Football/Soccer Session (Beginner): Winter Training : Striking Session

Shooting Technique

Setup: Place a small goal inside the big goal to shoot around.

The purpose of the exercise to address just one coaching point of shooting at a time and having players focus on only that one part of the technique each round.

(1) Timing - players must shoot the ball between the dots on the "shooting line".

(2) Strike a moving ball - players must keep the ball rolling and not stop or slow down too much when they shoot at the "shooting line".

(3) Plant Foot - Step with non kicking foot right beside ball - take a big hard step into shot

(4) Set Touch & Power Step - Touch ball "out of your feet" and further in front of you so you can take a bigger step into shot and generate more power.

(5) Set Touch & Angle - setup your shot with a "set touch" - touch the ball out to the side of your body so you can approach at and angle.

(6) Speed Round Contest - players speed dribble into shot and try not to slow down when shooting - working on striking at speed - players keep track of individual goals and the player in the group with the most goals wins.

(7) 1v1 Move - Now players dribble at a passive defender to work on timing of move. Emphasis dribbling directly at defender to "commit defender".

Play can start with a pass out from defenders beside goal and then defender simply jog straight at attacker.

2v2 Plus 2 Games

In same fields, players play in partners. 2v2 in the middle - 2 players as GKs - and 2 players as sideline neutral players who pass to team in possession and help keep the ball in play.

Play for 3 minute rounds and then switch/rotate teams in the middle.

Coaching Points :

(1) Encourage shooting,

(2) 1v1 moves

(3) passes to setup shots.