Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): U7 Girls S16- Session 1 (Start Time: 2016-03-14 16:00:00)

Warmup - Pond Game (20 mins)

Organization:

1. 20 x 20 yard area with random cones set up around the area, set up as shown. 1 ball per player.

Instructions:

1. The area is a pond and the cones are the lily pads.

2. Players must move from lily pad to lily pad hopping like a frog, then skipping like lizards, sprinting with fins like fish, flying like a humming birds. (All done with out a ball)

3. Players then swim between the lily pads as a tadpole (dribbling a soccer ball).

4. When each player reaches a lily pad, they count to three & progress to another lily pad.

Coaching Points:

1. Frogs - hop with both legs

2. Lizards - skip across the water

3. Fish - sprint, by making a fin over their head

4. Hummingbird - flapping wings (arms) very quickly as you run

5. Tadpoles - swim in squiggly lines (moving in lots of different directions)

Progressions:

1. Go through animal progression.

2. Players get to choose how they move.

3. Coach becomes a crocodile & players must now look out & arrive safely on a lily pad.

4. End with all players as tadpoles & coach still as a crocodile.

(Adapted from Red Bulls Mini Kick Curriculum - Activity #7)

Fun Game - Relay Race (15 mins)

Organization:

1. Two teams, same number of balls.

2. Race to get all the ball back first.

Instructions:

1. One player at a time retrieves an ball and must dribble it back with their feet and sit on it before the next player can go.

2. First team to get all the ball back wins.

Coaching Points:

1. Feel the ball. Use Messi touches.

2. As you get closer to your home take smaller touches so you can keep control and sit on the ball.

Progressions:

1. Weak foot only.