Cameron Higgins
Name: | Cameron Higgins |
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City: | Derby |
Country: | United Kingdom |
Membership: | Adult Member |
Sport: | Football/Soccer |
Session topic: Passing.
Player information: 12 players aged 5-11 years old, mixed ablity.
Learning objectives:
- Be able to pass the ball at varying distances.
- Be able to control a pass whilst under pressure from a defender.
- Be able to perform different types of passes depending on the situation.
Session length: 1 hour
Order of practices: Blocked, Variable, Random (SSG).
Equipment:
- Cones/markers
- Bibs (different colours)
- At least 10 balls
5 corners:
- Technical: Different types of passes (short, long, chipped, outside the foot etc.), inside the foot for accuracy, follow through towards target.
- Tactical: give players the opportunity to play as their role models, for example, one player might want to play as Cristiano Ronaldo giving him that freedom in the attacking third. That player might start imitating what Ronaldo would do on the pitch for Real Madrid e.g. his infamous "chop" to cut inside.
- Physical: kept the areas quite small throughout the session, I am working with 5-11 year olds so making the area too big will make them become too tired very quickly when having to cover larger areas of space. Work-to-rest ratios are also kept quite short, where for the first two practices they are working for 1 minute with a quick changeover for 30 seconds before working for 1 minute again. This changes for the SSG at the end where the players will play for 5 minutes with a 1-2 minute break in between.
- Psychological: I give the players plenty of conditions, targets and challenges throughout the session for each practice. This is used to give the players something to aim for. Giving the players an opportunity to set themselves their own targets and challenges will give them that extra motivation to achieve these. Also give players ownership on how to earn points in the SSG at the end as part of one if the progressions.
- Social: give players an opportunity to have team meetings in between match intervals during the SSG. Can also give both teams a designated captain to lead these team meetings in order to discuss different tactics.
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
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Technical |
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Tactical |
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Physical |
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Psychological |
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Social |
Organisation:
- 20 minute practice
- 30 x 20 yard area
- 10 players (5-11 year olds)
Equipment:
- 12 balls (4 balls in play)
- 10 bibs (4 reds, 4 blues, 2 yellows)
- Cones/ markers
Description:
- Players are now to be paired up together and take turns defending in the middle against the other players.
- There are 4 players in the middle and 4 players on the outside, they are continuing from what they were doing in the blocked session.
- The attackers are looking to distribute the ball to a different player on the outside to whom they received the ball from. They receive 1 point for this as shown in the diagram.
- The attackers can play it safe by passing the ball back to the player they received it from, however, they will not receive a point for this as shown in the session diagram.
- The defenders in the middle are working to win the ball back. If they do, the attacker who lost the ball loses all the points they had at the time.
Progressions:
- Can make it a 3 vs 3 in the middle rather than a 4 vs 2 to make it more difficult for the attackers. This encourages the attackers to move away from their defenders more creatively and efficiently.
- If the defenders win the ball back, can they now distribute the ball themselves to a player on the outside gaining an extra point for the defenders if done so. This encourages the attacker who lost the ball to react quickly to gain the ball back from the defender before he can distribute the ball.
Regressions:
- Can take away one of the balls so there is one free man in the middle giving an extra option for the attackers with the ball in the middle. This then makes it easier to distribute the ball back out to the players on the outside.
Conditions:
- If an attacking player plays the safe pass, this must be done on a maximum of two touches. This then makes the pass back more realistic to a game situation.
Challenges:
- How many touches does it take to distribute the ball to another player? Does it take 4-5 touches or can you do it in 1 or 2 touches?
- Can you look over your shoulder before receiving the ball in order to know what's behind you?
- Can receive the ball on the back foot if you have enough time and space? If under pressure can you protect the ball and either distribute or play the safe pass?
Targets:
- For the attacking team: to gain 10 points within a minute to start with. (This can be increased gradually if the target is too easy to achieve, or more defenders can be added)
- For the defending team: to stop the attacking team from achieving their target.
Coaching points:
- Awareness, can you check over your shoulder when receiving the ball? Can you receve the ball in space to give yourself more time?
- Communication, can the attacking players call for the ball from an outside player? Can they tell them what type of pass they want to receive?
- First touch, deciding whether to use the back foot or the front foot when receiving the ball. When there is space in behind, receive on the back foot. When under pressure, receive on the front foot and protect the ball.
- Type/weight of pass, make sure that the type of pass (short, long, chipped) is appropriate to the situation. Also the weight of pass in any situation should be suitable to the distance between the two players. For example, a 10 yard pass should be a firm pass along the ground into the feet of the receiving player.
