Don't forget to introduce yourself.
Remember to give water breaks between drills.
Some of the 3 year olds may be done after 30 minutes.
It's okay if kids carry the ball around, instead of kick it, keep encouraging them to kick it.
Remember for many of these kids this is their first time participating in an organized sport, there will be different abilities to comprehend and do the drills. Don't forget to demo, demo, demo what you want to see and have fun, because if you're having fun, they will have fun! Be animated!!!
At 4:30ish the horn will go, indicating it is time to move to your games. It is supposed to be 3v3, so you may want to have two games going with the other team (you can play 4v4 with one of the 4 being a goalie too). Or have everyone play, whatever suits you and the other team. They won't know where the boundaries are, help them out by running around the perimeter with them and help them to understand what they are supposed to do. If it goes out, just kick a new ball in, we'll introduce throw ins later on. The game is not the best use of time at this age but it is good to begin to play and it is the expectation of the parents that they play the beautiful game. It's okay to have more than one ball going to encourage more people to play and touch the ball. At 4:45 the horn will go again indicating the end of the session & snack time. **Don't forget to have a big cheer at the end of your game for your team and the other team and then go and high 5 the other team!! VERY important....cheer & high 5's then Snack and social.
*Don't feel you need to do all the drills below
*Enthusiasm goes a long way!
Focus skill- dribbling
Skill cues: lots of LITTLE touches on the ball
keep the ball close
try and look up
1. Warm up - freeze tag no balls to start, if you get tagged, freeze until someone comes and unfreezes you (show them how to freeze, legs apart, arms up and out)....then move to playing with balls, if you get tagged person unfreezes them by passing the ball between your legs (demo this). You are dribbling around until you get tagged.
2. Superheros
Have all kids dribble (show them) around the grid and when you shout superman/woman, everyone dives on the ball (lie on ball so it's under chest) and puts arm up like superman/woman, when you shout batman, they put foot on ball and pretend to fly, when you shout Spiderman they put foot on ball and pretend to spin a web (spidyhands), when you shout Hulk, they pick up ball and squeeze it and roar like the hulk.
3. Red light, Green light
Players move around the grid dribbling the ball – when coach shouts red light players stop. Green light players go. Go speeding – players go faster. Crash - players dive on their ball. Be creative, yellow light slow down etc...
3. Indy 500/Race track
(can be found in Active Start plan 2)
Creat an oval race track that kids&parents can run/drive around, with your cones and a square "pit" on one side with all the balls. "Start your engines"
Players start from “Pit row” with parents. Player starts by exiting the pits and dribbling the ball in a clockwise direction around the track following their parent. If the ball exits the track they must make 3 toe taps on the ball to restart the engine. Parent and player can switch roles with child following parents. Encourage players to make “Vroom! Vroom!” car sounds while driving!
Alternatives
**Easier – run the track first with no balls.**good idea so they understand the boundary and then make the next lap with balls. Easier – players carry ball in hands and run around track Harder – Have players drive the truck on their own. Harder – Switch directions and have drivers go counter-clockwise. Harder – Change direction before completing circuit on coaches’ command
4. Shark/British Bull Dog
15 x 15 grid or so. Have players (fish/pirates) with balls on one end of the grid and coach (shark) in the middle, the players need to get to the other side of grid to get to the sunken ship/pirate ship or to safety. If the shark tags you before you reach the other side (then you become a shark/it too). First round play no balls just running, second round play that the players need to dribble the ball to the other side.
http://www.coachingsoccer101.com/tag1.htm
5. Rock Soccer
Two teams, two small grids (treasure chests) in each teams half. Line up all balls in the middle. On "go" players run and dribble a ball and put into treasure chest, once all balls gone from middle go and steal balls from other teams treasure chest (no checking/tackling to get balls). Goal to get more treasure!
