Training - Wednesday, May 16

Our first training session at my alma mater,  Macalester College (St Paul).  What a great new facility!  Where was this field back in the glory days?

The idea for today was to continue to address breaking down possible packed in defenses, if teams should choose to do so against us this weekend during the semifinals or (hopefully) the championship game.  Our main attack against this defense will come from the flanks, with early crosses into the danger area or by beating players 1v1 out wide and getting in endline crosses or wining corner kicks, and also by long range efforts.

Long range efforts don’t necessarily mean always striking shots from 25+ yards.  But if we can get a couple long distance strikes on goal early and prove that we are a threat from these opportunities, we will spread the defense out a bit as they will be forced to step up and pressure us.  This will create holes for crafty forwards to find space in dangerous areas for passes to feet.

In actuality, we probably need a few months in order to get all this stuff down, but the ideas for this type to play have to start sometime.  No better time than the present!

I had 17 girls at training.

I. Penalty Kicks

As the girls arrived on site I encouraged them to work on their PKs. While they waited for their turn, they were asked to be active, moving around to help get warmed up.

II. Endline Crosses

Set Up

• 4 crossers, 2 on the right and 2 on the left set up as shown below, with one crosser and one dummy defender on each side
• 3 defending players and a GK defending a goal
• 3 teams of 3 attackers 25 yards out from goal with all the soccer balls

Procedure

• A player from the blue attacking group plays a ball out to the right crosser
• Once the crosser has the ball under control, the dummy defender comes to pressure
• The crosser is looking to beat the defender and serve in a cross from near the endline
• Once the ball is in the net, out of bounds, or been cleared by the defenders, green plays a ball out to the left crosser to begin their attack on goal

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for a goal
• +3 points for a first time goal (a goal scored directly from a cross on a one-touch, without the attacker controlling the ball first)
• +6 points for any header goals

Coaching Points

• Crossers should attack the defender towards the middle of the field. If they just dribble down the sidelines, they set themselves up for a longer cross into the box. If they instead attack inside, the freeze the defender inside the field and, once they take a touch to beat the defender to the outside (away from goal), they will find themselves closer to the center of the field for an easier cross.
• Attack the defender at speed, take a bigger touch to get by them. This will allow the crosser to ran faster (without worrying about taking multiple touches on the ball) while also allowing the crossers to take a look up to see where they are crossing to.
• Crossers need to wrap their foot around the ball and pull the ball back – the closer you get to the endline, the more you have to cross the ball backwards, away from goal
• Runners need to get organized early and time their runs as not to be standing and waiting (easy to mark) before the cross comes in

III. Early Crosses

Set Up

• Same as above for the teams, the defenders, and the GK
• Still two crossers out wide on each side of the field, except now the two crossers start at the same disk, roughly 40 yards from goal
• All 3 attacking teams start about 30 yards from goal

Procedure

• Blue takes up starting positions as shown below
• A player from gold, next up after blue, plays a ball to blue1, who controls and passes a ball back to red1
• Red1 attacks the ball (doesn't wait for it) and looks to serve in an early cross for blue attackers + gold passer to finish (4v3 to goal)
• After the ball is in the net, out of bounds, or has been cleared by the defenders, gold takes up blue's starting positions and gold3 receives a pass from a green player to begin their sequence to goal

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for the attacking team if they get the first touch on the ball after the cross - I want the players to attack the ball aggressively
• +3 points for a goal

Coaching Points

• Drop the ball in the danger area off the crosses, aim for the penalty spot
• Attackers need to begin to read the crossers - if the ball is approaching them too quickly, it will likely take two touches to serve the ball.  If the ball is approaching at a slower pace and you see the wide player adjusting her feet and winding up to kick the ball, the cross is coming in
• Be first to the ball and don't give the defenders any free (unchallenged) clearances

9v9 Early Service

Set Up

• 60x75 yard field (half field) divided with a midline and channeled by extending the 44-yard box lines to midfield (see below)
• One goal on each endline
• 2 teams of 9 set up as shown below, with a GK, 3 defenders in the defending half, 2 wide players in the adjacent wide channels, and 3 attackers in the attacking half
• All the soccer balls divided and in/just behind the goals

