Football/Soccer Session (Academy Sessions): Syosset Soccer Club: U-7 & U-8 (09/21/2013)

Soccer Island/Giant game

Organization:

25x25 grid

Yellow Cones on one side to represent beach (home) and taller cones on the far side to be "Cone Forest"

Instructions:

Players must travel from Soccer Island beach (yellow cones) to Cone Forest (tall cones) without being caught by the Giant (coach)

Players can only move when the Giant has his/her back turned to them, but then must freeze whenever the Giant turns toward players. If spotted moving by the Giant, he/she can chase the players back to the beach/coe forest and start over.

Progressions: See other screens

After players have gone back and forth succesfully once or twice, introduce Golden Jewel (soccer ball) that players now must take everywhere.

Introduce new tasks - Giant steals the Golden Jewels and players must retrieve them without Giant seeing them move.

- picking up Treasure (scattered pennies)

- dribbling around trees (different colored cones) throughout Soccer Island

Play small sided game where kids are taking the Golden Jewel and hiding it (in pugg goals)

Coaching Points:

Improve motor skills and have kids work on stopping their body immediately.

Introduce head up dribbling - kids must keep eyes on coach to know when to freeze, while completing various tasks (picking up pennies, dribbling around trees in different directions)

- observe all the space/objectives within Soccer Island

Close control with their ball during each time across the grid.

Changing direction with the ball at their feet

Dribble Around the scattered Trees

Instructions:

Players must circle around as many trees as possible on their way across Socer Island, while still not being caught by the Giant.