Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): U8 dribbling

Technical semi-opposed

Organization: All players with a ball except for 2 who will hold a pinnie to designate them as defenders

Instructions:

Players with a ball attempt to dribble around in the area, maintaining control of their ball and preventing the defending players from stealing it or knocking it away

Defending players (players holding a pinnie) attempt to steal the ball from one of the players in possession and score at any of the goals on the outside

If the defending player steals the ball and scores, they give the pinnie to the player who they stole the ball from to become the new defender, they then retrieve the ball they scored and enter the game as a dribbler

If the defending player steals the ball but does not score, either because they miss the goal or because the opposing player stole it back, then they continue to play as the defender and attempt to steal someone else's ball

Coaching Points:

1. Keeping ball close

2. Finding the gaps

3. Awareness of space and position of the defender turning if gap is to small or to escape pressure

Progressions:

1 vs 1 conditioned game

Organization:

Players are in pairs with 4 target zone in corners.

Instructions:

Players start with ball back to back in area. Players count down to 3 then they turn and have to win the ball and dribble into one of the 4 target zones. Game lasts 10 seconds.

Coaching Points:

1. Aggression to win the ball

2. Awareness of space/Defender

3. When to push ball out of feet and when to take smaller touches.

Progressions: