Training - Monday, June 18

Holy Angles, 16 players.

The plan for today was to warm-up with some technical work keying on movement of our outside defenders.  It would also involve work for our target forwards and mids.  I then planned to move to the 3v2 Continuous activity that we ran through last week, focusing more on the spacing and shape of the three attackers.  I was then going to finish with more set piece work in prep for the weekend.

The girls still tend to crowd around the ball at times, not fully comprehending yet that their teammates are usually good enough to pass the ball to them over distance now.  As our players get drawn close to their teammate in possession of the ball in games, though the number of options may increase, we are still not very effective as a pass to a close teammate does not break pressure (get us out of pressure) a lot of the time.  The idea of focusing a bit on spacing and shape when attacking would be helpful to them as in game situations there can sometimes be a world of difference between a 5 yard pass and a 10 yard one.

Spacing and team shape require that the girls possess some very important skills.  First, they need to have the awareness in their surroundings (where opposing players are as well as the location of their own teammates).  Second, they need to possess an understanding of the individual benefits of receiving a ball in space versus receiving a ball in pressure as well as the benefits of attacking up the field on opposing teams in less densely populated areas.  All this can’t be addressed in a single session and takes time to build the skills in the young players.  I planned on addressing some of these issues tonight.

As with all good plans, unforeseen circumstances arise and plans need to be changed.  The field was double booked beginning at 8PM as our U16 and U17 Blue teams had planned on scrimmaging in prep for Regionals this weekend.  With some accommodation, they agreed to begin at 8:15PM to give us 75 minutes on the field.  To throw another wrench into the mix, the U15s (training from 6:30PM – 8:00PM), having not played a game since State Cup, were interested in a full field scrimmage with us from 7:30PM – 8:00PM.  I decided it would be good for the girls to get a competitive run in for a bit, so I adjusted our training plan accordingly.

I. Technical Functional Training – Wide Backs

Set Up

• 4 groups of 3, formed around 1 wide back per group
• Two groups worked up the right side of the field, two up the left – the right side groups had our two wide right backs, the left side groups had our two lefties
• Midfield start disk, wide back start disks, and target start disks arranged as shown below
• All the soccer balls with the midfield players

Note this activity involves 12 players. The other four players (our central backs) were off on another part of the field working on long distance ball striking and clearances. Players were rotated in and out between the activities.

Procedure

• Green group starts with the ball at the green mids feet, working up the right side of the field
• Gold players play low pressure, dummy defense against the green team
• Green mid begins the sequence by dribbling forward with the gold mid applying pressure on one side or the other

• Green mid turns away from pressure and looks for support

• Green wide defender recognizes the need to maintain possession and moves back quickly, away from the gold defender to provide support
• Green mid plays to green wide back

• Green wide back receives the ball across their body with the inside of their right foot, playing the ball out wide to their right (clear your feet!) in order to set up a pass up field on their second touch
• Green wide back plays a driven ball to their target player who, with one or two touches, plays back to the green mid who has moved up for support, completing the sequence

• Orange then begins the same sequence up the left side of the field while green and gold switch roles so gold can attack while green defends
• Midfield defenders should apply contact pressure though not trying to win the ball
• Wide back defenders do not move
• Target player defenders apply contact pressure to the back of the target player and make then work to get good touches and pass backs to the supporting midfield player

Make It Competitive

• White group can execute the sequence the sharpest/quickest/with the most technique?

Coaching Points

• Midfields need to clear their feet with their turn so that they can play a pass quickly to the supporting wide defender
• Wide defenders must back away from their marking defenders quickly once they recognize that their midfielder is looking to play backwards
• Wide defenders need to recognize where the open space is (out wide) and touch the ball in that direction – this also helps create a passing channel wide of the marking defender in order for the wide back to play forward
• Target players make their body big, shielding off the marking defender
• Balls played into the targets should be low and driven over the distance
• Balls played back from the targets to the mids should be on the ground

Release Variation

Same set up and concept with the following modifications:

Procedure

• This time the midfielder dribbles up field, turns back to maintain possession from the marking defender, then turns back up field again when the marking defender over plays the back pass
• The wide back backs up to offer the same support, but once the mid turns back up field, the wide back releases out wide at a sprint to received a pass in space from the central mid

• Wide back still plays forward to their target and the target still tries to find the supporting mid

Coaching Points

• Recognition by the wide back after backing up to provide support that the mid can play forward, and a sprint out wide (into open space) and forward to receive a pass in that space
• Arm extended out in front of the wide back indicating that they want the ball played out in front of them
• “Release!” call from the wide back to provide verbal communication

II. 30 minute Scrimmage vs U15 Blue Team

We defended most of the time as the U15s were able to out play us in the midfield and thus keep good possession of the ball.  We didn’t really allow any solid chances at goal but did concede two or three corners.  We didn't threaten the U15 goal more than 2 or 3 times, and did have a couple corner kicks.  We did manage to score a great goal though.

