Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): FAW C Certificate - Dribbling

Arrival game

Objective: 

Start to get touches on the ball

Social: build teamwork and communication

Warm players decision making skills 

Warm-up body for more intensive physical activity

Get endorphins flowing

Set up: 

12 x 12 square with up to 2 - 4 players at each corner. 

7 Balls are placed in the middle.

ACTION: 

First player of each group starts sprint into middle and dribbles a ball back to their

corner; next player goes to the middle and take another ball until all the balls in the middle are

gone. Once that happens then the player can “steal” a ball. Players work in a relay changing when one player brings a ball back to their corner.  

First team with 3 balls in their corner wins the game.

Rules:

• No protecting the ball in the corner,

• no tackling and

• the ball must be stopped still in the corner, not passed so it rolls.

COACH’S TIP: Try and match the teams evenly

PLAYER TIP: Good Decision making requires that you keep your eyes up to see where your best

options just like in a match. Players help team mates by communicating.

Skill

Split groups by ability based on observations on technical drill.  

Lower ability group starts on progression 0; higher ability starts on progression 1.

Action (progression 0):

Defender starts with ball, passes to attacker, follows pass and attempts to win ball from attacker

Attacker to use dribbling mechanics to dribble over a side line next to defenders' starting cone.

Attackers and defenders change roles after every repetition.  

Introduce progressions only if the success rate is 80%+.

Progressions / challenges: progress only if players are getting 80%+ success

• put goals (using yellow cones under centre orange cone) on side lines (4 metres wide)

• reduce size of goals on side lines to 2 metres side

• place a ball on cone behind defender for attacker to hit with his ball

Targets:

1 point to score a goal; i.e. cross side line (prog 0); score goal between cones (prog 1 and 2)

3 points if knock ball off cone (progression 3)

Pick a player from each team to keep score

Coach the mechanics of dribbling :

• Keep ball close (say: “take loads of touches”)

• Vary surfaces of foot (“say “use inside and outside of foot”)

• Head Up (say” eyes up as opponent gets close)

• Change of pace (e.g. after COD accelerate to side goal)

• Change of direction (say: "use feints, scissors and other moves to enable COD")

Regressions: (if success rate is less than 50%)

• Defender to wait on cone (not follow pass) until attacker receives the ball before putting pressure on attacker  

• Defender only allowed to walk

If a player in the high ability group is struggling, consider moving him / her to the other group. And vice versa.  

Learning outcomes

• Dribbling mechanics

• Decision making: when to go left or go right

• Set up defender - drag him toward a side gate before executing a skill, change of direction and accelerate away to go to another side gate or hit the ball on the cone.

• Risk reward when to go left / right or for the ball (3 points)

Small sided game

2 teams of 6 players 

36 x 18 metres.   4 goals per end. 2 in central area around 2 metres apart and 1 at each end set roughly 1 metre in from side line.  

Scoring zone (marked by blue cones) 1.5 metres from goal line.  

Action: normal football rules apply.  Encourage players to dribble and take advantage of 1 v 1 situations close to scoring zone to beat opponent and score.  

Coach mechanics:

• Keep ball close (say: “take loads of touches”)

• Vary surfaces of foot (“say “use inside and outside of foot”)

• Head Up (say” eyes up as you opponent gets close”)

• Change of pace (e.g. after COD at centre cone, accelerate to side cone, say “use laces”)

• Change of direction (say "use feints, scissors and other moves to beat a player)

If we don't have goals, place a ball on top of a cone.