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Plyometrics for youth soccer coaches

WHAT ARE PLYOMETRICS?

Plyometrics are jumps or combinations of jumps that produce quick, powerful movement using a stretch reflex. A stretch reflex occurs when a muscle lengthens (stretches) and then immediately shortens – the reflex action occurs when the muscle changes from the lengthening to the shortening action. These drills are a specific training mode for soccer because the movements replicate the game’s mixture of vertical and horizontal acceleration against the ground and the triple extension of the ankle, knee, and hip joints.

In plain English, the muscle is stretched (i.e. loaded) before it is contracted. A good example is push-ups with a clap in-between each push-up. The muscles (pectorals in this case) is elongated and loaded by the downward force of the body, then immediately the player must contract the muscle to push themselves back up. Plyometrics are very good for enhancing power, speed, and agility for players.

LOWER BODY PLYOMETRICS

The basis for lower body plyometric drills are an attempt to replicate playing movements, such as jumping, bounding, pushing off and changing direction. The movements are meant to be exaggerated and powered, such as:

• Over sized strides are used in the running action with extra time spent in the air.

• Multiple jumps over a series of obstacles like hurdles of footballs to improve power for sprinting or jumping events.

• Standing based jumps performed on the spot (low intensity) – Tuck Jumps, Split Jumps

• Jumps from standing (low-medium intensity) – Standing long jump, Standing hop, standing jump for height

• Multiple jumps from standing (medium intensity) – bounds, bunny hops, doublefooted jumps over discs, cones or footballs.

TWO JUMPS FORWARDS ONE JUMP BACK

1. Jump forward over two discs on top line, jump back one in the middle channel

2. Jump forward over two discs on bottom line, jump back one in the middle channel

3. Repeat

4. Use soft discs – safety

5. Vary the distance to suit age and fitness of the players

6. Keep both feet together.

7. Aim for height – exaggerate the jumping action.

8. Aim for quality, not speed

9. Keep the head and body pointing forward at all times

10. Pause briefly on the ground between humps

11. Progress to hopping, using the right, then the left leg

OBJECTIVES

1. To improve leg strength

2. To improve mobility

3. Improve bounding and jumping for the ball

4. Develop good balance

5. Improve agility

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Isotonic, hypertonic, hypotonic or water?

Dehydration

Sweating is the way in which the body maintains its core temperature at 37 degrees centigrade. This results in the loss of body fluid and electrolytes (minerals such as chloride, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium) and if unchecked will lead to dehydration and eventually circulatory collapse and heat stroke. The effect of fluid loss on the body is as follows:

Electrolytes

Electrolytes serve three general functions in the body:

many are essential minerals
they control osmosis of water between body compartments
they help maintain the acid-base balance required for normal cellular activities

The sweat that evaporates from the skin contains a variety of electrolytes. The electrolyte composition of sweat is variable but comprises of the following components:

Sodium
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium
Chloride
Bicarbonate
Phosphate
Sulphate

A litre of sweat typically contains 0.02g Calcium, 0.05g Magnesium, 1.15g Sodium, 0.23g Potassium and 1.48g Chloride. This composition will vary from person to person.

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrate is stored as glucose in the liver and muscles and is the most efficient source of energy as it requires less oxygen to be burnt than either protein or fat. The normal body stores of carbohydrate in a typical athlete are:

70kg male athlete – Liver glycogen 90g and muscle glycogen 400g
60kg female athlete – Liver glycogen 70g and muscle glycogen 300g.

During hard exercise, carbohydrate can be depleted at a rate of 3-4 grams per minute. If this is sustained for 2 hours or more, a very large fraction of the total body carbohydrate stores will be exhausted and if not checked will result in reduced performance. Recovery of the muscle and liver glycogen stores after exercise will normally require 24-48 hours for complete recovery.

During exercise there is in an increased uptake of blood glucose by the muscles and to prevent blood glucose levels falling the liver produces glucose from the liver stores and lactate.

Consuming carbohydrate before, during and after exercise will help prevent blood glucose levels falling too low and also help maintain the body’s glycogen stores. Many athletes cannot consume food before or during exercise and therefore a formulated drink that will provide carbohydrate is required.

Rehydration

Fluid absorption

There are two main factors that affect the speed at which fluid from a drink gets into the body:

the speed at which it is emptied from the stomach
the rate at which it is absorbed through the walls of the small intestine

The higher the carbohydrate levels in a drink the slower the rate of stomach emptying.

Isotonic drinks with a carbohydrate level of between 6 and 8% are emptied from the stomach at a rate similar to water. Electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium, in a drink will reduce urine output, enable the fluid to empty quickly from the stomach, promote absorption from the intestine and encourage fluid retention.

What’s wrong with water?

