U13 practice - Thursday May 3

Theme: Dribbling

I will be running mass practice with all the U13 teams, using roughly the practice plan below.  I will do a warm up and agility session with all the players together and then use one team to demo the first drill. I will be setting the pace of practice (demoing each new drill with one team and then sending you off to work with your teams). I will spend time with each squad during the practice.  Meet with your team at start (if you have not already done so, introduce yourself, let them know what we're doing etc...) once ready send your players with a ball into the dribble grid for warm up.

Warm up - Dribble Grid - inside, outside, storks, tic-tocs, fakes, turns etc...
                   Dynamic stretching

Agility- ladders, hurdles and cones

Skill focus:  dribble, shoot, score  

Mark out a goal or use nets with targets in corners.  About 20-25yards out two lines (mark with cones), staggered, offence (with balls) line in front, defence line about 2ft behind Coach shouts go (or play is initiated as soon as attacker makes first touch), offence/attacking player dribbles towards goal trying to get in as many touches on ball (keep it close!) as possible before shooting on net trying not to let defending players catch up to them and take their ball.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5KzkwC8uQE 

for technique tips on dribbling or attacking at pace

Focus: Ball Literacy- Dribble to Shoot

Divide players into two teams. Players dribble through the cones  when they get to the target cone, players take a touch with the outside of the foot and strike at the empty goal. Players retrieve their ball and the next player goes. Players are encouraged to use left and right foot to strike at goal. Player encouraged to use inside and outside of foot. Coach can keep score for fun.

Variations:

1. Player try different 1 v 1 moves to get by the target 

2. Add a defender or goalkeeper

Ball Literacy  - King/Queen of the Ring

15x15 grid

Game of knock out (while dribbling around try to knock other players balls out while maintaining control of your ball, if your ball is knocked out, 5 storks and then back in the game)  - working on keeping ball close and shielding

Alternatives

Progress to last man standing (King/Queen of the ring). When a player gets their ball knocked out of the square they are now “out” and are not allowed to return to the grid. They remain outside the grid cheering for their teammates. Continue this until everybody is knocked out and there is only one player left. This player becomes the King/Queen of the Ring.

Game:  4 goals - to scrimmage

15x15 grid (or 20x20depending on numbers), with four goals, one on each side.  Coach has all balls in one corner.  Two teams, coach feeds ball into grid (either to space or to a calling open player.  Aim of game is to attack goals (by dribbling) and score by stopping ball dead on the line in the goal. Encourage attacking the space or the goal, using team mates to gain a better scoring opportunity at any of the four goals.  

Progress to a scrimmage (using only two goals) coach only attacking space with the ball.  Teams will pass but when there is opportunity to dribble to space encourage this.  Keep scoring as stop dead on the line? 


Brief Cool down.

Coaching points:

-lots of touches on the ball

-keep ball close (1 step away) and in control

-use all parts of foot when dribbling

-keep head up

-shield so you can see player and the ball...be big