PLAY AREA: 20x30m

DURATION: 12 mins

DELIVERY INFO:

Players into two evenly matched teams - yellow and blue

Players must attack their goal(s) whilst considering using core moves and width to create space to attack

Wide channels are safe zones where players can have maximum of three touches before being engaged

Wide channel players cannot score in the goal directly

One point per goal - bonus point for using a wide channel or core move (players choose value)

COACHING POINTS:

What have we been talking about today? How does it apply now we are in a match?

Do we need to use the wide channels to use our core moves? Are there advantages or disadvantages of focusing on width?

STEP CONSIDERATIONS:

SPACE - Adjust play area for age and stage, increase variance between width and height of pitch to provide more opportunities for width (wider) or increase the challenge of finding wide spaces (narrower) based on age and stage

TASK - Create "bingo" or other scoring system to encourage core moves - first to complete board wins?

EQUIPMENT - Offset goals to simulate attacking down a specific side of a full pitch

PEOPLE - Use a neutral player or overload a weaker team to enable them to have more success and increase the challenge for the more comfortable team

Football/Soccer Session Plan Drill (Colour): FULL MATCH

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FULL MATCH (20 mins)

INTENDED ACTIVITY OUTCOME:

Play a full sized game to apply the concepts from training in a full game scenario

PRACTICE SPECTRUM: Matched Up

ACTIVITY TYPE: Full Game

PLAY AREA: Full Pitch (age appropriate)

DURATION: 15-20 mins

DELIVERY INFO:

Full match with standard ruleset

Players into evenly matched teams

COACHING POINTS:

Remember what we learned today, how does that apply here?

What feels different now we have a full pitch? Do the rules have any impacts on us doing the same things as earlier?

STEP CONSIDERATIONS:

SPACE - Full sized pitch for age - reduce or increase depending on number of player available but pitch should still be proportionate to the size they will be using on matchday to have a similar relative pitch area

TASK - Standard match with standard rules. Give secret missions for bonus points to players who may need an additional challenge or an additional method of success

EQUIPMENT - Goals, bibs, balls as standard

PEOPLE - Overload a weaker team if they require additional support to have success

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