Drinking plain water causes bloating, suppresses thirst and thus further drinking. It stimulates urine output and therefore is inefficiently retained. A poor choice where high fluid intake is required. Water contains no carbohydrate or electrolytes.
Calculating personal fluid needs

During an endurance event you should drink just enough to be sure you lose no more than 2% of pre-race weight. This can be achieved in the following way:

Record your naked body weight immediately before and after a number of training sessions, along with details of distance/duration, clothing and weather conditions

Add the amount of fluid taken during the session to the amount of weight lost – 1 kilogram (kg) is roughly equivalent to 1 litre of fluid.

After a few weeks you should begin to see some patterns emerging and can calculate your sweat rate per hour

Once you know what your sweat losses are likely to be in any given set of environmental conditions, you can plan your drinking strategy for any particular event

Sports Drinks

There are three types of Sports drink all of which contain various levels of fluid, electrolytes and carbohydrate.

The osmolality of a fluid is a measure of the number of particles in a solution. In a drink these particles will comprise of carbohydrate, electrolytes, sweeteners and preservatives. In blood plasma the particles will comprise of sodium, proteins and glucose. Blood has an osmolality of 280 to 330mOsm/kg. Drinks with an osmolality of 270 to 330mOsm/kg are said to be in balance with the body’s fluid and are called Isotonic. Hypotonic fluids have fewer particles than blood and Hypertonic have more particles than blood.

Consuming fluids with a low osmolality, e.g. water, results in a fall in the blood plasma osmolality and reduces the drive to drink well before sufficient fluid has been consumed to replace losses.

Which is most suitable?

Isotonic – quickly replaces fluids lost by sweating and supplies a boost of carbohydrate. This drink is the choice for most athletes – middle and long distance running or team sports. Glucose is the body’s preferred source of energy therefore it may be appropriate to consume Isotonic drinks where the carbohydrate source is glucose in a concentration of 6% to 8% – e.g. High Five, SiS Go, Boots Isotonic, Lucozade Sport.

Hypotonic – quickly replaces fluids lost by sweating . Suitable for athletes who need fluid without the boost of carbohydrate – jockeys and gymnasts.

Hypertonic – used to supplement daily carbohydrate intake normally after exercise to top up muscle glycogen stores. In ultra distance events high levels of energy are required and Hypertonic drinks can be taken during exercise to meet the energy requirements. If used during exercise Hypertonic drinks need to be used in conjunction with Isotonic drinks to replace fluids.

Want to make your own?

Isotonic – 200ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 litre of water and a pinch of salt (1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled

Hypotonic – 100ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 litre of water and a pinch of salt (1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled.

Hypertonic – 400ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 litre of water and a pinch of salt (1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled.
Dental Health

Sports drinks commonly contain citric acid. All acids have an erosive potential but the method of drinking will influence whether or not those acids effect the teeth. Sports drinks should be consumed as quickly as possible, preferably with a straw and not be held or swished around the mouth. Retaining drinks in the mouth will only increase the risk of erosion. Refrigerated drinks will have a reduced erosive potential as the acid dissolution constant is temperature dependant and cold drinks are absorbed more quickly.

Food for thought

In a trail conducted by scientists in the city of Aberdeen it was determined that a 2% carbohydrate-electrolyte drink provided a more effective combat to exercise fatigue in a hot climate when compared to a 15% carbohydrate-electrolyte mixture.
[Galloway SDR & Maughan RJ, The effects of substrate and fluid provision on ermoregulatory and metabolic responses to prolonged exercise in a hot environment. Journal of Sports Sciences, Vol 18, No5, pp339-351]

Seven Rules of Hydration

The rate of passage of water from your stomach into your small intestine depends on how much fluid is actually in your stomach. If there is lots of water there, fluid flow from stomach to intestine is like a springtime flood; if there is little water, the movement resembles a lightly dripping tap. Therefore, to increase stomach-intestinal flow (and overall absorption of water) you need to deposit a fair amount of liquid in your stomach just before you begin your exercise. In fact, 10-12 ounces of fluid is a good start. This will feel uncomfortable at first, so practise funelling this amount of beverage into your “tank” several times before an actual competition.

To sustain a rapid movement of fluid into your small intestine during your exertions, take three to four sips of beverage every 10 minutes if possible, or five to six swallows every 15 minutes.

If you are going to be exercising for less than 60 minutes, do not worry about including carbohydrate in your drink; plain water is fine. For more prolonged efforts, however, you will want the carbohydrate.

Years of research have suggested that the correct concentration of carbohydrate in your drink is about 5 to 7%. Most commercial sports drinks fall within this range, and you can make your own 6% drink by mixing five tablespoons of table sugar with each litre of water that you use. A bit of sodium boosts absorption; one-third teaspoon of salt per litre of water is about right. Although 5 to 7% carbohydrate solutions seem to work best for most individuals, there is evidence that some endurance athletes can fare better with higher concentrations.

In research carried out at Liverpool John Moores University, for example, cyclists who ingested a 15% maltodextrin solution improved their endurance by 30 per cent compared to individuals who used a 5% glucose drink. The 15% drink also drained from the stomach as quickly as the 5% one, though many other studies have linked such concentrated drinks with a slowdown in water movement.

