Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): TWIN CITY UNDER 12s BLOCK 1 SESSION 1 Passing and Receiving

BALL MASTERY GRID (20 mins)

OVERVIEW: 

EQUIPMENT: Footballs, Bibs, Cones, Goals, 8 - 12 Players

Using a 20x20 area, players are paired up on a side of the box each with a ball each too. 

Using the Football beginner ball mastery, players are to perform ‘Sole Taps, Toe Taps’ across to the opposite side of the square. 

As players perform ball mastery across the square, they must maintain being in line with their partner whilst keeping their eyes up as well as scanning. 

Use a variety of different ball mastery techniques to challenge the players. 

Competition can be added by players counting how many touches they get whilst moving across to the opposite side of the square.
COACHING POINTS: Scanning, Keep Eyes Up, Use Both Feet, Speed Of Touches
PROGRESSIONS: Add variations to your ball mastery to challenge the players appropriately, as well as create more traffic by having players move across the grid in different ways.
Another way of progressing this practice is by adding passes at the end, once players get to the opposite side, they must pass to the next player who then travels across the grid performing ball mastery.
REGRESSION: Rather than players staying in line with their pairs, players can travel across the grid at their own speed without staying in line with their partners.

RETREAT OR PRESS SMALL SIDED GAME (20 mins)

OVERVIEW: 

Set up a 40 x 20 area with two goals on the pitch and organize 3v3 plus goalkeepers. 

Each time the team in possession has a goal kick in their half, the opposition must retreat into their own half. 

Failure to do so will result in a free kick to the team in possession of the ball. 

Once the team in possession of the ball has played their first pass, the defending team
can decide whether they wish to stay in their half or go and press and win the ball back. 

This rule will enable the team in possession to be able to build from the back and progress into the opposition’s half.

COACHING POINTS: Team Spacing, Body Shape, Scanning, Passing Order

PROGRESSIONS: Instead of a retreat line, the defending team can move wherever they wish from goal kicks throughout the game.
You may also wish to progress this further by stating the attacking team must make a certain number of passes in their half before they can progress into the attacking half.
REGRESSION: The defending team must stay in their half and cannot tackle until attackers get into their half. This will be in place whenever the attacking team has the ball in their half, enabling them to be patient in their build-up play.