Tools, Tips & Techniques
21 July, 2010 issue 169
Under 4s - Under 16s
Turn on the style One thing is certain – during a game players with the ball are going to have to turn or change direction keeping control of the ball. If they can’t they will easily lose it, says David Clarke
Dribble, turn, stop and go 10yds
Single turns
It is important that you let players take their time when they start doing this – at first they just need to practice simply getting the ball around the cone. Then try to get them to use both the inside and outside of their feet.
Slow dribble, turn, sprint
10yds
Sprint dribble
Players dribble the ball around the cone, stop at the centre cone and dribble back. dribble
Advance the session to give your players a good turning work out
10yds
Turning dribble
10yds
l Put a player, or players, on each corner of a 10 yards square. l Put a cone 2 yards in from each corner and a cone in the middle. l Players dribble around the first cone, then at the centre cone they stop the ball, turn and dribble back. l The players all go at the same time on your call of ‘go’.
l Using the 10 yards square you need players on each corner. l Place 12 cones in four groups of three (see diagram left) and a cone in the centre. l Players start by dribbling slowly through the three cones. l Then stop the ball at the centre cone, turn and sprint back, keeping the ball under control. l Players all run at the same time on your call of ‘go’. l Initially control is more important than speed. l Get your players to speed up once they have done the exercise a couple of times. l Concentrate on the ability of your players to control the ball using the inside and outside of their feet.
Coach development
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
The art of coaching children Using a no train no play policy with your team “If you don’t train then you don’t play in the next match”, is a great policy to have and abide by. It should mean all your players are at training and the quality of individual and collective content can be fully covered.
If your “no train, no play” policy has no flexibility, life could become very difficult for you regarding selection. It’s a brave coach that does not play his best player or players because they haven’t trained.
Session plans become much easier to complete and the excuse of not having enough time with the players is sidelined. In reality, though, there are problems with this rule.
Dropping these players can have a number of effects on your squad: l The squad rally round and step up to the mark. l The squad admire and respect you for deciding not to play the best player(s). l The squad fear what will happen without key players. l Your key players leave and join another team.
There are a number of situations that challenge the policy: l Players are ill or injured. l Parents of younger players taking them to some other family event or on a trip. l Part time jobs that interfere with training sessions. l School work and exams for younger people. l Travel problems in getting to the training venue.
A “no train, no play” policy is not easy to implement, so be careful in your approach to it. Communication and awareness are vital.
David Clarke’s touchline tales Getting the U16s out of bed on a Sunday morning I woke up on Sunday morning with something bothering me. Ah yes the U16s early kick-off. It was all coming back to me – got to get up to the club for 7.30 to put the goal nets up in time for the team turning up at 8.00 giving us a bit extra time for warm-ups.
My mobile rings for the third time. Another player will be turning up late. The U16s don’t seem to believe in warming up. It has become a problem with late comers at matches as the players get older. Some are just a month or two off being 17 years old, and know all there is to know about life.
I suddenly remembered the late night call from one of the player’s mums. He can’t make such an early start because they are out at a family party and had decided to stay the night – sorry for the late notice!
They are a good team and play well in matches and do win a lot of them, but early kick-offs cause problems. They don’t like them and neither do their parents. I’ve even asked the club secretary not to give us early games – but there are rules and every team must have one early and one very late kick off each month.
I knock on my son’s door... no answer. Maybe he’s already got out of bed and is in his kit ready to help me put up the nets. No chance. Knock on his door 10 minutes later and he emerges. “Do I have to play today, do I have to help put the nets up, why is no one else doing it? And what am I going to do for half an hour before the others turn up? Can’t mum take me later?” he asks.
The players turn up in dribs and drabs and five minutes before kick-off we have enough players to start the game. It isn’t ideal and the first 20 minutes of the game are awful. It annoys me that it should happen, and even giving parents a two week warning doesn’t have the desired effect. It doesn’t happen with the other age groups – it seems to take the U16s a few hours to get up and get it together in the mornings. And when they finally do wake up they get it together, they play well and get a draw.
He begrudgingly gets into his kit and follows me downstairs. I tell him he must eat and drink something because he needs to get his body ready for the match. I give him a banana and glass of water and we go up to the club. 2
21 July 2010
Player development
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Developing the soccer brain
Role reversal
In this exercise the roles of the players switch from defenders into attackers. Players need to be alert and quick to react, says Robert Roth an U15-U21 girls North Caulfield Maccabi coach in Melbourne, Australia
ROBERT: “My girls have to concentrate to reverse roles. It’s lots of fun and players waiting for their turn are reminding players to switch – you will find defenders will encourage their own defenders to block out attackers. There’s lots of cheering when goals are scored, especially when a defender switches roles and scores against the original attacker.”
Defend the attack A
30yds
How to play it l Player A passes a 30 yard pass to player B . l Player A runs forward past the penalty spot . l Player B takes ball to the cones and dribbles around them. B then goes 1v1 with defender A and tries to get a shot on goal.
5yds
B
Players must receive then move into the 1v1 situation. A
What players need to think about l Try and get the defenders out of the box quickly to keep the attacker out of the penalty area – the attacker needs to get into the penalty area as quickly as possible. l The defender needs to move quickly to get into position once the pass has been sent to player B.
A
B
B
Switch roles by playing a ball to player A who started as a defender and now becomes an attacker.
How to advance it l Once the attacker has shot at goal the players switch their roles. l The new attacker gets in a position to receive the ball from you and the players change their roles – the game is on again!
How to change it l Vary the drill by putting a cone one foot inside each goal post, with a ball seating on the cone. l When the attacker shoots if they score it is one goal, but if they can hit a ball they score 3 goals. l This helps them to use vision and direct their shots into the corner of the net.
The attacker must beat the defender and try to score. player movement run with ball
3
pass shot
21 July 2010
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Games workshop
weekly
Under 4s - Under 16s
Small-sided game Warm-up
Conductor and orchestra
The conductor and orchestra
Use this warm-up so players are listening and reacting by moving to your calls.
How to play it
C
The players must react to your call and move in that direction. They must always face you. Call the following: l Forward l Sides to the left l Sides to the right l Jockey forward l Jockey back l Header l Sprint You can also include some dynamic stretches such as heel flicks and high knees.
Players must move in the direction called.
Five minute fitness
Shuttle runs
Shuttle runs with dribbling and passing
How to do it
start
X axis
Y axis
l Players work in pairs with one the working player and one the server. The server is basically a target for the working player to pass to and get the ball from. l Set up 6 cones 5 yards apart, forming a right angle, with 3 on the Y axis and 3 on the X axis. Each player completes the 3 cone runs then swaps with the server. l To begin the exercise the working player starts at the first cone on the Y axis and dribbles full speed up one cone on the X axis, turns quickly, passes to the return player and sprints back to the starting marker following the pass. The server should move along one cone and stop the ball where the working player can quickly gain possession and dribble with speed to the second cone on the X axis. This pattern should be repeated for each of the cones.
Play moves up and down the Y axis and moves along one cone on the X axis each time. dribble
pass
run after ball
DOWNLOAD THE MATCH DAY PLANNER AT: www.bettersoccercoaching.com/MDP.pdf Soccer Coach Weekly is published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, GU5 0AB, UK. Email: david.clarke@coach-soccer.com Tel: +44 (0)1483 892894 Fax: +44 (0)1483 894148 Editor David Clarke Publisher Kevin Barrow Managing Director Andrew Griffiths Customer Service Representative Duncan Heard Š Green Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
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21 July 2010