Falcons Soccer 45687.pdf · teamwork essential to passing Scrimmage Lesson 2 movement!!!! There’s...

Falcons Soccer

1 goal, 10 assists

Practice Plan

Date: week of Sept 12 Location: Cielo Grande Time: 5:30 Goals: Learning to defend Warm Up ( 15 minutes) Make the body ready for practice

Leader Activity Equipment nick

Reaction warm-up (5 minutes) cones

zeph

Every step touch the ball (5 minutes) cones

coach

Up and down the clock (5 minutes) cones

Team Talk (2 minutes) Let them know your expectations for practice Goals for this week

how to defend as a team: 1-2-3 defending

Previous Skill Lesson

we just got started!!!!

New Skill Lesson

pressure, cover, balance

Skill Development (15 minutes) Games and Exercises to reinforce learning / fun.


Basic defender drill

zeph

pressure

adam

Pressure/cover defender cones

Break (3 to 5 minutes) Supply water and take the skill into the scrimmage. Reinforce Skill from Today:

1st defender does not have to take the ball away!!!!

Scrimmage (25 minutes) Emphasize last weeks skill and new skill Previous Skill NONE!!!!!!

New Skill Pressure and cover

Team Talk (5 minutes) Emphasize new skill and techniques from scrimmage Scrimmage Lesson 1

eyes up on offense……pressure on defense

Scrimmage Lesson 2

defensive cover

Review Last Weeks Skill

Review Homework

footskills and read the Introduction to Defending!!!!!

Practice Plan

Date: week of Sept 19 Location: Cielo Grande Time: 5:30 Goals: Learning to defend part 2 Warm Up ( 15 minutes) Make the body ready for practice


zeph

coach


more on 1-2-3 defending


learning what 1-2-3 defending really means

New Skill Lesson

pressure, cover, balance (still!!!)



Defending through the ball cones

zeph

The delay game

adam

Pressure/cover defender cones


1st defender does not have to take the ball away!!!! 2nd defender provides cover!!!!

Scrimmage (25 minutes) Emphasize last weeks skill and new skill Previous Skill Pressure the ball immediately.

New Skill Providing cover and balance.


pressure and cover

Scrimmage Lesson 2

watch for balance on defense: don’t chase the ball!


Review Homework

footskills and read the paper on 1-2-3 defending!!!!!

Practice Plan

Date: week of Sept 26 Location: Cielo Grande Time: 5:30 Goals: Learning to defend part 3 Warm Up ( 15 minutes) Make the body ready for practice

Leader Activity Equipment rafael

See lesson plan

steven

See lesson plan

coach

Up and down the clock cones


more on 1-2-3 defending


what 1-2-3 defending does for the team

New Skill Lesson

pressure, cover, balance (still!!!) and the 3 D’s


Leader Activity Equipment rafael

1 goal keepaway cones

steven

breakaways cones

griffen

Optional breakaway (see lesson plan) cones


team defense!!!!!

Scrimmage (25 minutes) Emphasize last weeks skill and new skill Previous Skill Providing cover and balance.

New Skill Team defense.


working as a team on defense

Scrimmage Lesson 2

width and depth


Cover and balance

Review Homework

footskills and read about passing!!!!!

Practice Plan

Date: week of Oct 3 Location: Cielo Grande Time: 5:30 Goals: passing Warm Up ( 15 minutes) Make the body ready for practice

Leader Activity Equipment tristan

See lesson plan

raul

See lesson plan

coach

Up and down the clock/Beat the clock/the circle

cones


passing and turn


Learning to pass

New Skill Lesson

progression of a turn


Leader Activity Equipment tristan

Targets passing cones

raul

End zone game cones

jake

Keeper to keeper cones


passing accuracy!!!!!

Scrimmage (25 minutes) Emphasize last weeks skill and new skill Previous Skill Team defense New Skill Passing to targets.


teamwork essential to passing

Scrimmage Lesson 2

movement!!!! There’s no standing in soccer


Team defense

Review Homework

footskills and read about passing!!!!! Find more passing resources!

Practice Plan

Date: week of Oct 10 Location: Cielo Grande Time: 5:30 Goals: passing Warm Up ( 15 minutes) Make the body ready for practice

Leader Activity Equipment matt

See lesson plan

gabe

See lesson plan

coach


cones


passing and turn


Learning to pass

New Skill Lesson

progression of a turn


Leader Activity Equipment matt

Hitting a downfield player cones

gabe

Turn-hit a target-run to space cones

colton

Check back- turn and pass cones


movement and passing!!!!!

Scrimmage (25 minutes) Emphasize last weeks skill and new skill Previous Skill Passing to targets New Skill movement.


Moving targets……

Scrimmage Lesson 2

communication


Passing to targets

Review Homework

footskills and read about passing!!!!! Find more passing resources!

Practice Plan

Date: week of Oct 17 Location: Cielo Grande Time: 5:30 Goals: more passing Warm Up ( 15 minutes) Make the body ready for practice

Leader Activity Equipment alex

see lesson plan

erik

See lesson plan

coach


cones


more passing and turning


Turning and passing

New Skill Lesson

more progression of a turn


Leader Activity Equipment alex

Turn and the diamond cones

eric

Wing-back overlap cones

alec

Check back- turn and pass (again) cones


more movement and passing!!!!!

Scrimmage (25 minutes) Emphasize last weeks skill and new skill Previous Skill movement New Skill Progression of movement, don’t wait for the ball to come to you!!


keep your head up

Scrimmage Lesson 2

communication. And more communication


movement

Review Homework

footskills and read about shooting!!!!!

Practice Plan

Date: week of Oct 24 Location: Cielo Grande Time: 5:30 Goals: shooting Warm Up ( 15 minutes) Make the body ready for practice

Leader Activity Equipment nick/zeph

see lesson plan

tristan

See lesson plan

coach

Up and down the clock/Beat the clock/the circle/run til you puke!

cones


shooting


Progression of a turn

New Skill Lesson

proper shooting



Steal the bacon cones

zeph

3 goals cones

tristan

Bread and butter cones


shooting

Scrimmage (25 minutes) Emphasize last weeks skill and new skill Previous Skill Progression of movement New Skill Shooting! Team Talk (5 minutes) Emphasize new skill and techniques from scrimmage Scrimmage Lesson 1

Shoot!

Scrimmage Lesson 2

Shoot!


Communication and movement

Review Homework

footskills and read about shooting!!!!!

Falcons

Jake Tristan

Nick

Matt Colton Gabe

Nick Zeph

Tristan

Tristan Steven

Raul Nick

Tristan

Zeph Griffen Rafael

Rafael Alec

Adam Alex

Steven Gabe

Eric Adam

Gabe/Rafael/Alex

Part 1 Homework!!

Foot Skills and Drills

Believe deep down in your heart that

you're destined to do great things.

