Football/Soccer Session (Moderate): U11/U12 PDP - Striking & Finishing Session II

Juggling (15 mins)

Work on juggling with the feet. Start with various simple patters (foot/catch, bounce/foot/catch, etc.). Then work your way into high foot juggling using the laces and striking surface of the foot. See if they can juggle the ball straight up without much spin. Foot will be about waist height and shoulders will hunch over slightly.

Coaching Points:

•Strike with instep/laces (point toe down)

•Watch your foot strike the center of the ball (head steady)

Line/Number Soccer (25 mins)

Set up one field 25 x 30 with one goal on each end. Split the players into two teams and number the players on each team (ex. 1,2,3,4,5,6) along with one goalkeeper to start. The opposing team should have a player whose number matches a player on the other team. Each team lines themselves up along one touch line. The coach will play a ball into the field and call a number. The player from each team who has that number enters the field to play against their counterpart from the other team. Vary the game and call multiple numbers so that they play in 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and even 4v4 situations. Designate which team is attacking which goal. After around 2 minutes, switch the goalkeepers.

You can even call out situations where there’s numbers up situations 2v1, 3v2, 3v4, etc.

•How can you eliminate a defender?

•Are you in a clear path to the ball?

•What type of run will be more useful here?

Coaching Points:

•Strike with instep/laces (point toe down)

•Watch your foot strike the center of the ball (head steady)

•Body and striking foot at a slight angle (can’t be straight up and down)

•Placement of non-striking foot and positioning of hips, head/shoulders

•Follow through towards your target landing on your striking foot