Procedure

• Ball starts with blue's GK who plays to one of the 3 blue defenders
• One green attacker takes a knee and cannot defend
• After 5 consecutive passes by the 3 defenders and the GK, the ball can be played into either adjacent wide channel
• Crossers in these channels must deliver an early service into the danger area for their forwards
• The weak-side crosser (the crosser who does not receive a pass from the middle grid) may also join the attack
• If the the green defenders or GK gain possession of the ball, one blue attacker takes a knee and both blue crossers must return to their channel

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each goal

Coaching Points

• 4v2 in the back, keep possession of the ball by making the grid big, moving to create good passing and support angles, knowing what you are going to do with the ball before you get it, and playing quickly
• Attackers must read the wide players - when are they going to serve the ball?
• Attackers should attack the ball aggressively and be active and buzzing around the box
• Crosses should be aimed toward the penalty spot
• No free clearances, challenge everything

Progression #1

Same as above, but now when the ball gets played wide to either crosser, all players are live to play until the ball is scored at either end

9v9 Free Play

Remove all restrictions and let the girls play.

Penalty Kicks

Again... just in case.  Two teams played through 3 PK rounds to see which team emerged victorious!

Training - Monday, May 14

Tonight was going to be our first training session on the turf at Holy Angels.  We were scheduled on it last week, but due to a field conflict we were forced to use the grass outfield area on the adjacent baseball field.  Not ideal when I came with a session planned for the ½ field we were scheduled to use on the turf field, but not a huge inconvenience.

The idea for this week was to work on ways to break down teams who may decide to pack it in on us and look to defend in numbers from the opening kick off.  Though I’m not sure that any U13 team will try to employ this tactic against us, it never hurts to be prepared.

If teams look to do this against us in the semifinal game or (hopefully) in the final game this weekend, we will likely face something like a 4-5-1 formation; lots of numbers behind the ball with a lone forward up top to spearhead a counterattack.

How would we look to break this down? We have a number of options and ideas.

First, we’d likely switch to a 3-5-2 formation. This formation would

• give us enough numbers in back to defend against any counterattack
• give us width in the attack with two very wide mids who would look to either 1) serve in early crosses from 25 – 35 yards away from the endline, or 2) find 1v1 situations and attack the endlines
• The idea about the early crosses is that wide players will usually have more time and space the further away they are from the goal and the packed in defense
• The idea behind attacking the endline is to either get off crosses or to win corner kicks

Second, realizing that there would be little opportunity to play over the top if a defense looked to pack it in in the back, we would need to shift our attacking thoughts to finding forwards feet in dangerous areas for them to 1) play the way they were facing to set up supporting midfielders shots from distance, or 2) look to roll marking defenders and go to goal themselves.

The girls would also need to realize that if we can’t stretch a team in one direction (lengthwise up and down the field) if they are already packed into one area, then we need to look to stretch our opponents out widthwise. Why stretch out our opponents widthwise? Because this will lead to gaps in the middle (in the danger area) for us to look to attack.

The overall objective is still the same - get the ball into the opposing team's danger area in front of goal. 

In the end, it’s really more important that my girls begin to understand the ideas here. Why we would look to make tactical changes and how these changes would affect the game.

In truth, I’m not really worried about playing a team that packs it in. I understand the thought on their end, but I just don’t believe there is a team out there that can contend with our aerial strength off crosses and corner kicks, two attacks that we would likely get a lot of against a packed in team.

So for tonight, I wanted to do some work on early crosses and playing the ball around the back/midfield looking to unbalance the opposition and set up wide players for early crosses and/or 1v1 situations.

Like with all good plans there are always something that comes up that you don't expect.  When I got to the field tonight I saw that there were adult league games being played.  I saw our U17G Blue team, the team that was supposed to be on the turf field before us at 5:30PM, training in the grass outfield area.  At that very same instant, my earpiece starting vibrating and I looked down at my caller ID and it read "Mark Cook".  I didn't need to pick up to know what he was calling about... field conflict.

OK, time to scramble again and come up with a different plan now that we were going to share the outfield area with the U15s.  Moreover, we were on the way out outfield as there was a baseball game going on.  I would not have the space I would need to run the session I had planned on, so I had to come up with something else.