Joe Paterno

Ball Mastery Probably the single most important thing a child can learn in soccer is to be comfortable with the ball at their feet. And the most effective way to establish and enhance that comfort is to give them multiple touches on the ball, i.e. increase their foot skills. Foot skills should be the foundation of every practice session no matter how young or how old the child is. Why? Because: • Working on foot skills at the beginning of a practice session is a good way to warm up. • You can easily adjust the complexity of the skill depending upon the age and skill level you are coaching. • There is always a way to progress to harder and harder skills • You get multiple touches on the ball right away. • Done at speed it can be a good aerobic training tool and is much more effective, overall, than running laps • As time passes, and mastery is achieved, the skill becomes instinctive and you’ll see it be used in a game unconsciously. Let me provide an example that we may all be more familiar with, hitting a baseball. Hitting a baseball may be one of the hardest overall skills in sports. There are a lot of different muscular movements, which require coordination, involved in hitting a baseball. Some of them are bat position, stance, head (and therefore eye) position, bat movement, feet movement, hip movement, etc. etc. If a player had to think about all of them before he actually did something the child wouldn’t be able to hit a beach ball. But after sufficient practice, hitting a ball becomes so instinctive that a large percentage of the population under the age of 15 can actually do it. The same can become true for our soccer players. Multiple touches on the ball builds confidence and most of all, builds the kinesiology, the brain/muscle coordination, that makes a first touch on the ball instinctive. Below we have listed several ideas for multiple touches on the ball that can be part of your warm-up. Remember any skill can be broken down to an age appropriate level. However this list attempts to go from basic foot skills to more advanced. This first list does not include any complex moves such as scissors, Matthews, Cruyffs or Rivolinos to name a few more advanced examples. They will be dealt with later in this section. 1) Foundation – Fast movement of ball inside right to inside left and back again. Player is in a semi-sitting position and has to develop a rhythm with the ball. Make sure that the knees are slightly bent. This cannot be done correctly, stiff-legged 2) Inside-Out Roll – Place the outside of the right foot just off the top of the ball. Roll the foot over the ball keeping it in contact. The movement is left to right. The foot rotates so at the end of the stroke the inside of the foot is on the outside of the ball. Reverse the movement so that the outside of foot rolls over the ball right to left. The inside of the foot ends the stroke.

Use the left foot to do the same exercise. Move inside to outside first, then

reverse outside to inside. The foot should stay in contact with the ball if possible.

In general, we tend to see our children develop a dominant foot very early. In order to advance in the game of soccer we must get them working the non-dominant foot very early in the game. Therefore all exercises should stress the non-dominant foot over the dominant one. It is difficult, but you must stay on them to try and work this important area.

3) Pull Back to Instep – With sole of the right foot on top of ball roll ball back and

trap with the instep of the right foot. After 10 consecutive rolls, switch to left foot.

4) Pull Back to Inside of Foot – With sole of right foot on top of the ball, pull back to

the LEFT instep. Alternate left sole to right instep. It is important that the non-receiving foot is not planted. Set up a rhythm.

5) Triangle - Pick a spot about 2 to 3 feet in front of your body. This is the point of a

triangle. Your left and right feet are the other two corners.

Start with the right foot. Put the sole of the right foot on top of the ball. Pull the ball back to the right inside foot and then immediately play the ball to the left inside. Serve the ball back with the left inside to the sole of the right foot at the point of the triangle. The idea is to keep the ball moving throughout this exercise

6) Block Ball Inside-Inside and Change Direction – Push ball out in front of

player. Player covers the ball with the inside of the right foot. Swiveling hips he plays the ball to the inside left and changes direction. Tap the ball

out in front again and repeat. After 5 successful changes of direction do the same skill with the left foot covering.

7) Block Ball Outside-Inside Same Foot – This is slightly more advanced than

number 6 (above). Push the ball out in front of the player. Player blocks ball with the outside of the right foot and plays it AWAY from pressure to the inside of the SAME foot. When dominant foot is working well switch to the non-dominant foot.

8) Brushes - Starting with the right foot player brushes the top of the ball across his

body (i.e. right to left). The right foot ends up crossed over the left. The left foot moves behind the right to the opening position and the next brush takes place. Once a player gets the rhythm right he/she should be able to put 5 consecutive brushes together without the ball running away. Switch dominant and non-dominant feet.

9) Brush Tap – The same basic movement as the brush but instead of making a

second brush the player taps the ball to a halt with the inside of the other foot. i.e. if you are Brush-Tapping right, the right foot brushes and the left foot taps.

10) Tap- Tap – Brush – Start with the ball on the inside of either foot. Tap the ball to

the inside of the opposite foot and then back again to the starting foot. The starting foot then brushes the ball to the opposite foot. The sequence is then re-

started with the next tap. It is important to develop a rhythm and be on your toes for this skill.

11) Tap-Tap-Tap- Step Over Push Outside – Three (3) taps in this drill. After the

third tap the opposite foot steps over the ball and pushes it to the outside with the outside portion of the foot. The skill is then repeated.

12) Step Across – Play Outside Away from Pressure – Push the ball out ahead.

You can either stop it with the sole of the right foot, or step immediately step past the ball with the same foot. Ball is now near the back (in this case, the left) foot and the right foot/leg is shielding the ball. Then lift the left leg past the right and play the ball back to the right right with the outside of the right foot.

What is important here is that the fake with the right stepover sells the move to the attacking player's left and then the explosion back to the right gains that one extra second that the attacker needs to get the advantage

13) Brush - Step Across – Play Outside Away from Pressure This is a double-fake move. It is basically the same move as the Step Across except that it is proceeded by a brush. For this example the brush

is done wit the left foot across the body ( i.e moving to the attacker's right. Then the attacker performs the step over with the right foot as described above. The explosion is again back to the attacker's right with the outside of the right foot.

14) Step Over Right -Turn Right

Make the basic step over move with the right foot. Then pivot on the right turning to the right and play the ball back, away from pressure with the inside of the left.

Make sure that this move is also done in conjunction with a step over left, turn left routine so the non-dominate foot is also worked

15) Pull Back – Play Behind – Change Direction – Push the ball out front. Stop it with the sole of the right foot. Pull it back past the left ankle. Play it behind the left ankle with the inside of the right foot. Left outside receives the ball and moves off in a different direction. Tap the ball with the instep twice and then repeat using the left sole to stop the ball, pull it back, etc.

16) Inside-Outside – Dribble the ball with one foot alternating the inside of the foot with the outside. Use dominant foot first and then the less dominant foot. When single foot mastery is achieved use both feet going inside-outside-outside-inside.

17) Pull Across – Outside – Start with the right foot on top of the ball. Pull it across your body and then push it outside with the left. Stop the ball with the sole of the left foot and pull it back across your body then push it outside with your right foot.

18) Figure 8’s – The outside of the foot is extremely important in guiding the ball away from pressure. Have your players do 360o turns with four sharp

touches on the ball with the outside of the right foot and then again with the outside of the left, making a figure 8 on the field.

19) 1-2-3-4 Double Touch This is the same as the Inside Outside exercise above except at the end of the inside outside move (both feet) there is a double touch (inside to inside) made before repeating the pattern

Conventional wisdom indicates that a child has to perform a skill a minimum of 75 times before they actually begin to learn it. Mastery comes much later. That is why it is so important for the children to get multiple touches on the ball. The above skills can be the Warm Up and FUNDAMENTALS portion of your dribbling/ foot skills practice session. Still More Advanced Foot Skills Here are some more advanced skills the kids can work on. When demonstrating these moves break them down into component steps. It is a good idea with the younger ages if you could have several older travel players at your practice to help demonstrate the first time. Scissors For illustration purposes we’ll call the right foot the scissor foot and the left foot the plant foot. The move can of course also be done in the opposite direction. Using the left foot, lift foot toward the left (plant) foot. The motion of the moving the right foot is behind the ball. Continue a circular motion with the right foot over the top of the ball and out to the side. The whole body is leaning to the right “selling” the move to the defender. Shift weight from left to the right. Bring the originally planted foot (left) towards the now planted foot (right) it. Explode away with outside of left foot with an outside of foot push. The move “sells” the move to the ball carrier’s right and then moves quickly in the opposite direction. Double Scissors After shifting weight to the right on first scissors, the left foot executes a 2nd scissors shifting weight back to the left foot. The right foot then follows the left and the explosive move, with the outside of the right foot is now to the right. This move is intended to get the defender moving first one way, and then after he/she sees the original fake, to move in a second direction, which is also a fake. Scissors Brush (or Scissors – Drag) This is a combination move which utilizes the previously learned brush move in conjunction with a scissors. After shifting weight on scissors, drag ball with inside of standing foot across the body. This move can be used when the defender does not “buy” the first scissor fake. If the opening is to the ball carriers right, (defender’s left), then the move is continued to the right by brushing the top of the ball and then accelerating to space.

