By Anthony Hazelwood
The following activity has two playing areas with four attacking players possessing the ball against two defenders. Players will be working to adapt their anaerobic capacity through phases of intermittent endurance. Each grid will be a 10 x 10 yd. area. To begin, the four players inside the grid will keep possession of the ball. A line of defenders will be placed 12 yds. away from the playing grids. Once the coach blows the whistle, two defenders will arrive in each grid and will play for 30 seconds. Once the 30 seconds are complete, the defenders will jog back to the line and wait for the next round of play. Attacking team scores if 8 passes are complete. Defending team scores for deflections or ball possession.
When preparing the activity, if needed, concentration and difficulty levels may be increased by having players execute something extra unique by setting more restrictions. Every activity may be modified, and it is up to the coach to be creative. However, it is important to respect the parameters of the exercise time, the rest, the types of actions used and the weekly periodization of the activity.
Additionally, it is beneficial to train a soccer team and its players with all the elements of the game is present in the session. By doing so, it will promote soccer specific adaptations to the player’s body, mind, and emotional triad. Ultimately, these adjustments will enhance their real-time game performances on a physical, emotional, conscious, and subconscious mental level.
Area Size: 10 d. x 10 yd. for each playing grid.
Total Activity Time: 16 minutes.
Sets: 4.
Number of Repetitions: 8
Activity Repetition Time: 30 seconds
Recovery Interval Time: 30 seconds.
Intensity: High.
Objectives:
• Tactical: Pair defending principles under high intensity. Attacking shape and circulation.
• Fitness: Maintain high intense corporal actions.
• Technique: Proper fitness and off/on the ball execution/techniques.
• Mental-Emotional: Players fully engaged and concentration is high.
• Concentration Level: High.
Setup:
• Create two 10 x 10-yard grids and put two cones that are located 12 yards away from the playing activities.
• Put four attacking players in the playing area.
• Put four defenders on each red cone located 12 yds. away.
• On coach’s whistle, two defenders will sprint onto the playing area and defend.
• This will last for 30 seconds and then rest for 3o seconds.
• When the 30 seconds are up, the coach will blow the whistle to have other defenders run in play.
Activity Progression:
• Put 4 cones on the outside – after every pass, the player runs out touches the cone and comes back it.
Coaching Points:
• Aggressive defending behaviors.
• Pressure and cover defending principles.
• Keep track of time, 30 second on – 30-second rest.
• High intensity.
• Proper technique and Proper Exercise Movement.
By Anthony Hazelwood
Coach Anthony is a USSF “A” licensed coach with an M.S. in Sports Training and Nutrition and a B.S. in Physical Education. Currently, he is an Assistant and Sports Performance coach with the Miami FC. He has previous European youth academy coaching experience as a soccer fitness and strength/conditioning assistant coach with Levante U.D. and Getafe SAD in Valencia and Madrid, Spain.
