U -13 Week 8

Last week of soccer!  Please remind players and parents that Saturday is the wind up.  U13 boys and girls play from 9:30 to 11:10 on Grandstand fieldwith awards and snack to follow.  Check out https://sites.google.com/site/revelstokesoccer/  for schedule.

Coaches, if you can not be at the wind up on Saturday please find someone who will look after and coach your team.

Last practice!  Have fun!  Here is the plan. 

11 vs 11 games this week! Great seeing the players enjoying playing 11 aside soccer two weeks ago. They will have an opportunity to show off their full field skills again. 

Coaches separate players into two equal teams. I find having players stand beside someone of similar ability works well to separate into teams. The main goal of playing 11 aside is having players learning shape (their positions). Don't be afraid to remind them of where they should be and even stop the game to have them adjust their positioning.

Boys green team and Girls orange team practice.

If you have not done attacking session please see last week's blog and focus on attacking skills.

If you are all caught up this week will be a summary of soccer skills during the season. For each specific skill activity remind the players of the proper technique. It has been wonderful seeing all the progress they have made this year.  Choose one activity from each skill. 

Warm up- 

Agility: Do your favourite ladder and hurdle drills, try to incorporate a pass or a shot within the agility. Try this fun version of Pac Man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Phj3s4HJu1Y&list=PL2B7EA446FFA89CA8

Game: Have coach(es) join players in a short game of soccer usual rules.

Or, if you could have a short game of World Cup. Appropriate for this time of year. If you do not remember the game ask the players. 

Dribbling - gates game, use gates or cones for this drill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0Hal8w5Odw

Passing -  Passing & Support – Square to Sqaure  

Organization: Divide players into groups of four, Set-up area 20x10m

· One group in possession against one opponent in one 10x10m square.

· One square vacant to begin with.

Coaching Points:

· Accurate passes with good ball speed.

· Open your body to the play when receiving a pass.

· Support in triangles – wide and deep.

· Don’t support too close to the ball. Remember: distance = time.

Description:

1. Two groups compete against one another as follows: Four red players v 1 white player in a one square, with three white players resting outside the square at the halfway line. The coach serves the ball to the red team and they must make at least three passes after which they can pass the ball into the next square for one of the group to run onto. If successful all four red players move into the next square and, again try to get at least three passes and play back into the original square. If the red team is successful the defending white player steps out and a new defender enters the next square attempting to win the ball. If the red team should pass the ball out of bounds, or the defender wins the ball, the coach serves the next ball into the other square to the white players and one of the reds becomes a defender, while the other rest outside the area. Every successful movement from one square to the next = 1 point. First team to 10 points is the winner.

Progression: As above but 3v1 in one square, with fourth player in other square. Switch squares with a pass to the fourth player.

Attacking and defending.  Can't go wrong with the numbers game. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SX9v233bmU

Another option is the Gauntlet

Kids love this drill. Have defenders move up in grid after each player goes through the gauntlet. The objective is to see if a player can beat all the defenders and shoot on goalie. Defenders are trying to stop attacker in each grid. Check it out. http://3v3soccer.blogspot.ca/2009/05/gauntlet-drill.html

Shooting - 5 shot drill - hitting a moving ball (don't worry about hitting pinnies)

If you have two coaches you could have each coach look after half the team on a net so more players are practicing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q2zd2P8-CA

Another option is Four corners shooting drill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuz6JGaEYtY&feature=related

A good activity to work on accurate passing and shooting.

Keep players moving. You will want to introduce a second ball as last player is taking a shot.

Game - inter-squad scrimmage 15 minutes. :)