Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Next Level Coaching. Week 2
Session Collective
Peter Sturgess
Description
The focus for this week is upon developing awareness and the warm up (Physical Literacy) gets players scanning for opponents to avoid and spaces to travel into.
This is followed by a related game (Travel Across the World) but with more contextual interference as there will be more players involved.
To finish we have the (Decision-Decisions) game that tests the players attention and decision making as they once again are challenged to make sense of their surroundings in order to make good decisions.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Players can run to the opposite sides.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Players can run to the opposite side diagonally.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Organisation: The size of the overall area is 25x20m and there are two 5m zones at either end as in the diagram.
- One BLUE defender is placed in either end zone.
- There are three BLUE defenders placed in the middle zone.
- The WHITE players at each end have a ball each.
How to play:
The WHITE players must try to keep possession of the ball from the BLUE players as they travel across to the other side of the grid. There are two ways to do this:
If the WHITE player travels to the other end zone without losing the ball to a BLUE defender and scores they gain a point for their team.
If the WHITE player travels through the central shaded zone and to the other end zone and score they gain 3 team points because it is harder.
If a BLUE player steals possession of the ball they can dribble into an end zone and score in a goal.
The WHITE player can try to get the ball back before this happens.
If the BLUE defender scores they gain a point for their team and the WHITE player retrieves their ball to start again.
- The BLUE defenders in each end zone stay in there and try to stop the WHITE players scoring.
- The 3 BLUE defenders in the middle stay in there. If a WHITE player makes it to the end zone then the one BLUE defender in there takes over.
Swap players around to give everyone the chance to score and defend.
Options 1: Add more Blue defenders in the central area.
Option 2: Add more goals so that players who get into the end zone can score more easily.
Option 3: Reduce the playing area to create more congestion.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Organisation: This is another great way to get the young players playing in a game but in a game with a tactical challenge built in. The game can be played 4v4, 5v5 or 6v6. The 5v5 version is shown in the diagram. Pitch size is 40x20m.
How to play:
Each team is given one goal and one end zone to score into and defend.
The coach calls out which game is to be played (attack the goals and score in the normal way or attack the end zone with your GK in it and get the ball into their hands and then attack the opposite end zone, get the ball in there before attacking the end zone with your GK in it to score points again.)
Video 1 shows the YELLOW team keeping possession and scoring in the goal in the normal way.
When the coach (or a designated player can decide when the game switches to the end zone game) changes the game the GK's of each team take up their position in the end zone they have been given to attack and score points. Points are scored as the team keeps possession and is able to get the ball into the hands of the GK in the end zone. From here the GK starts an attack to the other end zone where the team has to work the ball into this opposite end zone before turning around and attacking the end zone with the GK in it to try to get the ball into the GK's hand again to score points.
This change is shown in video 2.
Players must react quickly to change the point of attack when the coach calls out which game is to be played.
If the players start to hit long balls into the GK's hands then the quick passing, moving and receiving you want to improve will be reduced so change the game so that the ball has to be played along the floor to the GK to either play with their feet or to pick up and practice their throwing or rolling out of the ball as they start the next attack.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
Play animation
Play step-by-step
Repeat (toggle)
Full Screen
Pause
Stop
Organisation: The area can be marked out with cones. For the number of players in the video the size is 15x10m.
This warm up involves more players and they start on the outside of the square with bibs placed in the SIDE of their shorts like a tail.
How to play:
The two middle players try to steal the bib as players travel across the square to get to different sides. Team points are given for successful runs across (higher the risk-higher the points). If the middle player steals a bib players change places and roles. Remember, the game can be played with the middle "Taggers" staying in their half OR they can go anywhere to increase the challenge.
Points:
The middle ‘taggers’ can change with a player on the outside when s/he has stolen the bib
Option 1: Add a ball
Option 2: For all players
Option 3: For one "tagger" the other "tagger" is live
Option 4: For just players on the outside (both taggers are ‘live’ with no ball to slow them down)