When all else fails and you only have a little bit of space, it never hurts to go back to some technical work.  So, my new training session was to focus on some technical aspects, get the girls moving in some fun 5v2 possession activities, then (after the baseball game was hopefully done towards the end of our practice) look to play for 45 minutes against the U15 team. 

Our U15s, if they can get past the semifinal game against St Croix, will likely face my old Woodbury Inferno team.  I guess I don't really have the right to call them "my team", but regardless of the personnel changes in the last two years, there are still many of the core group I started with some years back.  The Inferno are the clear favorites to take this event, and our coaches know it.  If our U15s meet them in the final, we will likely have to defend in numbers.  Thus, it worked out well to have the U15s work on this while we worked on finding ways to break the defending team down.

7:00PM - 8:30PM Field Training

I. Ball Masters Program - Dribbling Turns

Shield Turn, StepOver Turn, Slap Cut, Outside Cut

Set Up

• Players work in pairs with one soccer ball in a 10 - 12 yard long area

Procedure

• A and B start together at the starting line
• (1) A dribbles out across the opposite endline and executes a specific dribbling turn
• (2) A passes to B and keeps their distance
• (3) B controls and passes back to A
• (4) A plays a 1-touch pass back to B who attacks the ball and dribbles to the endline to repeat the sequence
• A takes B's place on the starting line to await a pass from B

Make It Competitive

• Which group is the sharpest?

Coaching Points

• Everything should be done at speed
• Quick set up touches out to the turning line
• Quick turn, getting the ball away from under your body so that you can play quickly
• Head up to find the target before you pass
• Crisp passes back and forth
• Player who is waiting at the starting line should attack the ball at speed when laid back from the dribbler in step (4) above - I'm looking to get the girls used to accelerating towards the ball and carrying the ball forward with a softer, relaxes, and controlled touch

II. 5v2

Set Up

• Two 20x15 yard grids separated by a 5-yard gap
• Two scrimmage vests in each grid that the defending players in the middle will hold, not wear, to indicate that they are the ones trying to win the ball

Procedure

• 5 attacking players in each grid, 2 defending players
• I had 17 at training, so 3 players were waiting in the middle channel (the 5-yard gap)
• Players play 5v2 possession (keep away)
• If you make a mistake, you are out and go wait your turn in the middle channel
• The defender who has been in the middle the longest drops their scrimmage vest and takes the place of the exiting player on the possession team
• One of the players waiting in the middle channel comes into the grid, picks up the vest, and becomes a defender

Note: This was just a way to try and find a rotation for the numbers we had at training.  I could have played 6v2 and had only one player sitting, but I told the girls I wanted them to work hard in the middle as defenders, as well as be sharp and active on the outside.  The ability to have 3 players inactive and resting, catching their breath, worked well.

Make It Competitive

• Count your passes.  Which pair of defenders allowed the highest number of completed passes?  Believe me, posing this question is a sure way to step up the intensity of the middle players!

Coaching Points

• Constantly move and adjust to provide teammate with options though good support angles and distance
• Look to change the rhythm of play when needed - hold the ball to slow the game down when you have time, play quick 1-touch passes to break pressure

III. 5v2 Mandatory 2-Touch

Same as above, but all attacking players must take two and only 2 touches

IV. 5v2 Two to One

Same as above, but players have 2 touches until someone takes 1 touch.  From that point on, attackers play 1-touch until they make a mistake.  The game is reset to 2 touches each time the defenders switch.

V. 5v2 Pass and Sprint

Same as above with unlimited touches for all players, but every time an attacker passes the ball they must sprint to another area of the grid.  Now, all players must see the ball, see their teammates, see who is running where, and move to fill needed spaces and adjust to number in one area.

VI. 11v11 With U15s

VII. Penalty Kicks

Just in case :)

Training - Wednesday, May 9

6:45PM - 8:15PM Field Training

Pics from this session can be found here

With a sure-to-be tough game tomorrow evening against Eden Prairie to open up our Premier league schedule and our second State Cup game on Saturday against Dakota Rev, I didn't want to do too much with the girls tonight.  I did want to get back to some technical finishing work, but wanted to set up the training session so that I would be able to focus on the finishing in smaller groups rather than in a 17:1 ratio.