Scissors Drag Turn After scissors brush, bring foot which is dragging the ball around the back of the ball and explode in opposite direction with outside of this same foot Scissors Roll Drag Turn After shifting weight on scissors, drag ball with sole of standing foot making the ball roll and with outside of this same foot change directions and explode away with outside of the same foot. Cruyff The Cruyff terminology is slightly different than the Scissor. In the Cruyff we have a faking foot and a plant foot. The Cruyff begins with a fake cross pass. After the fake touch behind the plant leg with the inside of the faking foot. The weight is now shifted from the plant leg to the faking foot. Turn toward the plant foot and then explode with instep of plant foot in any direction depending upon the placement of the defender. The first time the children try this they should play the ball back and away from pressure. This is a great cover move. It is also a great simple move on the wing and when dribbling laterally across the field. Stepover Turn (Step Over Right – Turn Right) Fake an instep kick or inside of the foot kick. Then continue moving the foot around the front of the ball to the other side and back several inches. Flex knee (step down) and shift weight to this foot. Turn body back toward the ball and explode with other originally plant foot using inside of foot or instep (shoe laces area); great move on the wings or when pinned into a tight space. Rivolino This move is similar to a scissor and is sometimes confused with it. In this move the faking foot moves across in front of the ball, brushing the grass. It then crosses over the pant leg so, if stopped at this point, you have made an “X” with your legs. The faking foot is then planted. At this point you have several options. You can cover the ball with the inside of the original plant foot and play the ball back away from pressure. You can bring it back across in front of the new plant foot and do a brush in the opposite direction. You can combine a move by playing the ball back and then instep driving in the opposite direction. There are a lot of other possibilities. One of the easiest ways to get the players working on these drills is to do the following: Two players face each other, each with a ball. Coach calls out the move he wants the players to perform Players drive, under control, towards the center cones as shown. Pull move at center cone AND MAKE SURE both players move past cone in the same direction. (either both to their right, or to their left)

Part 2

Warm Up

When a team outgrows individual performance and

learns team confidence, excellence becomes a

reality.

Joe Paterno

soccer warm ups

It is important to establish good training habits as soon as possible. Therefore, emphasis should be placed upon developing a consistent routine. Don't have a warm up one week but drop it the next because you're a bit short of time!

Don't forget that stretching exercises at any age can be harmful if the muscles are cold - start your warm up with some gentle jogging (with or without a football) before

moving onto appropriate stretching exercises. After the warm up you can play one of these quick and simple games to get your kids focused and ready for some work.

Reaction Warm-Up This is a good warm-up exercise that warms up the brain as well as the feet. Having tried it out on my team you soon find out who can think quickly - and also who knows their left from their right!

Set-Up Make a circle with markers - one for each player. If you have a large number of players, make two (or three) circles. The size of the circle will depend on the age of your team and how much of a work-out you want to give them - but even a small circle is good enough if you do the drill at pace.

Procedure Couldn't be simpler - you just shout out instructions! “2 left” “3 right, 1 left” “2 right, centre, 1 left” (Centre means run to the middle of the circle AND BACK)

Variations The drill can be done with or without a ball. Specify the type of steps they have to use between each marker, i.e., sidesteps or turn and run. Have them sit down after each instruction - then they get to practice getting on their feet quickly (or get trampled!)

Points to Watch Make sure your kids are on their toes ready to move - no standing flat-footed.

Every step touch the ball Players dribble a ball slowly in a defined area. Then tell them to try to touch the football with every step they take – (not as easy as it sounds!). On the command 'Go', the players must leave their ball and find another. Let them try this a few times then take one or two balls away. The players who end up without a ball have to run a lap of the activity area.

Up and down the clock 10 yd; 20 yd, 30 yd, 40 yd, and 50 yd sprints then walks back breathing deeply. Arrange cones in 10 yard distances; develop progressive long run sprinting and develop breathing for recovery.

Top of page

Pass and follow A player in the centre of the circle passes to a player standing on the outside of the circle. She follows her pass and exchanges places with the player she passed to. That player then dribbles into the centre of the circle and passes to another player on the outside. As the players improve, put another ball into play and/or impose restrictions (one-touch play, alternate side-of-the-foot and lofted passes, etc).

You could also try putting half the players on the outside of the circle and half on the inside. The players on the inside look to the players on the outside for a thrown-in ball, receive it and one-touch it back (vary the service so that the ball is thrown to feet, to thigh, to chest, to head).

The Zipper Drill This drill is very good for observation and co-ordination.

Organisation

Grid can be determined by the age of the players. 20yds x 20yds is the normal.

Divide team into two groups here blues and greens. Players start on cone A and run down to cone B doing whatever is asked of them. When they pass cone B they run diagonally to the opposite corner and cross the other group, they now start from cone A again.

Progression • Players bump into each other in the middle and sprint to A

• Turn before the Zip

• Introduce a ball.

Exercises (from A to B)

• Slow Jogging. • Stop, turn. • Skipping. • Skipping Sideways. • Skipping Backwards. • Faster Jogging • Striding Out. • Slight changes of direction. Three steps to the right then three steps to the left. • High Knees. • Heel Flicks. • Sprinting. • Jump and Head. • Turn and Sprint. • Backing Off. • Jockeying.

Quick reactions Organisation

Players line up behind each other in a straight line with cones ten yards away on their left and right. The coach stands opposite them and shouts instructions. The players run to the line of cones indicated by the coach.

Moves

• Skip • Run • Dribble with ball (leave on line or take back). • Run with ball in hands (leave on line or take back).

Players can react from:

• Voice • Signal • Shouting colours (blue is left, green is right). • Numbers odd numbers and even numbers. • Opposites

Switch Ball Organisation

Grid is 30 x 30 yards, you can even use the centre circle. Use 10+ players.

Three players are in the middle of a 30 x 30 yard grid. The remaining players make a circle around the grid. Five of these players each have a ball.

Each player in the middle moves to a player with a ball, receives it, turns and switches it to a team mate who does not have a ball. Play continues in this fashion for a designated period.

Variations

1. Allow two touches for the players in the middle. 2. The switched ball has to be chipped in the air. 3. Add a defender to mark players in the middle. 4. Rotate middle and circle players.

While you've got this circle set up, try pressure passing.

Quick Thinking

5 Players are placed in a line, 4 of them have a football.

Player 1 stands 10 yards away.

1. Player one receives a pass and takes two touches. He/she then passes to the player with no football. He/she cannot go back to the player who has passed them the ball. All players take a turn at receiving.

Focus on:

• Make sure the players relax, players tend to rush this exercise. Its quality that matters.

• Quality first touch and pass. • Communication, especially from the player who hasn’t got the football. • Tell the players to think who they received a pass from, that they are the

ones who will receive the next pass. • Open body position.

Variation:

Play one touch, Volleys. Chest and pass, headers.

Part 3

Defending

The will to win is important, but the will to prepare is

vital.

Joe Paterno

Basic Defending

Introduction to Defending The concept of defending is one of the more overlooked items in teaching players the game of soccer. We will break this section on defending down into team principles, individual principles and drills so that you can get an idea of how what concepts to get across and how to get them across. What you will usually see at the intramural level, especially with the younger players, is everyone going for the ball at once. The second thing that you will see as the players get a little older is the more aggressive players stealing the ball consistently from the less aggressive, and the less skilled, simply by running straight at them. This of course works at the younger levels, but as the players develop, and the skill differential decreases, this type of play actually becomes a detriment. Overly aggressive players who try to simply run down their opponents and strip the ball at the travel level often times find themselves missing completely and watching the backs of their opponents as they head down field. This is not to say that aggressiveness is not important, merely to say that controlled play, especially on defense, is what we want to teach them at a young age so that they carry it forward with them as they progress. What we need to get across to our youngsters is that defense, like the entire game, is dependent upon their teammates, as well as themselves, to do their job.

