Welcome Coaches! Its finally here, the day you have all been waiting for, the first day of soccer!
Find your team's number on the field and get set up. You will need to mark out a square grid for drill games to be played in. Set up your pop-up net if it has not already been set up for you.
There are no scheduled games with another team today, so you will be staying in your space for the entire session and having a scrimmage within your own team at the end. Use pinnies for this and make a second goal with your large cones.
Don't forget to introduce yourselves!
For a lot of these kids, it is very likely that it is their first time participating in an organized sport. You may have a wide range of abilities and comprehension when it comes to the drills and games.
Remember that some of the youngest players may be "done" after 30 minutes.
If players choose to carry the ball around instead of kicking it, thats ok! Just keep on encouraging them to kick it. Keep your instructions short and SHOW them what you want them to do.
Even if you don't think that you are a soccer superstar, to these little guys and gals, YOU ARE :)
HAVE FUN!!! If you all only had a dime for how often I am going to say this, you could all be rich. This is something that I can't stress enough!
At 4:30, the horn will blow to signal that it is time to move to a game. All players will be playing on two opposite teams. Don't worry if the teams are uneven, you can jump in as necessary. Have parents play along with their child, especially if he or she is hesitant to join in.
Before the game starts, help players to learn the the boundaries by running around the perimeter of your field. The perimeter could be a cliff, lava, quicksand, or whatever you like. Create a story to make it appeal to your players.
If the ball goes out, just kick a new ball back in. Throw-ins will be introduced later in the season.
We want players to have as many touches on the ball during the game, so you could introduce a second ball if you feel this would help.
Although the game is not the best use of time at this age, it is good to begin to play it and it is the expectation of the parents that their child will (hopefully!) engage in this. However, if you feel that your team is not ready for the game today, feel free to carry on with the drills.
At 4:45 pm the horn will blow again to indicate the end of the session. Don't forget to have a big cheer at the end of the game, for BOTH teams. Everyone gets and gives high fives.
It is now SNACK TIME :) Might be a good time to talk to the parents on your team if you have not done so already.
It is worth it at the first practice to spend some time on introductions and getting to know your players, so you realistically will not have time for everything below. Choose 3 or 4 that you will likely have time for, but review the others in case you need a backup plan. Whatever you do, be enthusiastic! This goes a long way, and I know that you all have it in you :)
Focus Skill - DRIBBLING
Skill Points - lots of little touches on the ball
- keep the ball close to you
- try to look up
1. WARM UP - Follow the Leader and/or Freeze Tag
Follow the Leader
Players partner with their parent inside the grid. Parent follows child as coach calls out commands such as skipping, hopping (1 foot, 2 feet), giant steps, tiny steps, backwards, , touch ground with hand, etc. When coach calls out "Change", child then follows their parent. Make sure everyone knows to stay inside the grid!
Freeze Tag
Start without soccer balls. When you get tagged, freeze until someone comes and unfreezes you. (Show them how to freeze with legs apart and arms up and out) Then move to playing with soccer balls and have players dribbling around until they get tagged. To be unfrozen now, someone must pass the ball between your legs. (Demo this)
2. Superheros
Have all players move around by dribbling in the grid. When you shout different superhero names, there are different things to do for each. Start simple with only one or two, and add as you go.
"Superman" = everyone dives on the ball and lies with it under the chest with arms out like Superman
"Batman" = put foot on the ball pretend to fly
"Spiderman" = put foot on the ball and pretend to shoot webs
"Hulk" = pick up the ball and squeeze it and roar like the Hulk!
(Don't forget to demonstrate what all these look like!)
3. Red Light, Green Light
Have all players move around by dribbling in the grid. Coach is shouting commands such as
"Red Light" = stop
"Green Light" = go
"Go speeding" = go faster
"Crash" = dive on the ball
You can add more "lights" if you want. Be creative!
4. Indy 500 / Race Track
This was covered at the Active Start coaching course, and can be found in the plan for Week #2.
Make an oval-shaped "race track" with cones that parents and kids run/"drive" around in, and a square "pit" for the start with all the soccer balls. Players start at the pit with their parent. Players "start their engines-vroom! vroom!" and dribble the ball around in a clockwise direction, following their parents. Don't forget to make car sounds while driving!
Start by running the course first without soccer balls to reinforce where the boundaries are.
This can be made easier by having players carry the ball, or harder by having players do this without a parent to follow.
Switch directions if it is going well!
5. Shark
Played inside your grid. Players are the "fish" and line up on one end of the grid with soccer balls. Coach is the "shark" and is in the centre of the grid. When coach calls out "Shark!", players try to get to the other side without getting tagged by the shark. If the shark tags you, you become a shark too.
Play the first round without soccer balls, and play the next rounds with players dribbling.
(This game is similar to British Bulldog)