Here's what I did.  With 17 players, I divided the group into 4 teams of 4.  The 17th player was Mudd, our GK.  Two teams (8 players total) would work with me on finishing while the other two teams would play various small sided games.  The teams would rotate after a set amount of time so that the two teams shooting would go to play small sided soccer, and the two teams playing would come to shoot. 

To make things interesting and competitive for the girls, we kept track of points in everything (in the shooting and in the small sided games) to try and determine a winning team for the evening.

As you will see below, I didn't just send the two playing teams off to play 4v4.  I set up one field that offered 3 different small sided games (2v2 to Goal, 4v4 to Two Goals, and 4v4 to Goal) without a complete re-set up.  In this way, the training session flowed well and there was not much down time for field set up. 

Along with the variation in small sided games, I also changed up the shooting each round.  First round was first time shots from lay backs, second round was focused on far post ships, bending balls (the skill goals), and the third round was volleying technique.

We ended the evening with Power Finesse, one of the team's favorite shooting drills.  As you can see below, this game features one girl working (and the GK) with 15 girls standing around waiting for their turn.  I hate activities like this but the girls absolutely love this game, so every once in a while I breakdown and we play it. 

I. 4v4 Challenge - Round #1

Finishing Work - One Time Lay Backs

Set Up

• 2 teams of 4 players, each player with a soccer ball
• 1 goal with a GK
• Starting disks for each team 16 yards and 28 yards from goal (see below)

Procedure

• Each team designates a retriever (D) who stands behind the goal, a passer (C) who starts at the disk closest to the goal, and then two players (A and B) with all the soccer balls at the furthest disk
• Blue goes first, A passes to C who lays a ball back for A to shoot
• A goes to C, C goes to D, D retrieves the shot and takes their place in line behind B
• Green goes next and follows the same sequence

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for a goal if the GK gets a touch on the ball
• +3 points for a goal if it goes in "clean" (without the GK touching it)
• Double points for weak footed shots (trying to encourage weak foot development)

Coaching Points

• Verbal communication ("Set it!")
• Visual Communication (hand pointing to the side of the body you want the ball played to)
• Tough to keep the ball low when it is rolling back to you - concentrate on hitting the top half of the ball, upper body over the ball at impact
• Pick one half of the goal or the other to shoot at, commit to your shot and visualize the outcome

Field Play - 2v2 to Goal

Set Up

• 2 teams of 4
• One 40x30 yard field with a midfield line set up as shown below (you will use this same field for three different games)
• teams split into 2 teams of 2, each pair plays against 2 players from the opposite team in a half of the field
• 3 soccer balls per game, one in each of the two goals, one on the field

Procedure

• Teams play 2v2 to goal
• If you miss the goal with a shot, you must go retrieve the ball and your teammate plays 1v2

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each goal

Coaching Points

• I let them play

For Round #1, I went for 5 minutes.  On the 2v2 fields, the girls played for 2 minutes, rested for 1 minute as they switched opponents, then played for another 2 minutes.  Doesn't seem like a lot of time but the players will get tired easily in this game.

On the finishing field, the teams worked for 2.5 minutes then switched sides and immediately picked up where they left off. 

After the five minutes, blue and green headed over to play 2v2, gold and gray came to work on finishing.

II. 4v4 Challenge - Round #2

For Round #2, blue played gold and green played gray.

Finishing Work - Bending Balls

During Round #1, all the girls tired to hammer the ball as hard as they could at goal. 

I used to do this as well back in the day, thinking that the only way to beat the GK was to kick the ball as hard as I could and that the best goals were the ones that rocketed into the back of the net.

I distinctly remember my first professional shooting practice with the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the summer of 1992.  We were going through a simple give and go sequence finishing with a shot on goal.  After my second or third shot, all of which had gone in by the way, I heard a "Hold up son!  Let us have a quick chat with you."  I turned to see Rodney Marsh, our General Manager, sitting in a golf cart and beckoning me over.  I knew his history as an English International and English First Division player, and all of us players were in awe of him.  Yes!  The head honcho has just seen me rocket the ball past Golden Boy (rookie sensation and my roommate, Billy Andracki) three times and I'm about to get seriously complimented by Mr. Marsh! 

"You think those are good goals, do ya?"  He said to me.  I was obviously taken by surprise by the comment, but composed myself enough to respond, "Umm... yeah."

