Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Ball work (Start Time: 12-Dec-2013 17:00h)

Warm up (15 mins)

Organization:

10x10 square. All players with ball.

Instructions:

Progression of touches:

1) 50 touches, any foot and any part of the foot.

2) 50 touches, outside right than 50 touches outside left.

3) 50 touches, inside/out right / 50 touches inside/out left

4) Every player has 3 lives, you lose a life by (a) dribbling out of the area, (b) running into somebody or somebody runs into you, and (c) walking or stopping the ball for a long period of time.

You can vary this warm up any way you want, basically getting the players to get as many touches on the ball as possible, and in a close/tight area for control.

Coaching Points:

Small touches on the ball, close control, using the proper part of the foot to dribble with, dribbling with you head up, recognizing space and players around you.

Progressions:

Make the space smaller or larger depending on the ability level of your players.

Make the touch limit more or less.

Limit the parts of the foot to dribble with (only outside, inside, etc)

Lots of ways to adapt this simple warm up to fit your players ability level.

1v1 / dummy defending (15 mins)

Organization:

10x20 grid. 1 ball per grid, min. 3 players per grid.

Instructions:

Player A passes to player B.

Player A runs to the middle and becomes a dummy defender. Player B dribbles at player A and does a move around the player and dribbles to the other side.

Player B then passes to Player C, then repeat same action as before.

You can coach any move to beat a defender. (i.e shoulder fient, scissors, etc)

Coaching Points:

Change of speed and change of direction needed to beat any defender.

Acceleration after doing the move.

Closing the gate after beating the defender to put the defender behind you.

Progressions:

Go from static defending to full pressure, and keep track of everytime you beat a defender to the other side (point system).

Vary the pressure depending on ability level.