Training - Tuesday, Feb 13

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

• Scissors
• Step Overs
• Fake Shot Cut
• Fake Shot Push
• Fake Shot Stutter

6:30PM - 7:45PM Field Training

I. Ball Masters - Individual Technical Development

• Bounce Killers
• Thigh Control
• Laces Control

II. Receiving/First Touch 1v1s

Setup

• 4 teams of 3 in different color scrimmage vests, each player with a ball
• Two 15x20 yard grids with Pugg goals at each end in the center of a 5 yard coned goal (blue disks in the illustration below)

Procedure

• Green starts out as defenders in one grid, gold as defenders in the other
• Defenders have a ball at their feet and try to play a hard pass past the awaiting attack on the far side of the gird
• If the attacker stops the ball from going past them, they can attack the opposite goal and try to score 1v1
• Play make it, take it, meaning that if the attacking player scores on the 1v1, their team gets to be the attacking team again

Make It Competitive

• +10 points for the defending team if they can strike a ball into the attackers Pugg goal at the start
• +5 points if the defender can strike a ball below the attacker's waist height and between the attacker's 5 yard goal (marked by blue cones)
• +3 points if the attacker scores a goal after controlling the initial pass from the defender

Coaching Points

• Attackers need to be on their toes and ready for the hard initial pass
• Move quickly to get your body in line with the path of the ball
• Cushion the hard pass by "giving" a bit with the part of the body that first contacts the ball
• Get the ball on the ground as soon as possible and attack the defender at speed

Progression

• Defenders throw or volley the ball (to ensure that the ball is bouncing at the attacker
• Attackers summersault first to start the play, disorientating themselves and forcing quick reaction to the incoming ball

III. 7v7 Small Sided Scrimmage

Futsal/Steet Soccer - Sunday, Feb 11

5:00PM - 6:15PM Futsal/Street Soccer @ Lake JHS (Woodbury)

Today was just a day for the girls to come out and play the game of Futsal.  I was working with our U11 group from 3:45PM - 5PM, just prior to the U13s coming in from 5PM - 6:15PM.  I stopped the U11 training session about 5 minutes early and had 10 of the U13s take the field so that the U11s could watch the U13s play.  It was funny to see how some of the U13s got nervous, knowing they were being observed by about 20 U11 girls.  Because of these nerves, the U13s didn't have enough time to settle their game down and the 5 minutes looked a bit panicked.  I didn't really get what I wanted to get out of this for the U11s, but I think they got the chance to see some good stuff.

By the way, the size difference when the U13s took the field directly after the U11s was amazing!  I can't believe I started with this group when they were this (U11) age. 

We had 12 U13 girls in attendance.  I divided them into 2 teams of 6 players and they played games to 3.  If Team A won, each girl on the team would receive 3 points plus a point for every goal they scored and a bonus point if they shut out the other team (for a max of 7 points).  The players on the losing team would receive 1 point plus a point for every goal they scored.  Individual players would keep track of their own point totals as I reshuffled the teams after each game.

The girls come and play some of their best soccer in these sessions.  Though I do make coaching points every now and again, my only real words to them are to encourage creativity with, and confidence on, the ball. They are relaxed and have no pressure on them to perform and this translated into better play.  I commented to the group after the session about this and they all seemed to agree that they felt comfortable in this environment and played well.  I talked to them about trying to take this mentality into the non-Futsal games we play, but I know this is a lot to ask. 

Training - Saturday, Feb 10

8:15AM - 8:45AM FIT Training

8:45AM - 9:15AM Video Analysis

9:15AM - 10:45AM Field Training

I. 6v3 Possession - Triangle Defending

Set Up

• Two teams of 9 players (blue and green) - I had 16 players so the two coaches played to make numbers
• Two 25x35 yard grids

Procedure

• Green sends three defending players into blue's grid, blue sends three blue defenders into green's grid
• Play 6v3 possession
• Attacking team is trying to split defending three with passes

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for the attacking team if they can split the three defenders with a pass (complete a pass between two defending players to a teammate)

Coaching Points

• Defender pressuring ball NEVER follows the ball on a lateral pass
• In the illustration below, (1) blue passes laterally to a teammate and the pressuring green defender follows the pass.  The covering green defender also moves to pressure from the front to cut off a pass or shot up field.  (2) both defenders can now be split and beaten with a single pass into dangerous space.

• Instead, pressuring defender should drop back into a cover position if ball is passes sideways to avoid being spilt

• The idea is to give opponents lateral passing lanes, but to cut out any vertical passing lanes up the field into dangerous areas
• Good verbal ("I go ball!", "Drop right!") and visual communication

II. 4v3 Triangle Defending

I'm going to tell you right now, this is a difficult drill.  It takes patience and repetition to get the flow down, but once your players get it, it is a very enjoyable and competitive activity.