Concepts of Defending You will hear the terms First Defender, Second Defender and Third Defender used in this manual and in any LIJSL coaching course that you take. The First Defender is the person nearest the attacking ball carrier. The initial job of the first defender is not to steal the ball, but to delay the opponent until his teammates arrive to help. The Second Defender is the second person to arrive at the scene. The job of the second defender is to provide cover for the first defender. That is to cover up any mistake that the first defender might make. When the second defender arrives on the scene, the job of the first defender changes from delay to pressure. The job of the Third Defender is to provide balance. The positions and jobs of all three defenders is shown in the simple diagram below:

Cover Balance Pressure

1st Defender 2nd Defender 3rd Defender

Pressure – Cover – Balance (PCB)

Team Principles of Defense The basic principles of team defense are as follows

Collapse - Entire team collapses into less space in front of opponent's point of attack.

1st defender guides ball carrier into thickest part of defense or away from middle.

Covering defenders cut off "through" spaces. Together, First and second defenders squeeze attack into tight. difficult space.

Concentrate - Gather forces in middle of the field and near the ball before attempting to dispossess the ball.

Individual Principles of Defense The principles of individual defense are as follows:

Delay Then Pressure- • Player nearest the ball is "the 1st Defender":

• Get ball carrier's head down by putting him under close enough pressure to make him worry about controlling the ball and so he cannot look for passing options, but not close enough to be beaten; (delay)

Player(s) not nearest to the ball, get into position to intercept all short or desired

passing options; (Provide Cover) • Leave open most difficult and longest passing options as long as there is good

pressure and cover on the ball carrier and his nearest passing options.

The first defender should not run straight at ball carrier, but should come in at an angle that would force the ball carrier to pass back or to attack toward our covering defenders or toward a touchline. This makes the opponent's attack predictable and easy to read by covering defenders.

When the attacker has been contained, but still maintains possession of the ball,

the defender would do well to force the attacker to move to the side or even backwards. By forcing laterally, the supporting defenders can gain time to recover. Once recovered, the supporting defenders can enhance their positions as they have more time to adjust. An attacker that is allowed to go forward, causes the whole team to adjust their vertical defensive positions.

If the defender can force the attacker to go backwards, the defender must try to

maintain close pressure to keep the attacker from opening up space. The supporting defense should use this opportunity to push forward as well, compressing the attack away from it's own goal. If the on ball pressure is not there, then the supporting defense would do well not to compress as the attacker will have time and space to find and take advantage of the defensive weak spots.

The 1st defender, in applying pressure to the attacking ball-handler, should:

Delay

• Staggered stance, alternating front and back foot, feet shoulder width apart, legs bent, body bent, on your toes (don't get flat-footed).

• Feints and stabs but do not commit until ball-carrier makes a mistake. • Concentrate on player, not the ball, look at ball carrier's hips, not his feet or upper

body. • With peripheral vision, see the space between the ball and ball carrier. If the ball

gets away from feet

Deny

• Deny the shot; • Deny penetration by denying "through" spaces which ball carrier desires to

penetrate. • Close distance between self and ball carrier. Get close enough to force ball

carrier to alter course of attack and to force his head down to concentrate on not losing possession of the ball.

• Choose angle of approach to guide ball carrier away from dangerous space. • Block any attempted shot.

Destroy

• Win possession by tackling if ball carrier achieves even position. • Win possession by stepping between ball carrier and ball if ball gets away from

his feet. • Tackle also if ball carrier allows ball to be between his own feet. Tackles should

be fully committed through center of ball carrier's position.

• The 2nd defender(s), those next nearest to the ball, are those who are marking up to close passing options. They must cover " the space behind teammate who is pressuring the ball; and if numbers are up than extra defender might decide whether to risk double teaming the ball carrier to win the ball.

• The 3rd defender provides Balance .- The 3rd and other defenders cover deep

and attacking spaces which may be used by the opponent to switch their point of attack, for example, by playing to the opposite wing.

The following are good “rules of Thumb” from Gary Rue – a high school coach from Kentucky:

1. do not allow dribbler to get behind or past the first defender 2. stop or slow down dribbler 3. take away shooting or passing behind the defense options 4. force dribbler sideways or backwards 5. force dribbler to a certain area determined by these factors:

• field position of the dribbler • ability of the dribbler (uni-footed, fast, etc.) • location of supporting defender(s) or boundary • location of supporting attacker (passing options)

6. keep dribbler's eyes on ball, not allowing the dribbler to look around 7. look for and take advantage of opportunities to tackle the ball

8. maintain defensive presence with dribbler that goes forward after releasing the ball 9. recover quickly into second defender support position when dribbler releases the ball.

1 v 1 Defending – Containment After the defender has been positioned to prevent the attacker dribbler from getting into paradise (behind the defense), step 2 is to contain the dribbler. That is, to stop or slow down the attack so the defense can recover and organize. When the attacker is "stopped," the defender can get closer by inching forward via a side-on shuffle, keeping balance or slightly leaning backwards to react to any forward movements by the attacker. The defender should be in constant movement with short hops to keep the feet alive. If the defender can get the attacker to turn his back, then has won that battle. There are two schools of thought on how to deal with an attacker that has turned his back. The first is to get close with minimal contact, so as not allow the attacker to know exactly where the defender is. Skilled attackers can easily turn on a defender by feeling which side is not being pressured. The other theory is to apply extreme pressure by charging through the back. The decision making of the referee comes into play on this technique. The defender should be okay, if enough pressure can be applied to keep the attacker off balance, so as not to turn and can keep from pushing or charging in a dangerous manner.

A compromise to the two extremes is the "pop and release" technique. As the attacker turns, the defender "nudges" the attacker and bounces off a little, keeping the feet active. After a second or two, the bounces into the attacker again to make him aware of the defender's presence and bounces off to stop the attacker's turn attempt. In a team defensive scheme, there should not be supporting defenders and perhaps a teammate to double team the attacker. Once support is there, the defender can be more aggressive in an attempt to take the ball from the attacker.

1 v 1 Defending - Pressure Once the defender is in control of the attacker, forcing him in the defender's direction of preference, it is important that the defender continue to maintain a high level of pressure on the attacker. The defender need not confront the attacker with a tackle attempt, until the defensive support is in place and the defender is ready. The feint tackle is one way to keep the attacker off-balanced. The defender feints a reach for the ball, yet maintains excellent balance and position. The defender should not actually get caught with the body weight going forward, only the feinting foot. The attacker will have to react (if there is a reaction) in one of two ways. First, he may protect the ball by pulling it back or stepping in with a shielding motion. Or secondly, he may attempt to push the ball past the defender, assuming he is off balance. In the first case, the defender is forcing the attacker to focus totally on the ball. In the second case, the defender should be in good position to cut-off the attempted pass and possibly be able to step between the attacker and the ball.

1 v 1 Defending -Shepherding Once the immediate threat of the dribbler beating the defender subsides, the defender should force the attacker towards and area that favors the defender and his team. Referring to the rules of thumb above, in this case #5, there a few factors that must be considered. If the attacker is in his own defensive third of the field, the defender would do well to force the attacker towards the middle. A lost ball in this area would surely be a scoring opportunity. If the attacker is in the middle third of the field towards one side, the defender would do well to force the attacker towards the touch, thereby restricting his options. If the team defensive strategy is to funnel the attacker in towards the middle, then that should be the choice. In the defensive third, almost always take the attacker as wide as possible or keep him wide. If the attacker is in the middle, the defender would do well to stay between the attacker and the goal and to keep the attacker moving laterally. If possible, take the attacker towards his weaker side (if he has one), but do not give up a shooting angle by getting to one side of the attacker to force him in a direction.

