Football/Soccer Session (Difficult): Skill Acquisition - Stations

Station #1 - Juggling-Touch (15 mins)

OBJECTIVE: Improve the player’s ability to keep the ball up - balance, differentiation, touch 

PLAYER ACTIONS: keep the ball up, use both feet, 

ORGANIZATION: Within a 15W x 20L field, set up 3W x 6L grids with a minimum of 2 yards between each grid. Each player has a soccer ball and must remain in their own grid. If the ball goes out, quickly retrieve it and come back to your space. The players start with their soccer ball in their hands. Gently toss the ball into the air, touch the ball with your thigh or foot (coach’s choice) then catch it before it hits the ground. Players will count how many times they can complete the task in 1 minute. Each interval, coach either asks the players to beat their last score or introduce a new surface to hit the ball back to their hands. Surfaces can be left thigh, right thigh, left foot or right foot.

Juggling - 40sec Active / 20sec Rest

1. Alternating Feet R, L, R, L

2. R,R & L,L

3. Boxes (Foot, Thigh, Thigh, Foot)

4. Elevators (4x Low & 1x High)

5. Right Foot Only (Foot Cannot Touch the Floor)

6. Left Foot ONny (Foot Cannot Touch the Floor)

7. Headers

8. One Touch Above the Head

9. One Touch - Foo

KEY WORDS: Soft toss, watch the ball back to your hands

GUIDED QUESTIONS: What happens if you throw the ball too high? After your soccer ball hits your thigh or foot,

why is it important to watch the ball all the way to your hands?

ANSWERS: If you throw it up too high, it could go further away and harder to use your foot or thigh. After you touch the ball with your foot or thigh, keep watching the ball until you have it back in your hands.

Note: It may be helpful to toss the ball first then catch it so the players get used to the height to toss it. After 1 interval of toss and catch, now introduce the thigh or foot surfaces.

Station #3 - Ball manipulation (10 mins)

OBJECTIVE: Improve the player’s ability to maneuver the ball with different surfaces of the foot

PLAYER ACTIONS: Dribble forward

ORGANIZATION: Within a 15W x 20L field, set up 3W x 6L grids with a minimum of 2 yards between each grid. Each player has a soccer ball and must remain in their own grid. If the ball goes out, quickly retrieve it and come back to your space. The players try to use the following 6 surfaces in 1 fluid motion & in order: Outside of the foot (pinky toe), inside of the foot (big toe), laces, bottom (sole), toe & heel. Once they have turned with heel, try to repeat the pattern with their other foot. Once the players understand the pattern, try to do it faster; still in the limited space. Remember to account for minimum space requirements for social distancing.

KEY WORDS: Outside, inside, laces, bottom, toe, heel

GUIDED QUESTIONS: When you are ready to move forward, what are some actions you will do before you strike

the ball? What do you have to do with your foot if you want your laces to hit the ball?

ANSWERS: Look up to see where you are going. As you get closer to the ball, put your head back down & watch your foot hit the ball. Point your toe down toward the ground so your laces are facing the ball. Now, hit the ball with your laces.

Note: To allow for ease of learning, introduce the 6 surfaces -2 surfaces at a time then layer in 1 at a time. Challenge the players to perform this “really hard task.” Once they realize the can complete the challenge they will be ready for the next surface.

Station #4 - Running with Ball - Passing/Shooting (10 mins)

Players now race through end gate before shooting into goal then next player starts. 

DRIBBLE THE BALL FORWARD

SKILL ACQUISITION COACHING POINTS : Dribbling- Head Up and Eyes on the ball, Surface of the Foot to use, Surface of the ball to strike, Distance of touch, Change of Direction, Balance and Acceleration (Change of Pace) after the defender is beaten.

OBJECTIVE: To dribble the ball forward. PLAYER ACTIONS: Dribble the ball forward.

1. Inside and outside of one foot. Four Intervals.

2. Touch with inside right, touch with inside left. Four Intervals. 3. Fake and take. Five Intervals.

4. Circle take. Five Intervals.

KEY WORDS: Control, Fake, Accelerate.

GUIDED QUESTIONS: 1. How can we control the ball before performing the move? 2. Why do you need to fake a defender (cone)? 3. When do we accelerate?

ANSWERS: 1. We will take smaller touches – 2. The fake throws the defender out one way – 3. As soon as we are past the defender (cone).

Skill Aquisition Info - Attacking -Improve the Technique of Shooting

SKILL ACQUISITION: Shooting - Touch outside the body, Position of the non-kicking foot, Head up to frame the goal, Head down to strike, Surface of the foot to strike with, Surface of the ball to strike, Follow through, Accuracy versus Power.

OBJECTIVE: To improve the technique of shooting. PLAYER ACTIONS: Shooting.

KEY WORDS: Touch, Approach, Standing foot, Contact.

GUIDED QUESTIONS: 1. In what direction should our first touch be? 2. How do you approach the ball? 2. Where should the standing foot be to strike the ball? 3. Where do you make contact with the ball?

ANSWERS: 1. In the direction of the goal – 2. Approach it at an angle – 3. About 6 inches to the side of the ball pointing to the target.