Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Possession and playmaking in the midfield

Basic Awareness (15 mins)

The purpose of this game is to develop awareness of space, specifically in reference to the positions of defenders relative to the ball.

Set up 6 orange cones in a large hexagon (distance between opposite diagonal cones should be 20-30 yards)

Inside the hexagon, make a smaller hexagon with red cones (approx 5 yards inside the larger one).

Between each cone of the larger hex, place a blue player. On each cone of the smaller hex, place a red player. In addition, place one red player in the very center.

Place a blue player randomly inside the smaller hexagon.

Ball starts with one of the outside blue players. On coaches signal, ball is played around the outside blue players. At the same time, the red inside players begin to walk or jog counterclockwise from cone to cone, maintaining their spacing.

As blue plays the ball around the outside, inside blue players floats inside the smaller hexagon, trying to find triangles of space between the center red player and two other (rotating) reds where they can receive a pass from an outside blue.

If the ball moves successfully to the inside and that player successfully plays back out, a point is earned.

Play for one minute, then swap the inside blue player, until all blues have had the inside role. Then repeat for red.

Progressions:

-Begin with defense only shadowing, then allow them to play active defense (cannot leave their track). Inside man can play active defense at all times.

Add a second ball and/or a second inside blue.

Posession: Tech/Tact Opposed (20 mins)

Organization: 3 teams of 4 on a 30 X 30 area

Activity: two attacking teams play possession/keepaway against one defending team. 10 passes equals a goal. If the defending team wins the ball, the team that gave away posession becomes the defneding team.

Game (20 mins)

Play 7v7, 2-3-1 formation.