1 v 1 Defending – Maintaining the Mark If a defender is able to get an attacker wide deep in the defender's territory, the defender should not over commit and allow the attacker to beat him, i.e. allow the goal line. This is one of the worst attacking situations to have to defend. One of the best ways to break down a single defender is the one-two combination. That is, the attacker plays the ball to a teammate, runs forward and receives the return pass. Usually, the attacker is able to get around and behind the defender, as the defender will stand and watch the ball or chase the ball after the pass. You may want to review the 1-2 combination practice in the Passing and Receiving section. The defender is obligated to continue to maintain the mark on an attacker that goes forward after a pass until one of several things occur: *

the attacker's position is not considered dangerous any more another defender can or should take over marking responsibilities the attacker on ball is free and un-pressured support for the defender on ball is needed

The most important time is immediately after the pass. It is recommended that the defender turn with the attacker (taking his eyes off the ball), try to beat the attacker to space he is going and turning back to find the ball. An extended forearm touching the attacker can help the defender know where the attacker is. The defender must not slow down his turn with the attacker, as he may obstruct the attacker. The beauty of this defensive reaction is that it takes the defender automatically into a supportive position. Once the immediate threat of a return pass is defended, the defender can decide whether to continue a close mark on the attacker, support his teammate who should have closed down the ball by now or close down the ball himself.

1 v 1 Defending – Closing Down the Angles Once the defender has applied pressure and contained the attacker, he should prevent as many forward passing options as possible. The responsibility of the through pass still remains with the supporting defender (if present), but the first defender can help the team by also being attentive to the dribbler's passing option. The closer a defender can get to the attacker without compromising his containment position, the fewer passing options an attacker has. As the defender is keeping the attacker under control, he should try to stay aware of the near ball runs made by supporting attackers. An overlap run will be the easiest to see by the defender and a slight shift towards the overlapper's side could be enough to discourage this option. . Again, the defender needs to be careful not to give the attacker the angle to fake the pass and drive by the defender to the other side.

One other passing option is the nutmeg. Defenders that maintain a side-on position and keep their feet from getting too spread apart, greatly reduce the possibility of this pass being successful.

Proper Stance The proper stance for a defending player is shown below:

Coaching Points Get Low – you are harder to fake On Balls of your feet with knees flexed – Ready to Pounce Hands at your side for balance One foot forward, the other back Play “side –on” rather than head on. This channels the attacker where YOU want him to go not where HE wants to go. Take small quick, shuffling steps Maintain a “correct” difference (usually about a yard). Too close and you will be beaten with no time to recover. Too far and you don’t deny the opportunity to pass.

Basic Defender Drill/ warm-up

Organization Split the team into groups of two. Each group with a ball. Player A passes to Player B who is ten yards away. Player A is the defender, Player B the attacker. Player B takes on Player A. Play at 50% speed working on foot placement, small quick step, playing side on, balance and keeping the correct distance. After each turn the players switch roles. Run this about 10 minutes and each player should be getting 10 to 20 repetitions at the defender spot.

Get Low, Hands Low And At Side

On The Balls Of Your Feet

“Poker” Foot Forward, Other Foot Back

The Delaying Game

2nd Defender 1st Defender

1st Attacker

The object of this game is to teach the 1st Defender to delay his opponent. The 1st defender is backed up by a second defender located on the far touchline. The 1st attacker, person with the ball starts to dribble towards the far touchline. His job is to get it across under control. The 1st defender’s job is solely to delay the 1st attacker until his teammate arrives. The 2nd defender has to be artificially delayed. Make him do ten juggles, or ten foundations or ten of any other foot skill before he enters the field of play. Score the game so that the concept of delay is rewarded. If the 1st defender gets beat and the second defender is not on the field, award 5 points to the attacker. If the first defender simply knocks the ball out of bounds give him a point, but give him 5 points if he delays the 1st attacker and, together with his teammate, dispossesses the ball and takes control.

Coaching Points Praise delay over deny and destroy Look for the 1st defender to angle his opponent towards the touchline. The touchline acts as a third teammate. Make sure that the 1st defender just doesn’t dive in and stab at the ball

Pressure (Under 7 Game) Player B Player A Player C The game of “Pressure” is played in groups of three, one ball per group. Player A rolls the ball (receiving ground balls) or tosses the ball (receiving air balls) to either player B or player C. In this example, player C must control the ball and get a completed pass to player B. While this is occurring, player A immediately challenges player C and tries to win the ball back. After successful pass, player C would then pick up the ball and repeat the activity as the defender. The defender is awarded a point for winning the ball back and gets to throw again.

Coaching Points Encourage defender to pressure quickly after the toss. Defender needs to work hard at closing down the space while the ball is in flight. Receiving player's first touch should be away from the pressuring defender. Player receiving the pass should move to create a clear passing lane. Do not allow the receiving player to one touch the incoming toss. This is a receiving drill, as well as a drill that serves as a good warm-up for practices dealing with defenders.

Pressure / Cover Defending (Under – 8 Game)

2 v. 2, with goals marked out in the corner of the grid. Have a regular game with periods of about 2 - 3 minutes in duration. Have plenty of extra balls ready to keep the game flowing

Coaching Points Pressure on the ball, do not let the first attacker's head to come up

Second defender must cover the goal as well as be aware of the second attacker First defender tries to channel the attacker into the sideline and away from the second attacker.(This is easier to do since the goals are in the corners of the grid, the sidelines come up quicker.) When first defender has made the play predictable, second defender tries to double team. Make sure the defenders stay balanced, that they do not become too spread out, enabling the attacking team to make "splitting passes". As soon as the ball is won, can they shoot? This is the best time to do so because the attacking team is not in a good defending posture

Defending the through Ball This section deals with stopping penetrating Through balls in a flat back defnse. It was supplied to me by Gary Rue , a high school coach from Kentucky and frequent contributor to several coaching forums. One of the prime positioning responsibilities of the flat back is to stop penetrating through balls. The following exercise helps a flat back learn, shift and position themselves in the face of passes out of the opponents midfield.

Setup Using flat cones as markers, create a horizontal channel of 10x60 yards across the field as shown. Inside the channel are the four defenders. On each side of the channel are 4-6 attacking players spread out across the whole width.

Execution

Width and depth

For ease of switching the point of attack, the attackers may want to position a player forward with back to the channel (as if he was a checking forward player). The attackers should not be an a flat shape, but have some depth and width. The attackers move the ball around trying to off balance the defenders where they can deliver a pass past the defensive line to the attackers on the other side. In this exercise, we will assume that the mids are applying appropriate pressure and the backs are just in support of the halfbacks. In the example above, the ball is central and so are the backs. They have gotten closer together and moved towards the center. As the ball moves wide, they should shift to that side as well. Notice the defenders have moved to closer to their back restricted line. This is because they are trying to stop the through ball. In a flat back, you want to create space between you and the ball when possible. If the ball is close to midfield, the space is 10-15 yards. It is 5-7 yards when the defense is backed up to its 18. If the ball is dropped further away, they should move forward. As the ball comes forward, they should move back.

Once the basic movement is trained, an attacker can be added to inside the channel. Now the defenders must mark this attacker, passing him on as the attacker moves side to side.

Balls can be played into the attacker who can turn and pass or drop it back. If a defender must move forward to mark an attacker, the other backs must adjust their positions forward in order to not create too much space between the marking defender and the rest of the backs. This space creates angles for through balls. The diagram below shows the slight difference in positioning when an attacker must be marked in the channel.