Jilly (LM), from midway in our own defending half, played a 30 yard long ball over the top that Ripper (RF) raced onto up the right center part of the field.  Millie (LF) sprinted up the field in support of the attack with a loud “Early! Early!” call, wanting the ball played to her quickly.  With the ball still bouncing, Ripper played a fantastic first time, blind pass into the space behind the recovering defenders.  The U15’s GK came out to the top of the box to make a play on the ball, but was thrown off a bit by Millie barreling down at her.  The high lobbed pass bounced high on the turf and over the outstretched hands of the GK.  Millie changed direction and hit a left foot volley into the top right corner of the open goal as the GK tried to chase her down.

What we did learn from the U15s (who incidentally have gotten MUCH better since we saw them in January) was how their center back (in a 4-man defensive scheme) was able to get up into midfield when they had possession.  This girl was usually free and clear of defending players as our forwards were too high and our mids too far in retreat.  She got the ball often and the added numbers in midfield killed us.  It was great for the girls to see and I kept rotating out our central backs so that they could watch and try to pick up on it.

III. Corner Kick Attack/Defense

Set Up

• 6 defending players defending an open goal
• 2 girls striking corners on each side of the field (4 total)
• 6 girls attacking the corner kicks trying to score

IV. Game Observation

For the last 15 minutes of training, we sat in the stands to watch the U16s and U17s play.

Training - Tuesday, April 17

Had a possession session planned for today, but then Umut (our U13G Green team coach) called me around 5:45PM and notified me that his team was going to jump on a field outside somewhere and that I could have a full 1/2 of the dome (as opposed to a 1/4).  Wanting to make use of the space available, I hastily scribbled up a new session in the parking lot.

I. Finding the Link Players

Set Up

• 2 teams of 9 players (we only had 17, but I used our assistant coach Megan as a GK for one of the teams)
• 65x45 yard field with goals at each end
• Divide the field into three zones as shown below
• Each team has 3 players in each of the two endzones, and 2 players in the middle zone
• One player from each team in the two endzones has a ball (so two balls per team)
• One GK in each endzone as well

Procedure

• Teams pass and move, keeping two balls per team in play
• Players may pass to other teammates in their own endzones, but the object is for each team to get the ball to their two players (link players) in the middle zone as much as possible
• Link players must play as quickly as possible, passing to an open teammate in the opposite endzone to the endzone from which they received the pass

 

Make It Competitive

• Challenge the players to play as quickly as possible, stressing quality of passes throughout the entire exercise

Coaching Points

• Angle of approach by link players - side on, checking back at an angle
• Link players need to know what their options are prior to receiving the ball - head on a swivel, peeks over your shoulder
• Constant movement ball all players, yet keep your team shape

Progression

Same as above, but now the link players can play the way they are facing using a one-touch pass.  This pass can go back to the player who played them the ball, or to another player in that endzone

II. Play Through Situational Starts - GK Outlet Pass

By Play Through I mean that two teams are going to goal, no pressure/no defenders, with the only obstacles being the other team who is going to goal at the same time in the opposite direction.  Though no opposition can dispossess the team with the ball, there are still opposition players who need to be seen and avoided.

Situational Starts means that each time a sequence to goal is begun, it is started by a specific situation.  This could be any restart that you think your team needs work on (throw ins, corner kicks, free kicks, balls played in behind the defense, etc).

Set Up

• Same as above, this time directional (gold attacks one goal, green attacks the other)
• This means that each team now has designated defenders, mids, and forwards
• Defenders clear their zone to the dividing line, as do the attackers in the same zone

Procedure

• Central defenders have the ball for each team and begin each team's sequence by playing the ball back to their GK - this is not a pass back, just simulating a ball rolling back to the GK that the GK can pick up
• Wide defenders recover to the middle of the field, and once the GK has the ball in their hand, break out wide for an outlet pass from the GK
• Teams play to goal

Make It Competitive

• Challenge the players to play as quickly as possible, stressing quality of passes throughout the entire exercise - which team does it better?

