Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): U13/14 Striking Intermediate & Long balls (Week9 Session1)

Striking the Ball Partners (20 mins)

Each player has a partner who is 25 yards away. Practice striking the ball to parnter, driven pass and lofted passes.

Coaching points:

Driven

- Approach ball at a slight angle.

- Strike ball with laces.

- Ankle locked.

- Strike through center of ball and follow through landing on the striking foot

Lofted

- Approach the ball at a slight angle.

- Strike ball with instep (laces) of foot.

-Strike lower half of ball to put back spin on it and get the ball higher in the air.

4+4 v. 2+2 (25 mins)

Use a 40x25 grid with a 15 yard zone in the middle. Divide players into three teams with four players per team. One team in each zone. The team in the middle is defending, two players are allowed to leave the zone to go pressure the team of 4 that has the ball. While the other 2 defending players try to intercept the pass across. Team on the outside is trying to connect a minimum of 2 passes before they play a long ball pass to the other team of 4 on the opposite side of the grid. Once a team loses the ball, they become the defending team.

Coaching Points:

- Move ball quickly to be able to play long ball effectively.

- Good vision.

- Decide when you can use driven v. lofted passes.