Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): Soccer Giant

Description

Soccer Giant is a dribbling game that promotes technical dribbling and cognitive development - awareness and understanding of the importance of keeping the head up while dribbling.

Equipment & Setup

• 20x25 rectangle
• 4 different color zones in each corner
• One ball per player

Directions

• The player's free dribble to start - the coach can call out commands like toe-taps, pull-back, fast, slow
• The coach calls out a color and the players have to quickly dribble to that color zone
• Players have to use their awareness and keep their head up - it's not a race, but each player wants to try and get in the zone as soon as they can
• The coach can switch colors as the players are dribbling to get them to work on their awareness and change of direction (pull-back in particular)

Increase difficulty

After the players have been to each zone, the coach comes in as the soccer giant. The coach calls out a color and puts semi-opposed pressure on the players. The coach is there to be a defender and get the players comfortable and confident taking an opponent on and changing speed and direction against an opponent

If the players are confident and doing well, you can introduce a points system

• 3 points for getting in the zone first
• 1 point for making it into the zone
• -1 for going out of the playing area

Suggestion -  don't follow the points too strictly and allow the kids to be creative with points scoring.

In the context of the game

Players need to be able to change speed and direction to take a player on in a game, have awareness and be direct and dribble with a purpose to goal (the zones)