Hey Coaches! Our first week went great, and kids seemed to have fun! Every week our goal is to have fun, and to encourage our players. The more fun they have, the more they will learn -even if that’s just how to run around within a square, or kick a ball to their friend. These are the building blocks of strong players.
As your team shows up give them a ball and have them play pass with each other, or with a parent.
When you change to a new drill, send the team for a REALLY quick water break (30 seconds) or have them working on their juggling, passing between each other, or be creative in how to keep them occupied. If you give them time to goof off, they will do just that and you will struggle to get their attention back.
Warm Up
Make 2 lines, Placing cones 10 yards apart from eachother
Have players line up in 2 single-file lines with equal numbers in each. Have them start at the first cone, and work toward the second cone. Demonstrate and call out the follow: do each 2x, have next player go when player in front is half way through
- Light jog from cone 1 to 2
- High knees
- Heel kicks/ Butt kicks
- Open the gates
- Close the gates
- Kicks straight out
- Kicks across the body (swing arms and upper body opposite direction of kick)
- Touch the toes (bend down, straight leg, no bending knees and reach as far as you can. Try reaching with left hand to right foot, right hand to left foot)
- Squats (take 2-3 steps between each)
- Full sprint from cone 1 to 2
Watch this youtube clip for an idea of what it should look like, not all are in the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emw4_CV5eR8
Box Work
We did this last week, but it is good to teach the players how to warm up properly and to get a good touch on the ball before working on other techniques./p>
- Start with dribbling around the box. Encourage players to change direction and not just go around in a circle
- Remember to take lots of small touches, and not big touches. The ball should never be more than 2 feet away from you at any time
- DO NOT use your toes, use the inside or outside of your foot
- As they get better at this, yell “stop” and have the players stop in place. Each time they are getting the hang of things, or you need to switch it up, do this and demonstrate one of the follow:
- Turn: Place foot on ball and roll it backwards as you turn
- Sit: Sit down on the ball until the coach says “up”
- Cut: With the outside of your foot, wrap your foot around the ball and push it in another direction (if they struggle with this one feel free to skip it)
- Change: Swap balls with another player by running up to them and gently passing the ball
- Outside: leave your ball and run to a cone on the other side of the box and run back to your ball
- Etc… Be creative. This is all about getting the players moving, and as many touches on the ball as we can.
Find The Gap
This is similar layout and drill to soccer tennis that was in the blog last week and some of you did, but a little simpler to help our players practice moving the ball between themselves, and “finding the gap” to pass through to maintain possession of the ball.
In your grid, split it into 3 equal areas as pictured below. If you made your grid 15yards by 15 yards than these areas should be 5 yards deep by 15 years wide.
X------------X------------X------------X | | | | | Attackers | Defenders | Attackers | X X X X X= CONE | | | | | | | | X------------X------------X------------X
Split your team into 3 equal(ish) groups.
The goal of the attackers is to pass the ball 5 times before they can try and pass it through the middle to the other side of attackers. They must stay in their area, and make a minimum of 5 passes before they can play the ball to the other side. If they get it through the defenders in the middle, then they get a point and the game keeps going
The goal of the defenders is to get the ball. All of the defenders stay in the middle of the grid and try to block that final pass.
If the ball goes out, or the defenders win the ball, the defenders switch places with that team, and the team that lost the ball is now defending in the middle
The coach will play to ball into the attacking team.
This will work on their first touch, movement, and most of all, working as a team.
Try and keep things moving as fast as your can. It may take a few minutes and tries for the players to get the hang of what’s going on, but when they do they will love it! Switch the defenders quickly, and play the balls in quickly. The less time standing around the more fun every one will have.
Other Physical Distancing Ideas
Here are some other ideas for covid friendly drills from the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association: (www.mayouthsoccer.org).
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