Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): Dribbling with Head Up

Screen 1

#1 - Organization (Physical Environment / Equipment / Players): 

Place different colored cones within a playing area. Each player has their own ball. At first, perform the activity without the ball. 

A) Run and touch cones with hands, B) Run and touch cones with feet, C) Run and hop over cones with two feet, D) Run and hop over cones with one foot. Then add a ball. Have the players dribble from cone to cone. A) Dribble around a cone, B) Dribble to a new color.

Coaching Points 

Key Concepts: Dribbling with the head up. Working on movement ability (w/out ball).

#2 -   

Organization (Physical Environment /Equipment / Players): 

To start, have players run with balls in their hands. If player gets tagged, then 5 touch-ups to get unfrozen. Then progress to dribbling a ball. If player gets tagged by the coach then a teammate has to unfreeze them by passing ball under the legs or dribbling around them. Play for a period then make the boundaries smaller.

Coaching Points / Key Concepts: Dribbling with the head up. Introduce how to turn the ball with the inside of the foot. Ask them to show how they get away from being tagged.

#3 - Main Part: Expanded Activity (2v2 / 3v3 / 4v4 to an end zone)

Organization (Physical Environment /Equipment / Players): 

Create two end zones and put a ball in each. There is also one game ball. Play 2v2, 3v3 or 4v4. The objective is to dribble the ball into the other team’s end zone. When a team is successful, they retrieve another ball from their defending end zone and try again. The first team to get all three balls in the other team’s end zone wins.

Coaching Points / Key Concepts:

Introducing how to dribble around an opponent. Ask players to show you how they go around someone.