Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): U5 - U8 Indy Premier - Session 2

Whole - Small sided Game Warm Up

Area - Appropriate to level & age

Format - 2 v 2 , 3 vs 3. 4 vs 4

Aim: Allow players to have free play seek and discover

Part - Guardians & Goblins

Area: Based on level & age

Setup an area with four or five coned boxes within it. The ‘guardians’ are the defenders, who have to stop the ‘goblins’ from being able to pass the treasure ‘footballs’ through the boxes ‘safe.’ The guardians are able to stand inside any box, as well as leave their boxes too. They cannot tackle, but they’re able to intercept passes between players. If they do this, they can return a football and place it inside the box. If the goblins are successful in passing through a box without having their ball intercepted, they are able to release one football from one of the boxes. Play for a set amount of time and change roles. If the defenders manage to get all footballs into the boxes, they win the game.

CP

Eyes Up/Scanning – As the player with the ball is dribbling around the area, they should look to keep their eyes up to identify space, open boxes as well as where their partner is too. Players should continually scan to help them to be aware of their surroundings. The player receiving should look to scan and adjust their body shape before they receive the ball to help them to take their first touch into the space they want to travel into. 

Use Of Both Feet – Players should look to use both feet when passing and receiving and should explore different surfaces and types of passes to play through the boxes. Using both feet to pass will help players to play quicker and prevent the defenders from being able to intercept the ball. 

Surfaces Of The Feet – Using different surfaces of the feet will affect the weight of their pass and players should explore how different surfaces will change the type of pass that they can play to their partner. Depending on where the defender is or where their team-mates are, using different types of passes will be needed to prevent the defenders from being able to intercept the ball as well as allowing the player receiving the ball to be able to control it. 

Open Body – Before players receive the ball, they should be encouraged to have an open body to be able to see the person they are looking to receive from but also the space that they wish to travel into as well. An open body shape in this game will also help players to be able to play quicker and recognise where the free boxes are.

Progression: Defenders can tackle