"Let me tell you something son, any pro can strike a ball well.  The classiest goals, the ones that set you apart from the others, are the ones in which you use skill, not power."  Right or wrong, to this day those words ring clear as crystal in my head. 

Same set up and rotation as One Time Lay Backs, with the focus this time on bending balls into the corners or chipping the balls over the GK from wide angles.

Instead of laying a ball back, I asked the passers to lay a ball out to either side.

 

I went over the technique of bending balls with the inside and outside of the foot, as well as gave the girls the thought of trying to float a high ball into the opposite corner from a wide angle.

Field Play - 4v4 to Two Goals

Same field set up as 2v2 to Goal, but I had the girls pick up the midfield disk line.  They now played 4v4 to two goals.

Each half of Round #2 lasted for 6 minutes.

III. 4v4 Challenge - Round #3

Finishing Work - Volleying Technique

Set Up

• Same as One Touch Lay Backs

Procedure

• A passes to B who flicks the ball up and catches it, then tosses an underhand ball up in the air for A to volley after one bounce

Make It Competitive

• If B does not flick the ball up and catch it, any goal scored is +1 point
• If B flicks it up and catches it, then +3 points for a goal if the GK touches it, +6 points for a clean goal

Coaching Points

• Toe down, ankle locked
• Contact the ball at a point below your knee - patience for the ball to drop
• Upper body over the ball at impact
• Looking for top spin on the ball

Field Play - 4v4 to Goal

Set Up

• Same as above
• 4x2 yard crease around each goal

Procedure

• Play 4v4 to goal
• No player may enter the crease (this prevents a defender from standing right in front of the goal)

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each goal

Coaching Points

• Let them play

IV. Power Finesse

Set Up

• 2 teams of 8 lined up about 25 yards from goal at two starting disks
• All the soccer balls with the coach to one side of the goal

Procedure

• Blue goes first
• Coach passes a ball out to the top of the box, 16 - 20 yards from goal for the player to shoot first time (without controlling the ball first) - this is the power shot
• Immediately after the shot, the coach throws another ball out for the same player to finish about 8 yards from goal - this is the finesse shot
• The finesse pass out can be rolled on the ground, though I try to play a ball in the air for these girls to finish on the volley or with their head
• GK must hold their line on the finesse shot - not come off their line to smother the ball prior to the shooter getting a shot off

Make It Competitive

For a player to remain in the game, they must score either their power shot or their finesse shot
If a player missed both shots, they are out of the game and wait behind the goal
If a player who is out catches a ball that is shot over the net by the opposing team, they are back in the game
If the shooter scores one of the two shots, they return to await their next turn in line
If they score both goals, they get to pick one player on the other team who takes a turn immediately after begin selected and MUST score both goals to remain in the game
Last team to have a player "alive" in the shooting line wins the game

Training - Monday, May 7

7:00PM - 8:30PM Field Training

With the focus primarily on defending ideas the last few weeks, I wanted to look at more attacking concepts today.  We found success against Wayzata often by changing the point of attack, by switching fields through the center of our midfield, but I know we could have done it more often and sharper/quicker.  The idea for today was to give the girls lots of repetition on receiving the ball across their body, allowing for quicker side to side play across the field as well as increased vision of the entire field in front of them.  Then, cover the concept of short passing to draw in opposing defenders and then look to change fields through crisp and accurate distance passing.  Finally, look to put all this to use in small sided competitive games.

I had 16 girls at training.

I. Ball Masters Program - Receiving Across Your Body

Set Up

• 2 groups of 8 players in different color scrimmage vests
• Each group further subdivided into 2 teams of 4 with 2 soccer balls per team
• 2 "passers" with soccer balls 30 yards apart, 2 "workers" in the middle (15 yards away from each passer) facing each other about 10 yards apart

 

Procedure

• At the same time, P1 passes to W1, P2 to W2
• W1 receives the ball across their body and passes to P2, W2 does the same and plays to P1
• W1 then gets a pass from P2, W2 from P1, and repeats the procedure
• Work for a few minutes then switch positions

Make It Competitive

• Which group is the sharpest?
• Which girl can release the ball the quickest?