Slide Tackling

There is a debate on within the youth soccer community as to when to teach, or even to teach, slide tackling. At many youth, recreation levels, slide tackling is not permitted due to the risk of injury, both to the tackler, and the one being tackled. This is generally because slide tackling is not taught, or taught very little and therefore the execution of this technique is poor, to say the least. Since slide tackling is part of the game and sooner or later your kids are going to try it, it is probably better if they are taught the right way to do it, rather than let them experiment on their own.

The basics of slide tackling are as follows:

Watch The Ball When an attacker is running at you with the ball, it's difficult not to concentrate on his body movements. Doing so, however, could cost you a tackle. More than a few flashy forwards have juked a defender out of his socks while only nominally touching the ball. Such situations, however, can be avoided by keeping your eyes on the ball. If someone is trying to dribble by you and he's coming right at you, you've got to watch the ball. No matter where the attacker's body moves -- he can go right, he can go left -- the ball always sits still.

Don't Tackle Unless It's Necessary The best place for a defender to be is on his feet, not on the ground, and so one should resist the temptation to leap at an opponent's ankles any time the opportunity presents itself. It's better to contain the forward and prevent him from penetrating. You should also try to work with your fellow defenders to close off the attack without direct confrontation. If you are the last line of defense, it is particularly important to remain upright. If your slide-tackle fails, your opponent's path to the goal will be clear. Any time you dive in, there's a chance of you getting beat. Even if you do dive in and get the ball, it can always bounce or deflect off the guy and get by you.

Wait For Your Opponent To Separate From The Ball As long as your opponent has the ball at his feet, he's in control and a slide-tackle could be suicidal. Wait for him to knock it ahead two or three feet -if you are fairly close by before diving at his feet. If you tackle when it's at his feet he can knock it away from you or dribble by you. When he separates from the ball, then you cut in front of him without tackling. And that's perfect because you can keep playing. If you need to tackle, wait for him to separate from the ball, then hook him. Timing is the crucial ingredient, both for safety and effectiveness. But the quality of the timing is elusive. The most important thing is to get your timing down. If you don't have the right timing, your opponent is going to run right by you Developing timing requires constant practice, but because training sessions rarely emphasize tackling, games offer the best training ground. Kids always want to practice slide-tackling, but it is not really something you can do in practice. The more you play, better you'll get at it.

Be Decisive

Every time a high level player tries to complete a tackle, he takes the attitude that he is going to get the ball and crush the forward. That's the way you have to think. Mentality is important, especially at the highest level where the difference between success and failure can be confidence. Players can't hesitate, or they'll be beaten. When you decide to go down, you have to go down. You can't think twice about it. If you go into a tackle halfway, you can get hurt. Decide 100 percent that you are going, then go. Knowing when to go requires instinct built through experience, and it requires the ability to read the game.

Attack From An Angle It is possible to slide-tackle an opponent from behind or from the front. But the risks -- fouls, cards, expulsion -- are great. The best tackles come from an angle. Coming in at an angle also allows the defender to strip an opponent from the ball without tackling. While racing alongside an opponent, wait for him to separate from the ball. Then step into his path, between him and the ball. Step right into his line. Now you've got the ball, and you can shield it. Chances are, he'll trip you or foul you because you've cut him off. Tackling from behind, an inexact science which soccer officials are intent on banning, isn't recommended. For every clean tackle from behind, there are four bad ones. You always seem to clip the guy, catch an ankle or something. You might get away with one clean tackle, but many times you are going to foul the guy, and you might seriously hurt him. Slide-tackling from the front, with both feet, is another matter, and one referees rarely smile upon. Straight-on, you're going to get the ball first, but obviously you're trying to hurt the guy if you're going in with both feet straight on. That's why referees don't like straight-on tackling. Even if you get the ball, they usually call a foul.

Protect Yourself The first law of slide-tackling concerns safety, and it begins with shinguards. Full guards may not be as comfortable as smaller models, but defenders don't really have a choice. Nor do they have a choice once the decision to tackle has been made. Don't take it easy! You must go all out. Mechanics are important. Tacklers should keep their leg unlocked with a slight bend. Then when you get to the ball, extend your leg through it. Make sure you get the ball right on your shoelaces and swing your leg through it.

Give 'Em The Hook The proper slide should make baseball managers proud -- it's a hook, on your side, with the extension of your leg through the ball. It's like a baseball slide. The only difference is you don't slide straight through. In soccer, you're running at an angle and sliding, hoping to land on your side. Then you try to swing your leg across and hook the ball. It requires precision and resolution. Don't just put your foot out there, hoping the ball will hit you as your opponent trips over you. Make sure you swing through it. Try to clear it, or try to kick it away from him.

Get The Ball This is most important. If you don't get the ball. Your goalkeeper will likely be picking the ball out of the back of the net in a matter of moments. Make sure you get the ball. You can get the ball first and then go through the player Or don't. Tackling doesn't require a defender to strip the ball from his opponent. Sometimes just getting in the way is enough. If a guy is running down the wing, he's running full speed, and you know at that speed he can't cut it back. You know he is going to cross it. Sometimes if you stick out your leg, you're not going to block it. If you slide and lift your leg, you can block the pass.

Control Your Emotions Professional fouls are part of the game, mere moves in a chess match. And although players can become frustrated and tempers can flare, one should never take it out on an opponent. It's important that you control your emotions. Never go out to hurt somebody because you're looking to be thrown out of the game, and that's stupid. Make sure you keep your foot down when sliding -- you don't ever want to lift your foot.

1-2-3 Defending

You need to play with supreme

confidence, or else you'll lose again, and then losing becomes

a habit.

Joe Paterno

Introducing 1-2-3 defending

With young players, the hardest, and in my opinion, the most important single aspect to get across is that the closest person to the opponent with the football DOES NOT have the responsibility to win the ball! Once defenders understand this, about 90% of diving in is eliminated and the attackers job becomes much harder.

It also reinforces the next most important concept: that somebody had BETTER be moving to cover the space behind the closest defender! That is the player who will, most often, wind up winning the ball.

You can demonstrate this quite easily by selecting the best defensive soccer player on the team, placing that player isolated out on the pitch, point to a goal for him or her to defend, and then tell them to "get the ball" from you. Then, simply dribble up to the player, push the ball past, into space, and run onto it. If you can get the defender to step towards you, you can do this quite easily.

Ask the team why this was so easy. Now ask how you can prevent it from happening.

Somebody should come up with having a teammate behind the pressuring defender.

Now repeat the demonstration with another opponent who has been instructed to cover the space. Also ask the closest (pressuring) defender to not win the ball unless a mistake is made by the attacker. Run it again and you should see a huge improvement.

Closest person to the opponent with the ball (the first defender) applies the PRESSURE

• YOUR JOB IS TO SLOW THE ATTACK, NOT WIN THE BALL

• Slow the attacker down

• Apply just enough pressure to get the attackers head down

• Make the attack predictable and push the attack to the least dangerous part of the field

• Only attempt to win the ball if the attacker makes a mistake and you are sure to win it. BE PATIENT!

Tips for the first defender

Pressure the ball IMMEDIATELY!

• Do not dive in, just slow the attack down and make it predictable. PATIENCE!!

• Eyes on the ball

• Weight even between legs, and forward on toes, knees bent

• Feet shoulder width apart, one foot forward

• Do not mark too close until you have help - a wall pass may beat you.

• Mark close enough that the attacker has to keep her head down looking at the ball.

• Herd the attacker towards the touch-line

• Tackle only if you are sure you will win the ball.

• Risk tackles more in the offensive third of the field (closer to the opponents goal)

• Tackle if the attacker is alone and outnumbered.

• Tackle if you can touch the ball before the attacker can.

The next closest person to the ball provides the COVER

• YOUR JOB IS TO BACK UP THE PRESSURING DEFENDER.

• Cover the space behind the pressuring defender.

