Training - Thursday, April 12

I was not happy with our final session prior to taking the trip out to Virginia a few weeks ago.  I think I tried to pack too much information into a too short an amount of time, and I think the girls left that session a little bamboozled.  I have to continually remind myself to minimize the pressure and stress on the girls leading up to events like this if I can, for I know they perform better when relaxed and confident.  So, I came into last night's session wanting it to be active and competitive for the girls.  They know that we focus on finishing at Bielenberg on Thursdays, so I didn't change that (when I usually would have been going over our attacking and defending set pieces). 

I. Synchronized Ball Dancing

Set Up

• Ball per player, each player working with a partner

Procedure

• Partners go off on their own for 8 to 10 minutes and work on developing a synchronized ball dancing sequence that then will then perform in front of the rest of the team

Comments

Same as last week, but instead of giving the pairs assigned sequences, I let the pairs come up with their own routine to do in front of the group. 

The idea was to have the girls work on their ball familiarity in a fun and competitive setting by trying to have them work with their partner to master the sequence, then challenge the pair to execute the moves as a unit at speed. 

II. Ball Masters - Individual Skills Development

Fast Feet

• Taps
• Zig Zag Zaps
• Stop Taps
• Step On Taps
• Triangle Taps
• "U" Taps
• Cut Behind Taps

III. Double 1-2s

Set Up

• Players work in pairs
• 50x35 yard field with goals and GKs at each end
• Passing and Target disks on each side of the field (see below)

I had 16 girls at training.  With the two GKs, that left 7 groups of 2.  3 groups started at one end and 4 groups at the other as in the diagram below.

Procedure

• When it is a pair's turn, one girl jogs out to the Target disk, the other girl has the ball at the Passing disk
• (1) Blue 1 passes to blue 2 and holds their run (at the same time, green starts their sequence up the other side of the field)
• (2) Blue 2 lays a ball off to blue 1 then spins away
• (3) Blue 1 gets to the ball and (4) passes a through ball to blue 2 for blue 2 to go to goal
• Blue 1 chases as a defender
• After blue is done with their sequence, they retrieve their ball and wait at the other end to come up the other side of the field

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each goal
• +3 points for goals scored on the ground

Coaching Points

• Talk about speed of play.  It's quicker if the passer plays a laid back pass first time through to a forward, so the forward needs to lay back a pass that will allow the passes to play first time - this means a softer lay back pass to the space in front of the passer, not a firm pass back to the passer's feet that may force a control touch prior to the pass
• Target spins AWAY from the lay back pass to force a marking defender to choose to see the ball or the target
• Target also spins away laterally, not forward, in order to not risk running into an offsides position
• As target spins, find the ball quickly and be ready to run forward onto a ball
• Communicate verbally ("Through!") and visually (hand out extended in the direction where you want the pass)

Comments

My college coach, John Leaney, used to tell the men's team that one of the downfalls of coaching women was that female players usually did what the coach told them to a fault.  Stereotypical?  Maybe.  But I see the same thing at the younger female ages.

I demonstrated the Target peel away move for the girls using the words "spin away".  Most girls processed the spin part of it, and for the first few minutes I watched in amusement as the Target would most definitely spin; sometimes to the inside, sometimes while running forward, sometimes twice.  It was a funny few minutes but I like to have the girls fight through things prior to coaching right away.  There were a lot of other teams in the dome and we were looking a bit silly, so I stopped it earlier than I would have though.

I brought them in to break this movement down and explain why I was asking the girls to spin away from the laid back pass (see coaching points).  It got better fast.  I then let them work a bit more then brought them in again to talk about a lateral run after the lay back to stay onsides, as well as about the Target's body position and communication. 

IV. Reverse Passes

Set Up

• Same as above

Procedure

• (1) Blue 1 passes to blue 2 and makes a run forward down the line
• (2) Blue 2 touches the ball inside the field (away from the runner), then (3) plays a reverse pass to the space in front of blue 1
• Blue 1 goes to goal and blue 2 trails the play to be a passing option for their teammate

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each goal
• +3 points for a goal scored on the ground

Coaching Points

• In this setup, Target should touch the ball inside the field (towards the middle of the field away from the runner) with the outside of their right foot if possible
• Pass should be made with the left foot or outside of the right foot
• Runner continues their run forward even when their teammate goes in another direction, trusting that their teammate saw the run made and may still opt to play the runner into goal

V. Reaction to Runners

Set Up

• Same as above

Procedure

• Blue 1 passes to blue 2 and does 1 of 3 things
• (1) Blue 1 holds their run which then triggers a lay back pass and double 1-2 (see above)
• (2) Blue 1 makes a run down the line which triggers a touch by the Target inside the field for a reverse pass (see above)
• (3) Blue 1 makes a run inside the field which triggers a touch by the Target to the outside (away from the runner) and then a reverse pass up the middle of the field (see below)
• Whichever partner does not go to goal trails the play to offer a passing option to their teammate

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each goal
• +3 points for a goal scored on the ground

Coaching Points

• As the ball is being played to the Target, the Target must realize what the passer is doing and react to it
• Looking for sharp, crisp passes and good pace throughout the sequence

Though some coaches may see all this as providing too much structure for the girls in an unstructured game, I see this as giving the girls ideas of what can be done with two-player combinations.  There are a ton of individual technical coaching opportunities in exercises like this, as well as a lot of activity and shooting.  The girls also see some marked improvement in a short time which helps increase their willingness to put the work in.  It was a very good session for them.

VI. 5v5 Winner Stays

Set Up

• 3 teams of 5
• 50x40 yard field

Procedure

• Blue vs green with orange sitting out
• First team to score stays on the field, losing team exists and the team waiting jumps in
• The team that scores can immediately grab the ball and attack the opposite goal
• Waiting team must enter and organize quickly

Make It Competitive

• It is

Coaching Points

• Not many, let them play

Overall I was MUCH happier with this final session in prep for the upcoming tournament weekend.  The girls look sharp and are excited to perform better than a few weeks ago.

I also handed out Individual Player Goals for the weekend.  I will be tracking who reaches their goals during this event and who does not.