Coaching Points

• Move to the ball, don't wait for it
• Always keep your hips facing the other worker (visualize facing up the field)
• First touch on the ball should be with the inside of the far foot (on the far side of your body relative to the passer), in the direction that you want to go
• Control with one touch, pass with the next
• After the pass from the worker, workers should look to move (check) away from the passer to create space in which to check back and receive the ball
• Peek over your shoulder just as the pass leaves the passer's foot or as the ball is traveling to you for awareness
• Move your feet to adjust your body to best receive the ball facing up the field, even on poor passes from the passers

II. Short to Long

Set Up

• Groups of 4 with one soccer ball
• 4 starting disks in a line, 10 yards apart from one another

Procedure

• A starts with the ball
• A passes to B who lays a ball back to A
• A plays 1-touch to D and then A and B swap starting positions
• D controls the ball and passes to C
• C lays the ball back to D and takes up D's starting positions
• D passes first time to B and the sequence is repeated

Make It Competitive

• Which group is the sharpest?

Coaching Points

• Crisp short interplay between A and B and between C and D, followed by crisp side of the foot passes over distance
• We want to keep the ball on the ground, so concentrate on passing technique and strike the middle of the ball (toe up, ankle locked, knee bent)
• The player receiving the ball over distance should move to show for the passer, not stand and be blocked by the other player near them

Progression - Same set up, but now the receiving player can move to the opposite side of the passer, forcing the passer to hit a weighted lofted ball over a "defender" to their teammate

III. 3v1 Change Fields

Set Up

• 2 teams of 8 players in different color scrimmage vests
• Two field set ups side by side (5 yard space in between the fields) - each area has two 12x15 yard grids separated by a 10 yard gap
• Players distributed as shown below

Procedure

• On field #1, blue plays 3v1 against green
• As soon as blue completes 5 consecutive passes, blue tries to find one of their teammates in the 2v1 grid
• If a successful pass is made to the 2v1 grid, one of the two players who did not pass the ball from the 3v1 grid sprints to make it 3v1 in the 2v1 grid
• Continue on as before
• If a ball goes out, the resting player out of the grid plays a ball back into the 3v1 grid
• If defenders win the ball, they simply pass back to the attacking players and the attacking players start their count over
• Play for 90 seconds, then rotate positions

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for 5 consecutive passes
• +3 points for a completed pass from the 3v1 grid to the 2v1 grid

Coaching Points

• Composure in the 3v1 setting
• Anticipation and movement to get open by the attacking players in the 2v1 grid when applicable
• Crisp passing over distance to the 2v1 grid and quick support by an non-passing player

IV. 4v4 to Endlines

Set Up

• 4 teams of 4 in different color scrimmage vests
• 2 40x30 yard fields

Procedure

• Teams play 4v4, scoring goals by dribbling the ball under control over the 40-yard endline
• Make it take it, so if a team scores over an endline, they immediately turn around and attack the other endline

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each goal

Coaching Points

• Look to play across the field to shift and unbalance the defending team, creating better opportunities to play forward
• Sometimes to get open and link across the field, players need to move backwards (away from the endline they are attacking) out of trouble (out of the area covered by the defending team)
• Draw defenders in with quick, short passing, then look to change the point of attack and move forward up the field in areas less crowded by defending players

V. 4v4 Tournament

Set Up

• 4 teams of 4 in different color scrimmage vests
• 2 40x30 yard fields with 6' Pugg goals as shown below
• Extra soccer balls in or near each goal

Procedure

• Teams play 4v4 to goal

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for all goals

Coaching Points

• Let them play

Training - Wednesday, May 2

6:45PM - 8:00PM Field Training

With two additional training sessions now possible (thanks to poor weather and a postponed game last Saturday) prior to our first State Cup game this coming Saturday, I once again wanted to focus a bit on defending.  There is no question in my mind that we will score goals during this event.  If we can deny goals scored on us, we will be in good shape.

I came up with a masterpiece training session for tonight that would have surly seen us through to Regionals.  But then, much to my dismay, I got a mid-afternoon phone call that one girl would be missing training for a school event.  OK, I'm adaptive, I can adjust.  So I made few minor changes to the session prior to jumping in the car to head to training and I was off, still confident that it would be a great session. 