Coaching process:
- I can step in and demonstrate to the players how to check over the shoulder when receiving the ball and what to do with the ball depending on the situation. For example, open up on the back foot when in space and receive on the front foot when under pressure to protect the ball. Also question the players on f
See the guidance at the top of this page to understand why you are not seeing interactive Football/Soccer images.
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Technical |
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Tactical |
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Physical |
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Psychological |
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Social |
Organisation:
- 25 minute practice
- 10 players (5-11 year olds)
- 30 x 30 yard area (5 yards either side for end zone)
Equipment:
- Cones/markers
- Bibs (4 reds, 4 blues, 2 yellows)
- 10 balls (only 1 in play at a time)
Description:
- For this session, there are 8 players in the middle zone, 4 on each team, with a neutral player in each end zone on either side. The neutral players play for both teams.
- The aim of the SSG is to get the ball from one "target man" to the other without the other team touching the ball. This is worth one point.
- The team with the ball continues to attack each end every time they score a point allowing the game to flow.
- The team with the most points after the game wins.
Progressions:
- Take away the neutral players in the end zone to make it a 5 vs 5 in the middle zone.
- Give players ownership in how they now earn points instead of the target man. For example, dribble into the zone, or another player receiving the ball in the zone from a forward run.
Regressions:
- Add another player to each end zone where there is one blue player and one red player. This then makes it 3 vs 3 in the middle giving them players more space and time to make passes and to receive the ball under less pressure.
- Can then progress this regression by introducing a rule where the two players in the end zone can block or intercept passes coming into the zone. Can also progress where the players in the middle zone must follow their pass into the end zone and swap with the target man on their team.
Conditions:
- Can apply individual conditions to certain players who are doing well or not doing too well. For example, if a certain player only looks to go forward with the ball, whether that's dribbling forward or passing forward, you can then give that player a specific condition where he/she can only pass sideways or backwards highlighting the importance of retaining possession as well as penetrating the back line.
Challenges:
- Can you find that "killer pass" that sets another player up for a goal?
- Do you always need to go forward? Can you also retain possession of the ball and wait for the right opening to then attack?
Targets:
- Can you score 3 points in a row without the other team scoring? (Team target).
- Can you directly be involved in a goal (goal or assist) 5 times before the end of the session? (Individual target).
Coaching points:
- Creating angles: making sure you give all players including the target players a good angle to receive the ball in space.
- Knowing when to go forward with the ball and when to retain possession of the ball.
- First touch: knowing when to open up on the back foot (when in space) and when to receive on the front foot to protect the ball (when under pressure).
- Awareness: being able to create space and look over your shoulder when receiving the ball to know how much pressure you are under.
Coaching interventions:
- I can use demonstrations to help the players with their understanding with certain progressions and regressions.
- I can bring one or two players out using the drive-by method if they are struggling to cope with the passing and receiving aspects. This then allows a short period of a regression with the other players on the pitch whilst I can work closely with the player/s I have brought out.
- Use fly-by throughout the game to give quick pointers on the passing technique as well as plenty of praise for when players show signs of improvement during the game.
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Blocked (15 mins)
Organisation:
- 15 minute practice
- 30 x 20 yard area
- 10 players (5-11 year olds)
Equipment:
- 10 balls (5 balls on the side)
- 10 bibs (2 different colours for both teams)
- Cones/ markers
Description:
- The blue players on the inside of the area must move and receive the ball from the red players on the outside of the area. When they receive the ball, they must control the and pass the ball back to the player they received it from.
- This is shown by part '1' in the session diagram.
- The blue players in the middle work at high intensity for 1 minute before swapping with the red players.
Progressions:
- The blue players on the inside must now create space to receive the ball, perform a turn and distribute the ball to a different red player on the outside who does not have a ball.
- This is shown by part '2' in the session diagram.
- If the players are finding distributing the ball along the floor easy, this can be progressed where the players now have to "clip" or "chip" the ball into the red players' hands. They are practising a different type of pass.
Challenges:
- Challenge the players to see how many different types of turns they can perform when receiving the ball from the outside.
- Can the players turn and distribute the ball at a match tempo?
- How many touches does it take to turn and distribute the ball realistically? Can they as few touches as possible?
Coaching Points:
- Movement to receive the ball, can they provide a good angle for the player with the ball in order to receive the ball.
- Weight of the pass, make sure the passes are firm enough to reach the intended target.
- Awareness, checking their shoulders, receive the ball on the back foot opening up in order to see the whole pitch when receiving the ball. Recognise a free player as soon as possible.
5 Corners!
Technical: short passing, receiving the ball from varied distances, turning on and off the ball.
Tactical: Awareness and moving into space.
Physical: Running, turning on and off the ball.
Psychological: the activities are fast paced and involve a lot of ball rolling time, therefore making the session more enjoyable when supported with the correct praise.
Social: communication, using other player's names when calling for the ball.