Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): YMCA Activities

Warm-Up - Freeze Tag

Organization:

1. All players inside the penalty area.

2. No balls.

3. Two taggers.

Instructions:

1. Classic game of Freeze Tag.

2. Two taggers (for turnout of 12). Adjust as necessary.

3. Players can get unfrozen with high five from teammate.

4. Multiple rounds, rotate taggers.

Coaching Points:

1. Head up to observe space.

2. Change speeds.

3. Change directions.

4. Communication.

Progressions:

1. Everyone except taggers with a ball.

Ghostbusters (20 mins)

Organization:

20x yard circular area as shown

5x yard circular area as shown

1 ball per player

1 pinnie per player

Instructions:

The Ghosts (players) have taken over NYC (larger circular area) The Ghostbuster (coach) must try to make the city safe again by ridding the streets of ghosts by shooting them with his ghostblaster (striking his ball at the players hitting their knee or anywhere below). The Ghosts are sooo sneaky and clever that they have the power to fly and jump high over the blaster. If a Ghost leaves the city or is hit by ghostblaster they are sucked in quickly to the Ghostbuster HQ (smaller circular area) where they are transformed into a Ghostbuster and collect their ghostblaster and safety gear for themselves before returning to the city to help their fellow Ghostbuster. Players start the game with pinnies on to designate themselves as Ghosts, but when they are sucked back to Ghostbusters HQ they remove them to transform and change into a Ghostbuster. But, before the Ghostbusters drive back to the city they must first charge up their blaster (perform ‘x’ amount of balls mastery techniques) Play until the NYC is safe from all clever ghosts!

Coaching Points:

- Try to get as close as possible to a Ghost before shooting your blaster.

- Make sure you know where in the city to look for the Ghosts are by looking up.

- Try to make sure you aim for a Ghost and not just shoot your blaster when you can as it may end up in the other side of the city and take a long time for you to get it back.

Progressions:

The ghostblaster will only work if use it properly (using designated part of foot – inside or laces, if players use their toes then their blaster miss-fires and won't capture the ghost)

Capture the Ball (15 mins)

Equipment

Three or four grids 3x3 yards set up equally apart from each other.

All balls start in center of grids to begin game.

Players split as evenly as possible into their home grids.

Organization

On coach's command players race to get balls and return them to their home base

Once all balls are out of the center, players my invade other home bases and steal their balls

NO DEFENDING or stealing balls while being dribbled (only balls stored in home bases)

Coach calls time and counts balls to determine winners - then starts new round

Coaching Points

Heads up when dribbling.

Speed dribble back to home and control when entering.

Use pull back or Outside Chop when changing direction and coach can roam and force players to use a step over to get past the whistle monster