Set Up

• Two teams of 8 players, blue and green
• 35x60 yard grid with goals and GKs at opposite ends
• 10 yard Transition Area in the middle of the field
• Soccer balls in the goals

Procedure

• Blue attacks first and sends 4 attackers out with a ball in their defending half
• Green defends first and sends three defenders into their half
• Blue gets to build up uncontested until they cross through the Transition Area (green shaded area above) and into green's defending area
• Once the 4 blue attackers have left their defending zone, the next green player comes out to the middle to serve as a target player, and the next blue player in line comes out to act as a marking defender (see illustration below)

• The 4 blue attackers go to goal and try to score on the three defenders
• If the green defenders win the ball, or if a shot is taken and saved by the green GK, green now tries to find their target player with a long outlet pass.  Once this is done, all three green defenders move up the field through the transition area and join their target player
• The green target gets a free touch on the ball and must play the ball backwards to a supporting teammate
• Blue marking defender must call two players back by name (two from the four players who were just attacking).  The two called back players must sprint and recover goal side of the marking defender before beginning to play defense
• The other two blue attacking players who were not called back exit the field and wait their turn in line

• Once the green defenders have transitioned into attack and have left their defending end, the next player in blue comes out to be a target and the next player in green comes out to act as a marking back

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for a shot on goal
• +3 points for a goal

Coaching Points

• Good communication from the three defenders
• Give the attacking team sideways (lateral) passes, don't give them penetrating passes or uncontested shots
• Try to transition into the attack quickly by finding your target player and quickly moving up the field to support

III. 7v7 Small Sided Scrimmage

Training - Thursday, Feb 8

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

Fast Feet

• Taps
• Speed Taps
• Zig Zag Taps
• Step On Taps
• 1/4 Turn Taps
• Cut Behind Taps
• "U" Taps
• Triangle Taps

6:30PM - 7:30PM Field Training

I. 5v5 + 1 Possession

Set Up

• Two teams of 5 (blue and green) and one neutral player (red)
• 30x50 yard grid with the players' soccer balls surrounding the playing area

Procedure

• Teams play possession soccer
• Neutral player plays with the team in possession, effectively making it 6v5

Make It Competitive

• +1 point for 5 consecutive passes in a row without the defending team touching the ball
• Scoring doubles from that point on; 10 passes in a row is an additional +2 points, 15 passes is an additional +4 points, etc.

Coaching Points

• Move for your teammates
• Play simple and quick when in possession
• Draw defenders in with short passes, then look to find a longer outlet pass to break pressure
• Everyone on the team communicating and giving teammates good information
• "Read" the player on the ball to know what kind of pass she can make - a dribbler with time and space can maybe look to play a longer, more difficult pass, players under pressure probably need shorter, simpler options the way they are facing

Progressions

• Three-touch or less
• Mandatory two-touch

II. Four Corners Shooting Repetition

Set Up

• Two teams, blue and green
• Four disks, two at the corners of the six yard box, two about 10 yards apart 25 yards from goal
• Split team so that half the girls are at disk at the top of the six yard box and the other half of the team is at the disk 25 yards out (see illustration below)
• All the team's soccer balls with the players at the top of the six

Procedure

• (1) First green team player at the top of the six yard box passes a ball out to their teammate (the shooter) at the disk 25 yards out from goal and then runs to wait their turn in the shooting line
• (2) the shooter takes a prep (preparation) touch and then a shot on goal
• (3) the shooter retrieves the ball and then ends up at the back of the passing line
• (4) as soon as the green shooter take a shot, blue begins their turn
• Play for a set amount of time, then have the teams switch sides

Make It Competitive

• +3 points for a goal
• +6 points for a goal from outside the 18
• +1 point for a finished rebound

Coaching Points

• Focus on a good prep touch, away from your feet and at a good angle in order to help set up a good shot
• Shooters should take a peek at the goal after their prep touch and while moving toward the ball in order to visualize their shot before taking it
• Follow in for rebounds

Progression #2 (see illustration below)

• (5) Passer now plays a softer ball out in front of their teammate
• (6) Shooter gets to the ball quickly and finishes first time (without controlling the ball first)

Progression #3 (see illustration below)

• (7) Passer plays a long ball in the air to their shooting teammate who can take two touches to finish

Progression #4 (see illustration above)

• (8) Passer plays a "junk" ball (a ball that bounces) to their shooting teammate who can take two touches to finish

Progression #5 (see illustration below)

• (9) Passer plays a high ball out in front of their shooting teammate who gets to the ball quickly and tries to finish first time (without controlling the ball first)

III. 5v5 Small Sided Scrimmage

Training - Tuesday, Feb 6

With a full half field to ourselves tonight, I wanted to try and make the most out of the space provided. 

The girls began arriving around 7PM for a 7:15PM start.  For the first 30 minutes we worked on different Ball Masters Program skills; Set Up Touches, Diagonal Touches, Sole Roles, Scissors, Step Overs, Double Moves, and Cuts.

At 7:15PM we took the field and played 6v6+2 possession, focusing on speed of play and breaking pressure with long outlet passes. 

We then spent a good deal of time on crossing and finishing, moving from no pressure to limited pressure both on the wide players and the runners in the box.

We finished the session with a 7v7 scrimmage.