Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): U9B Mooney SESSION 3

Gates Turning (20 mins)

Organization:

- 30x24 yard area, each player with a ball.

- Set up gates around the whole area, where players can dribble through.

Instructions:

-Start with tag game and 1 to 2 players being the tagger.

- Add in ball

- All players dribbling inside of area. Players are to dribble through as many gates as they can in 45 seconds.

Coaching Points:

1. Entry- Attacking the space forward on the field (looking to penetrate)

2. Execution - Stop ball with dribbling foot. Use the part of the sole closer to your toes.

- Use sole of foot to drag ball back across the body toward standing foot.

- Use of body, arms etc to fake (can the U-turn look like a fake pass/shot?)

- Hop that standing foot out of the way as you drag the ball.

3. Exit- ball should be coming right back where it came from. Distance of touch (helps next action)

4. Protect the ball or not? (risk vs reward)

Progressions:

- Introduce the U-Turn with players dribbling around and performing a turn every several touches.

- Dribble through as many gates as you can in 45 seconds- 1 point per gate.

- Perform as many U-Turns through gates for as many points as you can in 45 seconds.

- Add defenders whose job is to stand at any gate to make it off limits.

- Defenders are live and players try to perform 10 U-turns then score on goal.

Numbers game to goals (20 mins)

Organization: setup as shown. Coach divides into 2 teams. Match up players on like ability. Ex: #2 from each team would have similar size, speed. Each player is given a number matching up with a player with opposite team.

Instructions: Coach calls out a number and plays ball out. Player who wins the ball can score on either goal. First team to 10 goals wins.

Coaching Points:

1. Location/ distance of defender. Where, what if?

2. Speed of defender. How fast? What if?

3. Can you take it beyond goal quickly and then turn to face up defender?

Progressions:

1. 1 v. 1

2. 2 v. 2