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?!?!"