Training tonight was going to on an 8v8 field which was perfect for what I wanted to accomplish.  When I got to the field to begin setting up, I noticed a number of men warming up on the side of the field.  Uh oh... field conflict?  Beer bellies, rec specs, and most with Mexican league replica jerseys, there was obviously going to be a pick up game that would surely have its share of SportsCenter moments... or America's Funniest Home Videos moments.  The guys were off on the side as one of the field as another one of our Academy teams was training at 5:30PM. 

As I unloaded my car, frantically searching for the field permit I knew I didn't print out, I saw the group of men visibly deflate.  One of the guys shuffled over to me and, in broken English, asked me if I was training on the field and at what time.  I told him that we had the field from 6:45PM - 8:15PM and he then asked if we were using the whole field.  I nodded and he sulked back to his group to break the bad news.

I didn't want to send them packing but I knew that I needed the space.  Crap.  I walked over to the group and told them that I could use half the field until around 7:30PM but would then need the full field.  They were obviously psyched about the news and started smiling and giggling like little girls.  I love this sport!  It's great to see 40+ year old adults still able to find pure enjoyment in playing it. 

So as the girls began arriving, I once again had to make adjustments to the training plan.  Not ideal, but not the end of the world.  At about 6:43PM I took a count of the girls and noticed we had only 15 there.  We were still missing someone.  When I asked the girls about it, I discovered that I forgot that another girl was missing tonight due to a final confirmation class.  Crap.  Now my numbers were once again messed up and I need to make different adjustments to the training plan.  I sent the girls off on their own to warm up and stretch, and at 6:47PM finally had my 6:45PM session planned.  Keeps me on my toes I guess!

I. Ball Masters Program - Heading Technique

Nothing fancy here.  Just two girls to a ball, one serving and the other heading back to her partner's hands.  As the girls got more comfortable with the heading, I asked the servers to back up a few yards at a time, until eventually the girls were heading balls served from about 15 yards away.

II. 4v4 Swoosh Defending - Open Goal

Set Up

• 3 teams of 5 in different color vests
• 50x40 yard field with a regulation goal at one end and 2 x 4-yard counter goals at the midfield line
• All the soccer balls with the coach just outside the area furthest from the regulation-sized goal

Procedure

• 4 green players take up defensive positions on the field, defending the big goal
• 4 blue players take up attacking positions, the gold team is waiting on deck
• Coach plays a ball into the attacking team (blue) and blue tries to score in the empty net
• If green wins the ball, green can look to score in either of the two counter goals
• Once the ball is dead (out of bounds or in a goal), green clears the field and waits on deck, blue becomes the defending team and organizes quickly, and gold sends four players onto the field to attack next

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for all goals scored

Coaching Points

• Even though we are working on a flat back four defending idea, the back four are rarely ever flat
• Immediate pressure on the ball to deny shots on goal (long balls into a danger area)
• Cover and shape by the other three defenders - Nike Swoosh when the ball is in the center of the park, upside down Swoosh when the ball is wide

• Just like in our 2v2 cover work, in most cases, the pressuring defender will retreat backwards quickly once the ball is played forward or sideways by the attacker under pressure - the exceptions to this happen when a ball is played straight back, or when a fellow defending teammate directs you to continue to pressure (follow the pass)
• Tough man to man defense in a zonal concept

Comments
The "Swoosh" idea is easy for the girls to understand, and I like introducing it in this context rather than by simple pressure, cover, balance verbiage.  We will look to build on this down the road by addressing how to contain diagonal runs, what happens with dribblers carry the ball across the field, etc. 

III. 4v4 Swoosh Defending

Same as above with the addition of a GK in the big goal.

IV.  Ball to Goalkeeper Game

Buzz used to run this drill a lot with the Thunder, and we would always laugh at the name.  Funny that I still use the name today.

Set Up

• 2 teams of 7 players, blue and gold
• 50x65 yard gird with two 6x20 yard keeper areas at each end
• All a team's soccer balls just behind the keeper area

Procedure

• Teams try and play the ball to their GK standing in the far keeper area
• Make it, take it - if blue successfully completes a pass to their GK, blue gets to attack again by having gold's GK throw out another ball to blue

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for a successful pass to your GK
• +3 points for a successful pass in the air to your GK

Coaching Points

• Immediate pressure on the ball by the defending team
• Defenders who are not pressuring should look to provide cover for the pressuring defender while also looking to cut off dangerous passes to their opponents GK
• Focus on good verbal and visual communication