Coaching Points

• Wide defenders recover to the middle of the field, simulating recovery runs on a through ball
• Once the GK has the ball, wide defenders spring wide (not forward!) and adjust their body to face up field in preparation of a hand pass from the GK
• Outlet pass from GK should be low and hard, rolled if possible, to make it as easy for the wide defenders to control as possible - never play the ball out to a defender who is not facing up field
• Whichever defender does not receive the pass from the GK should move to the middle of the field to cover
• GKs can fake to one side and play to the other
• Once the wide players receive the ball, that team can go to goal
• Though no opposition, teams don't always have to be direct to goal at 100mph - be creative but play quick

Note the following progressions are only shown using the green team.  Gold is doing the same thing at the same time, attacking the opposite goal (Play Though)

Progression #1 - Find your link player

Wide defender who receives the ball must play to a link player, then the team is free to go to goal

Progression #2 - Change the point of attack (link to link)

Wide defender who receives the ball must play to a link player.  This link player must find the other link player with a pass, then the team is free to go to goal

Progression #3 - Change the point of attack (link to opposite defender)

Wide defender who receives the ball must play to a link player.  This link player must play the opposite side defender in, then the team is free to go to goal

Progression #4 - Bypass the midfield

Wide defender who receives the ball must  bypass their midfield players and find a target forward with a longer pass, then the team is free to go to goal

Progression #5 - Bypass the midfield, play the way you're facing

Wide defender who receives the ball must  bypass their midfield players and find a target forward with a longer pass.  The target player must then find a midfield player, then the team is free to go to goal

III. 3-Zone Game - Follow Your Pass

Set Up

• Same teams and field as above

Procedure

• Teams play 9v9 to goal
• Ball always starts with the GK - 2 out of the 3 forward in each defending zone kneel down and are out of the play, leaving 1 forward to defend against the three defenders + GK
• Players cannot leave their assigned zone unless they pass the ball forward into the next zone and follow in support
• Once the ball enters the attacking team's attacking zone, all attacking mids and forwards as live and may leave their respective zones
• If the ball is turned over and the player who wins the ball can complete a negative pass (a back pass), the game is reset with the ball beginning in the other GK's hands (the hands of the GK who was just on the defending team

Coaching Points

• Composure building out of the back (4v1)
• Don't force passes forward as you will always have numbers up in your defending and midfield zones
• Movement by link players in the middle zone to create space for passes from their defenders - lateral movement as well as checking away from the defenders to create space in which to check back to receive a pass

IV. 9v9 Free Play

Remove the zone restrictions and play 9v9 to goal

OK, I know.  Lots of stuff for one session.  However, my goal was to introduce this type of activity to the girls and give them an idea of what can be done with it.  We played 3-zone games like this with the Thunder all the time.  You can tweak the game to suit many different coaching topics as there is a ton of stuff that can be addressed here.

My space tonight was a little short.  When we get outside, I'd probably use 75 to 80 yards of length.  Regardless, the girls had fun and worked hard.  I love yelling "Time!" at the end of practice and getting a bunch of surprised looks from the girls... "Is practice over already?!?!"

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.

Finishing Session - Thursday, April 5

6:00PM - 6:30PM Ball Masters - Individual Skills Development

With spring break vacations in full swing, we had a dozen girls show up last night at Bielenberg for training.

I. Synchronized Ball Dancing

Set Up

• Ball per player, each player working with a partner

Procedure

• The partners are given a series of ball moves to work on together, attempting to execute the moves in as synchronized a fashion as possible

Make It Competitive

• Give the partners the sequence, have them work on it for a few minutes, then bring the team in to watch each pair work and rank them 1 to 10, with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best

Comments

In a continuing effort to find new ways to keep the girls interested in working on important individual ball skills, I came up with this idea.  I would give a technical sequence like this:

1. Forward touch with the inside of your right foot
2. Left foot Step Over
3. Right foot Cut Behind

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. 

This was a lot of fun for the girls.  We did this 3 or 4 times using different technical sequences, then I had the pairs try and make up their own 3-move routine to show off in front of the group.

6:30PM - 7:30PM Field Training

II. Sequence Passing

Continuing on with our "improve our passing" theme since returning from Virginia, a ran the girls though our Sequence Passing routine while I set up the field for the finishing work to follow.

Set Up

• 35x40 yard area
• Two teams of 6, gold and blue, and players on each team are assigned numbers 1 - 6

Procedure

• Two soccer ball, one with the #1 players on each team
• At the coach's signal, #1 passes to #2, #2 then passes to #3, and so on
• All players must be moving at all times

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for each team if they make a mistake (you don't want points)
• Mistakes could be errant passes outside of the grid or to incorrect teammates, more touches than is allowed, not receiving the ball in a proper position, etc.

