Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Open Training Small Games

Dribbling Gates (10 mins)

Organisation: 

Set up 'gates' and spread them out across the playing area. 

Different coloured gates can create more variety and visual cues for younger children and be more fun for older children. 

Every player should have a ball and can start by standing in between a gate. 

How to Play:

Players dribble freely around the field gaining points by dribbling through gates. At each gate, perform a skill. Go from simple to complex.

• Start with dribbling through a gate with either foot. Then designate a foot, left or right.
• Perform skill at each gate for example: airplane, toe taps, bells, inside turn, outside turn, body feint, scissor, step-over. Coach can introduce more skills.
• Speed dribble through a gate, under control. Using different coloured cones can create more patterns.
• Races through the gates, can you implement a point system? 
• Introduce defenders. Choose 2 Defenders to try and steal a ball from a Dribbler. If they steal the ball, they swap roles and the new Defender has to try to get someone else. 

Coaching Tips:

This is your opportunity to help players learn something new and work on it in a fun game.

If you don't know how to perform a skill yourself, ask a player to demonstrate for you. 

CHANGEIT / Progressions:

Make gates or bigger or smaller based on ability levels. 

Use time challenges to keep the intensity high. 

1v1 Flying Changes (10 mins)

Objective: Teach players to transition from attacking to defending. Teach attackers exploit space. This is exhausting, use this as a fitness drill as well.

Setup: 20x30 (size as needed). 6ft pug goals. Start with 1 lines at each end, each player with a ball. 4 players min.

Play: Player 1 attacks Player 2. If ball goes out of play on Side A (goal, endline, or touchline), then Player 4 immediately attacks Player 2. If ball goes out of play on Side B, then Player 3 immediately attacks Player 1

Coaching Points: Attackers - look to exploit space while defender is out of position. Defenders - make a recovery run to get goal side, then force attacker to side.

Progression: Go to 2v2.

3v3 Flying Changes (10 mins)

Setup: 30x30 (size as needed). 6ft pug goals. 2 lines each end, Players in Line 1 and 3 each have a ball. 12 players min.

Play: Add a player coming in from the side. This will create 1v1 scenarios from the side and angle as well as allow the winger to make diagonal runs into space behind the defenders or towards the ball into the pocket to receive the ball to lay it off or turn.

Coaching Points: Defenders - call ball (pressure), call support (cover). Attackers - look for space, do not allow self to be guarded. Always provide 2 passing options to player with ball. Exploit defense out of position / 1v1s.