• Adjust your distance based on the speed of the attack, and the skill and speed of the attacker.

• Communicate with the pressuring defender, let him or her know that you are there, tell them which way to push the attack, if necessary.

Others provide the BALANCE

1. Mark any nearby attacking threats who could receive the ball directly from the ball carrier.

2. Track and other attackers who are moving, or could move into threatening positions.

3. Cut out any passing lanes. This can often be done while marking or tracking opponents.

4. Communicate with your teammates. Point out any unmarked threats, or any opponents making runs.

5. Be ready to assume the role of pressuring or covering defender if the situation changes.

Tips for the second and third defenders

2nd Defender:

1. Cover the space behind the 1st defender. LET THE 1st DEFENDER KNOW YOU ARE THERE!

2. Be a little bit toward the goal side usually.

3rd Defender:

Cut off passing options; especially square (cross-field) passes.

1. You can either mark the receivers, or the space between them and the ball.

2. RECOVER - It is never to late to run back and help your team-mates.

3. STAY COMPACT - Do not be drawn out of shape.

4. Make sure that the far post area is covered as the ball nears your goal.

5. Do not be caught ball watching. Track players moving forward.

6. Do not release your mark to go after a back pass unless you are CERTAIN that a team-mate is there to cover, AND does not have a mark of his own to cover! Usually this means the covering player TELLS YOU TO GO. So communicate!

practice 123 defending with Breakaways

Breakaways

Besides pride, loyalty, discipline, heart, and mind, confidence is the

key to all the locks.

Joe Paterno

Breakaways

A competitive and easy to explain drill that improves defence and attacking skills

Set-up:

• Divide your team into attackers and defenders. • Attackers in red bibs, defenders in blue bibs. • Three lines of attackers - A1, A2 and A3 - spread out equally at the midline.

A1 has the football. • Centre defender D1 is positioned at the top of arc. • The goalkeeper is positioned in front of the goal somewhere out near the

edge of 6 yard box. • Two additional lines of defenders D2 and D3 at opposite sides of the pitch on

the touchline about ten yards inside of midfield. The defenders D2 and D3 should count slowly to 5 before entering the field.

Attacker A1 dribbles at defender D1 and uses combinations of passes, overlaps, wall passes,through balls, etc. with A2 and A3 in a 3v1 breakaway to get a shot or cross off. First touch shots that score are to be rewarded with two points. Other goals count one point.

Coaching Points: Defender D1's job is NOT to tackle A1 or win the ball, but rather to delay the attack (until help is available) and force the player with the ball wide (out of the middle) in order to give up poor chances of scoring only - that is shots from out wide and shots that the keeper will be able to cut the angle down and defend easily. It is also very important that defender D1 position himself so that he can intercept passes into the area in front of the goal should the player with the ball choose to cross the ball.

The defenders D2 and D3 should count slowly to 5 before entering the field. Their job is to make looping recovery runs to aid defender D1. They should pick up an attacker to defend

or combine with D1 to double-team the player with the ball only if they can do so without risking giving up an easy shot on goal. If they are unsure where to make their recovery run to, tell them to go to the penalty spot and organize their team defence from the penalty spot into a better defensive position. When in doubt, the penalty spot is the universal recovery destination. Defenders should get goal-side of their marks as soon as possible. Defenders should not tackle or try to win the ball until they have their defense organized and have defensive support behind the tackler or double-team.

Attackers can not waste time as defenders D2 and D3 will recover within five seconds. Theymust combine quickly to work the ball into shooting position and must get a shot off before D2 and D3 are in recovery positions. First touch shots are a must. They should also "crash" the goal immediately after the shot is taken. Goals only count if all three players touch the net within three seconds of a shot. Coaches should count out loud to remind players.

On offence, the objective in a 2 on 1 situation (or 3 on 1) is to get the ball to an open attacker in the middle. If ... the attacker comes out from the middle too early the job is relatively easy. The player dribbling down the outside of the field need only pass to their teammate in the middle. If the defender is much smarter and stays in the middle then the player with the ball should dribble at an angle across the field toward the far corner. The other attacking player should wait until just after they have passed the middle, then run behind them toward the opposite corner of the field. This crossing movement confuses the defenders and the goalie. It draws the defenders out of position and creates a good opportunity for the second attacker to take a drop pass or back heel pass and shoot into the open net on the far side of the goal. A similar crossing movement is also useful in 2-on-2 fastbreaks. From "The Art of Soccer" by Mark Catlin, MD

On defence, From "The Art of Soccer" by Mark Catlin, MD

• Delay • Don't be beaten • Force play to the outside • Protect the centre, prevent movement and passing to the centre • Approach ball when scoring threat is high but at an angle to prevent centering

pass.

Options:

• Count by defenders D2 and D3 can be adjusted depending upon age and success wanted. A higher count (i.e. 10) to start off to insure that attackers get a shot off. After initial success, move to a lower count to apply pressure to get shot off quicker.

• Vary number of defenders that start in box. • Give defenders one point for every attack that they thwart. Keep score. • Start ball with attacker A2 or A3 to vary the attack origin and options and

movement off of the ball.

Part 4 Passing

You have to perform at a consistently higher level than others. That's the

mark of a true professional.

Joe Paterno

A complete passing practice .

Warm Up Drills 5 - 10 minutes

Numbers Passing

The Game

Players pass the ball to the player with the number one higher than their own. (eg. 5 passes to 6, 11 to 1). Ball travels through the entire team. First, allow unlimited touches, then two touches, not allowing the ball to stop, then one touch. Try playing with left foot only, outside of foot only, without talking.

Coaching Points

• Eye contact. • Good passing technique. • Angles of support. • Proper weight of passes. • Keep body open to the field of play

•

Pass and Defend

The Game

Groups of three, one ball per group. Player A rolls the ball (receiving ground balls) or tosses the ball (receiving air balls) to either player B or player C. In this example, player C must control the ball and get a completed pass to player B. While this is occurring, player A immediately challenges player C and tries to win the ball back. After successful pass, player C would then pick up the ball and repeat the activity as the defender. The defender is awarded a point for winning the ball back and gets to throw again.

Coaching Points

• Encourage defender to pressure quickly after the toss. Defender needs to work hard at closing down the space while the ball is in flight.

• Receiving player's first touch should be away from the pressuring defender. • Player receiving the pass should move to create a clear passing lane. • Do not allow the receiving player to one touch the incoming toss. This is a

receiving drill, as well as a drill that serves as a good warm-up for practices dealing with defenders.

•

•

Numbers Up Keep Away

The Game

A basic keep away game. One team tries to keep the ball from the other team. Because the one team has an advantage, the amount of reps of the skill (ie. passing and receiving) is increased. There are many variations; lose the ball and go in the middle, play for a time limit, if you "split" the two defenders with a pass, you get a goal, play 3 v. 1, 5 v. 2, 6 v. 3.

Coaching Points

• Angle and distance of support must be good. • Keep hips facing the play. • Weight and accuracy of passes. • Good passing technique. • Team shape, wide support and at height. • Defending - make play predictable by being patient. •

•

Active Drills 20 - 30 minutes

Targets Passing

The Game

Start with three teams of equal numbers. The space should be rectangular in shape. Team A starts as free target players on all sides of space. Teams B and C play a game of keepaway. Passes can be made to the A players (they must return the ball to the the passer's team). Count the number of consecutive passes. Ten equals one goal. After a specified time period, or a goal, rotate teams. Let the scoring team make the decision whether to become "targets" or stay in the grid.

Coaching Points

• Encourage good pace and accuracy of passes. • Pace should be fast enough so defenders can not intercept, and comfortable

for the receiver to control. • Accuracy - Ball should be played to players feet. • Players need to make good decision on how to utilize targets to retain

possession.

