U8 boys practice - May 22

I will be working with the girls this week.  Here is a basic practice plan.  Ensure you give a good amount of time for the scrimmage at the end as the format of the scrimmage will work on using the wings.  As always, if you have another good drill to promote the skill use it!  And of course don't feel you need to get through all of these drills, pick and choose as you feel appropriate.

Focus skill:  shooting

Warm up/Agility - no balls
Play a game of donkey tails
Half have pinnies as tales in shorts, other half try and get as many pinnies as possible or some variation of this.

Warm up- with balls
Dribble Grid and then play shark

Passing & Receiving Review - try shuttles, continuous passing (groups of 3 or 4)...start two touch, move to one touch, move closer for one touch shuttles.  Idea of pass and move.  Could start drill by having them just dribbling and then moving to passing.  Really focus on coaching points of passing and receiving - especially first touch in the two touch passing.


**Agility Relays - ladders & cones, share around ladders

Skill focus shooting mechanics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac8r9XlSWo0&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3wi0tehvIw&feature=relmfu
Coaching points:
-planting foot pointing at the target
-planting foot next to ball if too far back, ball will go up because you will be forced to lean
-striking ball with inside laces, toe pointed down ankle locked
-knee over ball (of striking foot)
-shoulder over the ball (head down as striking)
-quick snap and follow through
-always strike a moving  ball

skill focus:  shooting
simple activity of two lines, each kid with a ball facing coach/team mate.  Pass to coach or team mate who lays off the ball to side for a shot
http://expertfootball.com/coaching/shooting.php
(first drill on page) - worry less about if they are shooting in or out of penalty area

can adapt this drill slightly and add a defender, where the coach/player who was initially receiving for layoff, now this player is the attacker (back to net), defender behind them, attacker receives pass and needs to turn and play a shot on goal (have defender play dummy to start and play tight...then move to live defender)

skill- numbers game-one net...focus shooting 
Set up a small grid with goal at one end/use penalty area.  Separate players into 2 teams lined up on each side of goal.  Place two cones just a bit further than shooting distance even with corners of goal, and place yourself between with a stash of balls.  Number players 1,2,3,4,5 etc. Call out a number. That numbered player on each team must race around the cones into the field where a ball is played. Players are trying to both defend and score on the same net. Encourage celebrations after a goal! Progress to 2 or 3 players. Add a goalkeeper

Scrimmage - try a scrimmage with allies on each side of the field where one designated player from each team plays (no checking or tackling in the allies).  Goal of scrimmage is to use these wings/ally players each time you move to attack.  Must use allies in order to attempt to score on goal.  The player in the ally can play anywhere in the ally but must stay in ally until coach switches their position.
Move to regular scrimmage and use this time to work on items that need attention from your games like throw ins etc...