Youth Training Sessions
U13’s Technique Training: 1v1 situations Last year we featured Training Sessions from around the World in this section, this year we have changed the theme to Youth Training Sessions. This regular section will feature complete youth training sessions, starting with an U13’s technique training session. Technique is what it is all about at this age group. As the U13s are the ideal age to further develop their basic techniques they already possess. Twelve and thirteen year olds are known for their willingness to learn and are always looking for new tricks. As an U13’s coach you have the task to take the opportunity to use the season to develop your players technically. The techniques they learn at this age will stay with them for the rest of their playing careers. Close to 100% of the training sessions at this age should be geared towards improving technique. But technique is a very broad topic. This time around we focus solely on improving the moves and actions to beat the opponent in 1v1 situations. We start with learning 'dry' moves to eventually progressing to training under pressure and creating match-like situations. Some coaches may argue that you train everything in match-like situations and we do not necessarily disagree with this approach, however there is more than one road leading to Rome and for the purpose of this session we have chosen to outline the entire process, which eventually leads to training and applying the learned techniques in match-like situations.
1 v 1 situations can be distinguished by 4 situations: 1. Having the opponent in front of you 2. Having the opponent at your back 3. Having the opponent to your side 4. Having the opponent diagonally behind you Every situation asks for different moves and we now show you 4 different moves step by step.
Opponent in front of you: The side-step
Step 1
Start with the ball by your foot and standing straight
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Step 2
Move one foot to the side to put your opponent on the wrong foot
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Step 3
Step 4
Subsequently take the ball with Accelerate to loose your the outside your other foot to opponent beat your opponent
Opponent at your back: Turn away with the inside of your foot
Step 1
Step 2
A pass is played next to the player, who moves towards the ball
Step 3
He guards the ball from the opponent...
Step 4
... and takes the ball with the inside of his foot
Player continues to guard the ball from the opponent and turns with the ball into the direction of play
Opponent to your side: Overstep
Step 1
Player dribbles into the empty space
Step 2
Step 3
Player swings one foot over the ball
Step 4
Player turns around his axis...
Step 5
... and takes the ball after the turn with his other foot
Accelerate to loose your opponent
Opponent diagonally behind/beside you: Stop-turn
Step 1
Player dribbles next to his opponent with the outside of his foot and fakes shooting/crossing the ball
Step 2
Step 3
Instead the player puts his foot ... and rolls the ball backwards on the ball...
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Step 4
Player takes the ball after the turn with his left foot
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U13 Technique Training 1.1 1 v 1 line football Organization: -
Various fields are set up to play 1v1 line football Work-rest ratio: 1.5/1.5 minutes During the rest period players do technical skills at low pace The player who won moves 1 field to the left, the one who lost moves to the right (up until they have reached the last field) - Which players are on the field to the left after 20 minutes?
3v3 with a goalkeeper, player and substitute Organization: - Two teams of 3 per organization. There is 1 goalkeeper, 1 substitute and 1 player per team. Teams rotate positions to ensure a good work-rest ratio - 3 games of 3 minutes each (starting with 0-0 every time). After 3 games change opponents - Who has the most point after 9 games?
6 v 6 line football Organization: - To end the training session we play 6v6 line football - Just like the previous 2 exercises you should stimulate your players to make moves
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U13 Technique Training 1.2 Dribbling game with moves Organization: - Every player has a ball and dribbles through the setup area where cones are positioned sporadically
Progression: - First: initiate move at the coach’s (interchangeably with right and left) - On coach’s sign cut the ball and accelerate (left and right) - On coach’s sign dribble to a cone and initiate a forward move (left and right) - On coach’s sign dribble to a cone and cut the ball
Finishing on two goals Organization: - Two areas are setup as illustrated - Within each area 1 player has all the balls, the other player is next to him without balls - Mark a square in front of the goal with 1 cone inside the square - A player without a ball gets a pass in front of him (in the area) where he must control the ball, dribble to the cone, make a move in front of the cone and shoot on goal - Players get their own ball, put it with the other balls and join the back of the queue
5v5 with goalkeepers in 2 areas Organization: - 5v5 with goalkeepers and a halfway line - Attacking team is only allowed to have 3 of the 5 players on the opponents half, defending team is allowed to have all players on their half - The 3 players do not have to be the same ones every time, this may change depending on the situation
Details: - This will create many overload situations, meaning that the attacking team must make a move in order to create scoring opportunities. When they are stuck they can always pass the ball back to their own half (2 defensive players) and start their attack again
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U13 Technique Training 1.3 Passing move in threes Organization: - 3 players per organization, 2 players (one of whom has a ball) positioned at 1 cone, the other (without ball) positioned at the other cone - The player with the ball passes to the player on the other side and accelerates to follow his ball - The receiving player controls the ball and passes the incoming player with a move (passive resistance) - After this move he immediately passes the ball to the player on the other side and accelerates to follow his ball - Etc.
Left or right gate? Organization: - Players are lined up with a ball down the field - 2 defenders, substituting each other - A player with a ball dribbles towards a defender and tries to beat him. He has to dribble through the left gate or through the right gate - The defender tries to stop him with full resistance - The defender is not allowed to defend behind the gates - After the player has dribbled through a gate he is allowed to finish on goal - Change defenders after 3 minutes
Variation: - Easier: Attacker has to shoot through one of the gates - More difficult: Attacker is not allowed to move backwards, ball must always move forwards
6 v 6 with overload situation Organization: - A game of 6v6 with goalkeepers - When team A scores, they will get 1 point, but one of their players has to leave the game creating a 5 v 6 situation - Team B cannot score any points in this situation, but when team A scores again with one player down they do not only get another point, they have to sit out another player, creating a 4 v 6 situation - When team B scores (in the 5 v 6 situation) they don’t get a point, but they do create another 6 v 6 situation and now both teams can score again - The players who are temporarily sitting out have to stay active by doing skills on the sideline
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U13 Technique Training 1.4 Crossing game Organization: - Two organizations whereby 2 players are positioned in the middle with a ball and the other players are positioned on the line with a ball
Progression: - On the coach’s signal the players with a ball try to dribble across the middle area and beat the players in that area - The players in the middle try to steal the ball (by kicing it away) - After 6 crossings change defenders
World Cup Organization: - 3 defenders, 1 in every area - The other players are positioned with a ball about 5 meters from the first area
Progression: - The players with a ball try to beat the defenders and shoot on goal - The defenders try to kick the ball out of their area, but are not allowed to leave their area - When the defender succeeds in kicking the ball out of his area, the attacker will become the defender and the defender will get the ball and join the back of the attackers’ line. - In the 3rd area the attacker must try to shoot on goal. When the attacker shoots wide or over the goal without the goalkeeper touching it, he will become the defender and the defender will be allowed to get the ball and join the back of the attackers’ line - High pace, so when the first attacker has reached area 2 the next attacker starts - U13 players love this exercise!
6 v 6 match Organization: - 6 v 6 with goalkeepers - Normal rules, motivate players to use their passing moves and try to keep the excitement at a high level
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