Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): TECHNICAL - BALL MASTERY & DRIBBLING - GU12W (WSSL TRAVEL) (Start Time: 2013-09-04 17:30:00)

Warm Up (10 mins)

Organization: 25x25

Instructions:

1. Players dribble in their own half.

2. On 'switch' all players must stop their ball and start with another ball dribbling (A).

3. On "1", players do toe-touches.

4. On "2", players do foundations.

5. On "3", players pick up the ball, toss it in the air and try to control the ball out of the air.

Coaching Points:

1. Positive 1st touch

2. Play with laces (Ronaldo touches) to get into space; play with pinky-toe (Messi touches) to keep close

3. Fewest number of touches

4. Run in a straight line

Progression

1. For "1", "2" and "3"; call out a simple math problem so they must think and be aware of what number they'll have to perform.

Main Theme (5 mins)

Organization:

20x30 yard area

3 different sections - with defender standing in each area

Instructions:

1. Players must try to run through the "Gauntlet" and through all three levels before defender pulls pennie

2. Next player in line can begin their run as soon as the player before them passes the first defender

3. If Attacking Player makes it to the end, that is a point for their team

4. If Defending Player pulls the pennie out from Attacking Player, Attacking Player must return to the line and it is a point for the defending team

5. Play for 1-2 minutes then switch defenders

Coaching Points:

1. Attack defenders with speed/pace

2. If contained by the defender, use appropriate move/feint to get to next level

3. Don't wait for the defender, try to be unpredicatble

Progressions:

Add ball (see next slide)

Main Theme III (10 mins)

Organization:

20x30 yard area

Two teams of 6

Enough balls for each player

Instructions:

- First player on one team starts as attacker while first player on second team is defender

- For the first match-up, defender cannot go until attacker takes first touch forward

- Attacker must make it to the end-zone and stop the ball in the end-zone to score a point (can only score on offense); match-up is over

- If defender kicks the ball out of play, or prevents the attacker from stopping the ball in the end-zone, the match-up is over

- Once the match-up is over, attacker immediately turns to become defender as other team now comes out as attacker

- If match-up takes too long, limit each to 20 seconds

Coaching Points:

- Head up to observe space

- Ronaldo touches to get to end-zone quickly; Messi touches if defender has closed down space

- Attack at speed, do not wait for defender

- Catch defender off-guard quickly as they transition from being the attacker

Progressions:

Conditioned Game (15 mins)

Organization:

40 X 60 yard area.

5 v 5 plus goalies.

Ball on top of a cone placed at each corner.

Instructions:

Condition of the match is that whoever the ball goes out-of-bounds on, even a missed shot, that player must retreive the ball.

Opposing team can take a ball from any corner, and resume playing the game with the man advantage.

Player retrieving the ball from out-of-bounds must quickly place the retrieved ball on the empty cone.

Coaching Points:

Look to take advantage of being a man up.

Try to find the opportunity to create a 1 v 1 situation to go to goal.

Progressions: