I recently did a podcast episode on 1 v 1 Training For Every Situation on CoachingSoccerWeekly.com. One of the games I use a lot is a continuous game. The players love it because it is fast paced and fun.
I like it because the players have to transition quickly between attack and defense. There is also an emphasis on quick attacking that I've seen transfer well into match situations.
The attacker must get the ball into the
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Continue readingAs the year progresses I like to add more functional activities to replace purely technical exercises. Not only do the players enjoy activities that are game related more I've also seen a greater transfer of training when I use them.
I prefer drills, exercises and games that are progressive; moving from low pressure to full pressure. They allow the player to have initial success but then be challenged by the ever increase pressure of
Continue readingBy Sean Pearson Area:40x30 Yards Players: 12 Teams: 4 Length: 20 mins This exercise is fast paced and high energy. It needs 4 teams for constant attacking and to give players short rest periods. Throughout the exercise players/teams must be positive and attack together. Objectives To attack with speed and penetration Manipulate the positioning of the
Continue readingBy Chris Kouns USSF A License (USSF Coaching Education Instructor) – NSCAA Premier Diploma (NSCAA Coaching Education Associate Staff Coach) – Head Coach Capital University Women’s Soccer (OH) These finishing activities are designed to allow players to feel pressure (from competition and technical components) but not face defenders while working to improve their finishing. Activity
Continue readingWhen WORLD CLASS COACHING conducted a tour of Dutch club a few years ago I was fortunate enough to attend. While visiting the Ajax Academy I watched a session presented by Robin Pronk, coach of the U17 Boys Academy team. The focus of his session was on passing combinations but after going through a number of progressions that lead to a small-sided game the team then moved to a series of shooting competitions.
Shooting Game
The teams from the 7 v 7 scrimmage are used for this
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Continue readingBy Sean Pearson Area: 50x35yards Players: 12 Teams: 2 Length: 20-25mins This small sided game is very specific in showing your team the forward runs you want them to make and when, whilst in positions they would be during a game if you play in the 4-2-3-1 formation. It also pits two of the same
Continue readingI think coaches spend a lot more time teaching offensive skills and techniques than they do teaching young players how do defend individually and in small groups. The attacking techniques of dribbling, passing and shooting are easy to create training sessions around and they are definitely the sexier skills of the game. But teaching a young player to defend a 1 v 1 effectively is vital to their development as a player.
This point was driven home to me last weekend as my teams played their first games of the new season. We had worked on all of the attacking skills but spent no time learning how to defend correctly. There are so many topics to cover that you just can't do it all in two weeks of training sessions before the first game. So this week
Continue readingBy Chris Kouns USSF A License (USSF Coaching Education Instructor) – NSCAA Premier Diploma (NSCAA Coaching Education Associate Staff Coach) – Head Coach Capital University Women’s Soccer (OH) These activities are designed to help your players focus on mastering the situations that your players may find themselves in on game day Activity 1: Technical and
Continue readingI use diamond passing drills as often as possible in my sessions because of how closely they resemble the shape of the game. They relate to every age and and every level of the game.
They are the most powerful when you're able to connect the passing movements in the drill with the movements on the field in a game situation.
This progression of exercises increase in complexity and finishes by putting the patterns on a field using the formation the team will be using in the game.
Diamond Drill - Passing & Turning
In the following diagrams, five players are lined up in a diamond formation 20 yards apart. Each drill begins with X1 starting with the ball.
• X1 begins by passing to X2 and follows the pass
• X2 moves away, first to create space in front, and then checks back
• X2 turns with the ball around the OUTSIDE of the cone
• X2 then passes to X3, and follows the pass
• X3 moves away and then checks in
• Repeat sequence
Diamond Drill Passing &Turning - Variation
Players must now
Last week I gave examples of formations that you can use in the 6v6 format that is used in many areas of the US for U9 and U10 teams. You don't have too much flexibility when there are only six players on your team.
With the 8v8 format you can do a number of things to play to the strengths of your team or the weaknesses of the opponent.
The most common line-up I've seen is a 3-3-1. This formation gives you
Continue readingBy Sean Pearson Area: 45x35yards Players: 12 Teams: 2 Length: 20-25mins A lot of players I have coached tend to be hesitant of when to strike the ball at goal as well as be almost shy to shoot in case they miss. So instead of shoot they ‘pass the buck’ and let the next player
Continue readingThere are many books and dvds that discuss the different formations that can be played in the 11v11 game but I haven't seen that much discussion about how coaches organize their players when playing 6v6 or 8v8. While there are some areas that use 7v7 and 9v9, the former are the two most common formats for young players in United States.
Players that are U9 and U10 generally play 6v6 I'll focus on this post. I'll discuss the 8v8 format that U11 and U12 players progress in next week's blog.
It could be that this subject isn't discussed often because the focus at this age is on players developing their skills. This is true but they also need to learn how to play the game and understand the responsibilities of each position.
I keep it very simple most of the time with the
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Two Quick Finishing Training Activities By Chris Kouns These activities are designed to help your players not only get repetitions in terms of some of the technical aspects of finishing, but, to also create an environment for them when they can hone their “Finishing Mentality” Activity 1: Technical and Psychological Finishing Repetition Set up involves
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Continue readingLately I've begun many of my training sessions with a game. Not necessarily as a Whole - Part - Whole practice progression but just as a way to engage the players from the start and get them energized and excited to at training.
This is a game that I've used as a warm-up and in the main part of the session. I like it because of how many different things you can coach depending on your focus. As with most small-sided games, the kids really enjoy playing it so they get a lot out of it.
Here is how the field is set up:
The size of the field and goals can vary based on the
Continue readingAttacking Through the Wide Areas
By Sean Pearson
Small Sided Game: Attacking Through the Wide Areas
Area: 45x40yards
Players: 16
Teams: 2
Length: 20-25mins
This game has 3 areas. 2 wide areas (5x45) and a middle area (45x30). Each area is split into 2 halves. It is 3v2 in both middle sections and each wide area has a single unopposed player. When the ball is not in the player’s half of the field they must all come towards the middle of the field to simulate a ‘high line’. Make sure to inforce offside if a player is beyond the last defender when the ball is passed.
Objectives
When the team with 3 players in the middle area has the
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Building from the Defensive to Middle Third of the Field By Chris Kouns These activities are designed to help your players understand “some” of the options that will be available to build from the back and get your team into positive attacking positions heading into the final third of the field. Activity 1: 3 v
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