Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Dandenong City trials

Warm Up - Juggling (10 mins)

Trials set up

We have an hour and a half to run the trial, so I have tried to use the time as best I can.

There are certain aspects that were really good last year, and I have introduced one more section (a positioning game) as well.

A key area will be the technical drills. If we don't have that technical base, it will make everything going forward that much harder.

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The positioning game should give an indication of the player's decision making abilities.

The small sided games will give an opportunity to see players function in a game type enviroment - defending, intensity.

Introduction and Warm Up . 13 minutes

After a brief introduction (welcoming players and telling them to relax and enjoy themselves) get groups into juggling. Similar to last year, just let the players warm up. Vary the task, 10 left, 10 right, then maybe 5 touches then lift the ball higher than their shoulders and then keep nder close control on the drop. Allow them to freestyle for the last couple of mins - heads, shoulders, thighs, whatever.

We then progress to the technical drills, run in stations with the groups changing in rotation to the next station.

Technical station 2

Technical station 2 - Striking the ball. 13 minutes

This is a short ball / long ball drill to asses passing technique.

Set up is the same grid set up without the four internal cones, with players evenly numbered on the four cones

Start with two balls diagonally opposite on the grid.

To start the player from cone A plays it to the player on cone B (going clockwise) who bounces it back to him. He then plays a pass to cone C who bounces it to the player from cone B who has moved towards cone C , the player from cone B then plays to D who bounces to C who plays to A who bounces to D and so it progresses.

Players do not follow their pass, they just go to the next cone clockwise from where they started.

As player understanding improves add an additional ball, eventually using 4 balls.

At the half way point in time change direction and go anti-clockwise.

Focus is on the ball speed, can we move it quickly?

Positioning Game

Positioning Game - play in / play out. 13 minutes

Setup is the same grid as the others.

Even numbers with two players from each side on the outside of the grid opposite to each other as shown.

Blue team are playing up and down the page.

White team are playing across the grid.

Don't worry if it is a bit crowded, as we want to see if they can play in tight areas.

The object of the drill is to get the ball back and across the grid as quickly as possible.

Blue starts and tries to play across the grid to the other side. If they are sucessful, the player who passes to the player outside the grid swaps with the outside player, and the outside player follows his pass in,

That way you are constantly rotating players in and out the grid.

Once understanding of the drill is there, challenge the players by limiting them to two touches.