Coaching Points

• Short passes - no more than 10 to 15 yards
• Short passes should still be crisp and game like
• Keep the ball on the group, strike the middle of the ball using proper passing technique
• See your intended target before you receive the ball - meaning, take a look prior to having a ball passed to you in order to see where your next pass will be going
• Adjust your body to receive a pass facing the teammate you are going to play to next - sometimes this means moving your feet quickly in order to best position your body

Progression

• Unlimited touches by all players to start
• Two touch by all players
• Two soccer balls for each team - one starts with #1 and one starts with #4 on each team

Reverse It! Variation

• On the coach's "Reverse It!" shout, players reverse the order of their passing - #4 now passes to #3, #3 to #2, etc.

III. Pattern Play Shooting With Limited Pressure

The idea here was to get the girls into a shooting rotation that would involve finishing for sure, but also keep the non-shooting girls involved and active as well as demand that the girls focus on a number of different technical aspects of the game.

Set Up

• With 12 players, players set up as in the illustration below.  Note that I used blue and gold colors to help identify starting positions and the initial direction that players in these positions go.  There is no need for two teams in this exercise.
• One player in each of the following positions (labeled in green) - GK, Passer, Target, Defender, Attacker.  Same set up for another 5 players using the opposite side of the field, with all additional players waiting in the passing line. 
• The pink cone marking Defender D's starting position is 3 yards behind Attacker A's starting cone
• All the soccer balls split between the two passing lines

Procedure

• (1) Passer P passes to Target T then follows their pass to become the next T.  Note both blue and gold P start at the same time so that there are two passing patterns going up both sides of the field (in opposite directions) at the same time
• (2) Target T passed to Attacker A then takes D's position
• (3) Attacker A goes to goal then becomes the GK in the goal they just shot at
• (4) Once Attacker A touches the ball, Defender D is live and tries to stop A then returns to A's starting position to become the next A
• After a shot is taken on them, GKs retrieve the ball and wait in line at the passing cone by their goal in order to work they sequence up the other side of the field
• As soon as a shot is taken, the next player in line at the initial passing cone starts the next sequence

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for a goal
• +3 points for a far post goal (encouraging far post shots from angles)
• +1 point for a save as a GK

As I mentioned, though this is a fun finishing exercise for the girls, I wanted them to focus on a number of technical issues in the pattern play build up as well as on the finishing end of things.  I would let the girls run through the exercise a few minutes, stop and bring up a point, let them run through it some more, stop and bring up another point, and so on.  By the end of the 30 minutes, I had covered the following. 

Coaching Points

• Good, firm pass from P to T
• T, knowing the direction of where they wanted to play, needed to receive the ball across their body with a tight touch (close to their feet).  I wanted the target players to think about playing in a crowded midfield with not much room for larger control touches away from their feet.  I also wanted this player to play 2-touch (control then pass) as quickly as possible.  For blue in the illustration above, that would mean inside of the left foot control and a quick right foot pass.
• I wanted T to pass to A feet (as opposed to passing to space), and to focus on passing to A's lead foot, the foot closest to the direction A wanted to go (to goal) and furthest from Defender D.  In the illustration above, that would me blue T would pass to blue A's right foot.
• Positive first touch by Attacker A to goal

Two Touch Variation

Same as above with the restriction that Attacker A only has two touches.  Target T must still pass to Attacker A's feet, but now Attacker A is working on shots from distance at angles rather than also having the option to dribbling in 1v1 with the GK.

Pass to Space Variation

Same set up and sequence as the exercise above, only this time Target T plays Attacker A in to goal with a lead pass to space.

Coaching Points

• I wanted Attacker A to simulate holding their run to stay onsides, so I implemented the rule that the Defender D  could not move until A left their cone.  In this way, if A started "cheating forward" in anticipation of a pass, D could recover goal side even before the pass was made by T.  Also, this cheating forward could also lead to A drifting into an offsides position. 
• Attacker A even though not moving forward, should get their body down low and ready to explode to the ball when it is played in front of them
• Attacker A needs to communicate verbally ("Through!") and visually (with their hand out and extended showing Target T where they want the ball played

IV. 4v4 Small Sided with Neutral Team

Set Up

• 30x40 yard playing area with a goal set up at each end
• 3 teams of 4 players, each team in a different vest color

Procedure

• Two teams take the field to play 4v4
• The team that is not on the field provide a GK for each team as well as a side player on each sideline
• Wide players are neutral players and are limited to 3-touch or less
• Which ever team scores stays on the field.  The team that was scored on changes places with the neutral team