Variations

• Targets can only one touch the ball. • Field players must have 1, 2 or 3 touches, depending on skill level. • Award a goal if player can make a wall pass with target players. •

•

8 v. 8 with Corner Goals

The Game

8 v. 8 played on half a field. Set up 10 yard squares in each corner of the field. These act as goals. A goal is scored when the ball is passed into the square and then out to a teammate. Each team can attack any of the four goals.

Coaching Points

• Keep the team balanced in attack and defence. Don't bunch up around one goal.

• Look to attack the goal that is open. See if players can recognize where the pressure is.

• It should be easy to keep possession since the defence has so many goals to defend. Be patient in attack and don't take unnecessary risks.

• In defence, look to create opportunities to double team.

Variations

• Play with two balls to open game up. • Allow a goal if player dribbles in and out of square. • Insist that passing goals require three players. • Limit players to 2 touches

End Zone Game

The Game

Set up field as shown with a seven yard "Endzone" at each end. Score a goal by getting the ball from one "Endzone" to the other by passing or dribbling. Once a goal is scored, immediately attack going in the other direction. The end zones are "free". Only the attacking team can enter this area.

Coaching Points

• Attacking and defending principles • Counter attack • Passing and receiving

•

Keeper to Keeper

The Game

This is a possession game that uses the keepers. Instead of trying to score, each team tries to pass the ball from one keeper to another. Keepers can play the ball with their hands.

Coaching Points

• In attack: Attacking principles of play. Always look to get the ball forward and to the keeper. especially, right when you get it from the keeper. Counter attack often. Since the flow of play changes quickly, players get practice in the back and front.

• In defence: Must have pressure on the ball. Quickly get behind the ball when possession is lost. Prohibit counter attacks.

• Good, quick keeper distribution. • •

•

Cool Down Drills 5 - 10 minutes

Triangle Passing Drill

The Game

The triangle has sides of one yard in length. Player A passes the ball to player B. Player B receives the ball at position 2, after it has come out of the triangle. B then touches the ball to the side and returns it to A making sure the ball does not travel through the side of the triangle which it came from. The diagram shows 2 options for the return pass. Try to keep the game going as long as possible without making a mistake.

Coaching Points

• Passing and receiving warm-ups. • Preparing the surface before reception, keeping feet active. • Keep body facing the play. Use good technique.

Progression

• Allow unlimited touches to develop a feel for the game. • Restrict players to 2 touches, one to prepare ball, one to return it. • Ask the players to determine if there is an easier way to bring their first

touch. (This should be towards the nearest cone - the cut becomes determined)

• Nearest Cone forces player to take his eyes off the ball and look at the "field" in front of him.

• Make the triangle 2 yards apart and see what happens.

Progression of a Turn

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.

Albert Einstein

Please open the “Turn” PDF documents!!!

Part 5 Shooting

"When elephants

fight, it is the grass that suffers."

-Kikuyi Proverb

A complete shooting practice

Warm Up Drills 5 - 10 minutes.

Instep Warm Up

The Game

A good warm up for coaching sessions dealing with instep passing and/or shooting. Start with players sitting down and kicking the football out of their hands. Look for good technique - ankle locked, toe pointed, strike ball with laces, plant foot facing target, leaning forward, no spin on ball, head position.

Progression

• Sitting • Two insteps in a row • Kick ball, stand up and catch it. • While standing (moving), kick ball and catch it. • Have the ball bounce in between touches, keep ball going. • Two touches without ball hitting ground.

Instep Passing

The Game

In pairs, players make instep passes back and forth.

Progression

• Start with ball being kicked after a bounce, dropped from hands.. • Ball kicked from the ground. • Increase distance. • Restrict player to 2 touches.

Instep Squares

The Game

Two squares are set up with two players in each square who are teammates. The more skilful the players, the smaller the squares are and the further apart they. are. The game starts when one team kicks the ball into the others' square. The receiving team must controlthe ball without it going outside of their square. Each player is allowed to play the ball with one touch. The team has 3 touches to get the ball into their opponents square. The ball maynot stop at any time. Play stops when a shot misses the other teams grid or is not controlled. Decide beforehand how high a ball may be played to be considered fair.

Coaching Points

• "Drive" the ball into the other teams grid to make it difficult to control • Good shooting technique • Encourage an aggressive "shooting mentality" • To receive the ball, get in the line of flight, using your first touch to "kill the ball" for your partner. • Prepare the surface that will receive the ball early • Keep the body balanced, weight on toes.

Active Drills 20 -30 minutes.

Steal The Bacon

The Game

Two teams, each player is designated a number. The coach calls out the numbers of the players. These players then run out from the endline to play the game. The coach serves balls from the sideline if the ball goes out of bounds or into a goal. Each group should play for a minute and a half of continuous action. Players waiting to come on should return loose balls to the coach, or act as "support" players, returning passes back to the team who made them. The number of players playing at one time depends on the coach's objectives. This game is best played 2 v. 2 or 3 v. 3.

Coaching Points

• Combination play • Seeking and taking shots • Attacking and defending principles of play

Bread & Butter

The Game

Three teams of 4 (A, B, C) and two keepers (X, Y). Team A attacks against keeper Y. If they score, they then quickly try to attack keeper X. At this time, team B leaves the field and takes the place of team C who were the supporting players on the endlines, supporting both teams. The supporting players support for both teams and can move along the end line. The are limited to one touch one the ball. Have an ample a supply of balls ready in each net.

Coaching Points

• After scoring a goal, attacking players look to play quickly before the other team has a chance to come on and get organized. • Try to play the ball to target players. • Attacking and defending principles of play.

3 Goals

The Game

Start with two teams of equal number. Each team has 3 goals to defend and attack. Each team has one keeper who must defend all 3 goals. Play regular soccer rules.

Coaching Points

• Attacking team should try to change the point of attack away from the keeper, then proceed to get a quick shot off. • Defending team must try to force the attackers in one direction so their keeper knows which goal to defend.

Cool Down Drills 5 - 10 minutes.

Central Goal Shooting

The Game

Player 1 starts in goal. Player A dribbles at speed to cone, stops the ball and shoots with the next step. After the shot, player A runs to become the new keeper waiting for player 2 to shoot. Player 1 gets ball and goes back to his side.

Coaching Points

• Watch for players backing up or moving to the side before they shoot. There should be no extra steps. • Set up several fields and have contests. • Teams should not wait to advance ball to cone and shoot immediately after the opponent shoots. • The drill makes players follow their shot, and the group will coach and remind the players. If they do not get to the goal, the opposition will have an open goal to shoot at. • Teams can keep score themselves. A goal counts if only below the height of the keeper and in between the markers. First to 5 wins or 3 minutes. Players should get quality repetition in short periods of time. • Coach can vary repetition by the number of players in each line. • Vary distance to goal and size of goal so players have success, then make it harder by increasing the distance and making goal smaller. • Encourage players to hit hard.

Same game as before but the shooter must strike the ball before the cone and on the move.

Coaching Points

• Watch for the plant foot being too far behind the ball, this will send the ball over the keeper's head. • Make sure starting position to cone distance is great enough to allow other player time to get to goal. • Progress further, allow players to dribble around the cone and then shoot. • Hips and plant foot should be facing goal when shooting. • Players should strike the ball with a smooth swing. Don't allow swing to be a sickle motion. • Players should look at ball when making contact. • Follow through on kicking foot and get to goal.

Player A now dribbles directly between cone markers simulating a defender (cones about one step apart). Player chops ball to either side and shoots ball back to far post.

Coaching Points

• Kicking foot and hips should be pointing toward far post. • Follow through onto kicking foot. • Eyes on ball during shot. • Get to goal after shot.

"1 goal, 10 assists."

-Adidas commercial (USA Women's World Cup

SoccerTeam)

Please the “shooting” PDF file

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