Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Week 4 Sessions

Arrival Activity (15 mins)

Set Up: 

2 Small mini goals at one end of a small area, marked with cones.

Two teams start at the ends of the area.

Instructions: 

One team starts with the balls, and takes turns trying to score, while the other team defends. Players play 1 on 1, and only have one turn each, before swapping ends. Teams should keep count of how many goals their team can score.

One players should be on each side to provide a "give and go" option

If the ball goes outside the area, the turn to score is finished.

Variation/Progression:

Harder for BP - Easier for BPO: 

Time limit the games (15sec to score)

Make the goals smaller in size

Make the goals closer together

Allow 2 games to be played at the same time in the same area.

Allow 2 defenders

Easier for BP - Harder for BPO:

No time limit to score

Make the goals larger

Make the goals further apart

Delay the defender (touch a cone, tuck-jumps etc)

Allow second player in to help with BP

Reflex and Reaction (5 mins)

Set Up: Players stand face to face with a partner, and a ball between them

Instructions: Players wait for the coach to call out a body part (head, shoulders, knees, toes etc) or ball. The players race to be the first to touch the the body part and when the coach says ball, they have to be the first to pick up the ball. The winner is the person holding the ball.

Key Coaching Points: Focus, listen, react.

End Zone Game (20 mins)

Set Up:

Divide field into 3rds

Mark out "Green" and "Red" End Zones

9 players, (3v3+3) or 11 (4v4+3) if coaches play too

Instructions:

Objective: Get the ball from the "back" to the "front"

Players should always start each round from their zones

Play starts with the neutral player at an end.

When play starts, all players should stay inside their zone, however players can move into different zones after play starts

If the white team can successfully play into the green zone, play switches to the black team tries to play into the red zone

Players should swap starting positions semi regularly, (#2 becomes a #7, #6 becomes a #10 etc)

Variation/Progression:

Add in 2 Coach Players

Players can try and score if they can get the ball onto one of the end zones

Key Coaching Points:

Players should make sharp movements, time their runs and look for overlapping runs to create overloads

Midfielders should always be moving into and out of "helping positions"

Teams can always play back to end neutral player as a safety option.

Players should be mindful that sometimes the way forward is by switching play, and using the other side of the field.

Player Coaching Points:

#3 should always look for movement of players that "want" the ball

#2 & #5 should look for give and goes, or driving runs depending on what the defending team are giving them or taking away

#6 & #10 should be "coming in to help" or "getting out to create space" with their movement

#7 & #11 should receive the ball "on the run" and should try and be "goal side" or "inside" their defender

Cooldown (5 mins)

Instructions: 

Players lead their own cool down with dynamic and static stretches

Coach Comments:

Coaches will give starting line up names and feedback on session