U10 Practice #1 - Week 1

Don't forget to:
Introduce yourself
Get to know players names
Review players code of conduct (stress fair play, equipment, no jewellery)


Theme/Focus:  Dribbling

Dribbling cues
(with defender):
-ball close, lots of touches, use all parts of foot
-keep body/hip between you and defender(shield so you can see player and the ball...be big)
-head up

(fast, break away style dribbling)
-ball still in control but pushed further ahead
-ball pushed forward with laces, toe pointed down
-head up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5KzkwC8uQE 
for technique tips on dribbling in a fast break situation


Warm up:  (5-10min)
Dribble Grid (square dance in bytesized coaching binder)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8iJZnhdQE0
(use stop, go, turn, fake, storks/toe taps, tic-tocs etc....as commands) ADD SOME DYNAMIC STRETCHES
-play a fun game of shark, where coaches or a few players are the sharks(without balls) and try and knock the other players balls out of the grid, if your ball is knocked out 5 storks and back into the game OR if your ball is knocked out the player who knocked it out gets your ball and you become a shark.

GAME: intersquad scrimmage two teams, 4 goals (situated one on each side of field/grid OR two on each end, a per corner.  To score must dribble through the goal (10 min max)

Activity:  drills/activities to focus on skill of dribbling (20-25min)

Turn & Burn
Focus – Ball Literacy
Divide players into two teams – put one team in pinnies. One team starts on one end of the grid with a ball each. Objective is for players with the ball to dribble towards the players without, who remain stationary. The coach shouts “Turn” and the players with the ball turn and try to dribble back to their starting line before their partner. Move to when coach yells turn, that the defender or player without the ball can try and steal the ball before getting to the "safe line".  Take turns having both teams being attackers/defenders. Do not eliminate players who lose their ball. Let them have another go.  (Coach can keep score for fun if you want and make the winning team sing???)

Musical Chairs
http://www.coachingsoccer101.com/musicalchairs.htm

Set Up - Two Circular grids. One small and one large.

Players each with their own ball, dribble around the small large grid. They should be dribbling at a decent pace, avoiding each other and keeping their heads up.

After they have been dribbling for a while, call out the word "SWITCH"  When you do this each player must stop their ball, leave it where it is, and run around a cone on the outer circle and run back into the small circle to a new or different soccer ball. It is important they get to new balls right away and continue dribbling.
Once they get comfortable with the concept of the drill, remove one player's ball.  This player now must run around the drill without a ball.  When the next "Switch" comes about, players again run to the outside circle and back intho the smaller one.
Any player who doesn't end up with a ball after a "Change" has to run round the grid.


Dribble Attack
2 players per ball, inter‐ passing, when coach yells “go”, one tries to beat the other & dribble through a mini‐goal. Only 1 goal can be scored at each goal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EadxBPmQvtg

GAME: Intersquad scrimmage: **just your team divided into Two teams, two goals, regular rules of soccer.  Coach the dribbling techniques practiced in the game.  Also use this game to review rules eg. throw ins (all the way behind the head, throw the way your facing, both feet on the ground, two hands on the ball), goal kicks etc...