A 6% “simple sugar” drink will empty from your stomach at about the same rate as a fancy 6% “glucose polymer” beverage, so don’t fall for the idea that the latter can boost water absorption or enhance your performance more than the former, and don’t pay more for the glucose-polymer concoction.

Contrary to what you’ve heard, cold drinks aren’t absorbed into your body more quickly than warm ones. However, cold drinks are often more palatable than warm ones during exercise, so if coldness helps you to drink large quantities of fluid while you exert yourself, then keep your drinks cool.

Swilling drinks during exercise does NOT increase your risk of digestive-system problems. In actuality, most gut disorders that arise during exercise are caused by dehydration, not from taking in fluid. Dehydration induces nausea and discomfort by reducing blood flow to the digestive system, so by all means keep drinking!

Water Intoxication

Intracellular fluid and interstitial fluid have the same osmotic pressures under normal circumstances. The principal cation inside the cell is K+ (Potassium) , whereas the principal cation outside is Na+ (Sodium).

When a fluid imbalance between these two compartments occurs, it is usually caused by a change in the Na+ or K+ concentration. Sodium balance in the body normally is controlled by aldosterone and ADH (antidiuretic hormone) . ADH regulates extracellular fluid electrolyte concentration by adjusting the amount of water reabsorbed into the blood by the distal convoluted tubules and collecting tubules of the kidneys. Aldosterone regulates extracellular fluid volume by adjusting the amount of sodium reabsorbed by the blood from the kidneys which, in turn, directly affects the amount of water reabsorbed from the filtrate.

Certain conditions, however, may result in an eventual decrease in the sodium concentration in interstitial fluid. For instance, during sweating the skin excretes sodium as well as water. Coupled with replacement of fluid volume with plain water, these conditions can quickly produce a sodium deficit. The decrease in sodium concentration in the interstitial fluid lowers the interstitial fluid osmotic pressure and establishes an effective water concentration gradient between the interstitial fluid and the intracellular fluid. Water moves from the interstitial fluid into the cells, producing two results that can be quite serious:

The first result, an increase in intracellular water concentration, called overhydration, is particularly disruptive to nerve cell function. In fact, severe overhydration, or water intoxication, produces neurological symptoms ranging from disoriented behavior to convulsions, coma, and even death.

The second result of the fluid shift is a loss of interstitial fluid volume that leads to a decrease in the interstitial fluid hydrostatic pressure. As the interstitial hydrostatic pressure drops, water moves out of the plasma, resulting in a loss of blood volume that may lead to circulatory shock.

Throw-ins (part 2)

Apart from the importance placed on passing and shooting, coaches rarely emphasize the technique of the throw-in in practice. Yet, it is a basic method utilized in the game of soccer. This is especially true in the youth game, where because of the technical deficiency of the players, the ball frequently goes out of play resulting in a throw-in. And, 99 percent of the time, the throw-in ends up going to the opponent. I strongly feel that the throw-in is not necessary for U6-U8 game play.

On any given weekend, I have watched numerous games where feeble attempts are made by U6-U8 coaches to “mold” the bodies of their players, hold down their feet, demonstrate, and explain their version of a proper throw-in. Incidentally, it is done incorrectly as the player either drops the football in front of them, or in an effort to bring it back over their head, they drop it, throw it to the other team, or fire at the face of the nearest victim-sometimes this just happens to be the coach. And worst of all, when patience has run out, the game is allowed to continue and the player is allowed to re-enter the field with a “slight nudge” by the coach, having learned an improper throw-in.

All this should indicate to the coach that something needs to be fixed. It indicates to me that too much time is spent in the games trying to deal with this phenomenon, when this is something that needs to be practiced outside the game first. So much time is spent, that I have estimated over 25 percent of the game time is wasted trying to deal with this. That’s 15-20 minutes less the players are in contact with the ball. Less contact with the ball means downtime, downtime results in boredom and disinterest.

A solution to this problem would require modifying the rules of U6 and U8 play. Coaches should emphasize the importance on the technical application of the throw-in in practice.

For U6 and U8 play, I strongly recommend that when the ball goes “into touch” or outside the sidelines, the ball is put back into play by the player choosing to either dribble or pass. Also several balls should be placed around the outside of the field, so that when a ball goes out of bounds, time is not spent trying to chase it down. The nearest ball is played in, being careful that no stray balls roll onto the field.

Since the hands of a U6-U8 player are not properly developed for the proper execution of the throw-in, more emphasis needs to be placed on providing the players with more opportunities to manipulate the ball with the foot. Not to mention, throws that result in someone getting a ball to the face can also be avoided – the pass or the dribble – is a safer alternative while maximizing chances to play the ball with the foot.

To learn the proper technique, and technical application, the following should be stressed. First, coaches at any level should teach their players how to correctly hold the ball. For U6-U8 coaches, this can be done to teach the habit of securing the ball which later on can be used to teach proper technique for catching in goal keeping as well.

Coaching Implications

1. Secure the ball with both hands, ensure that the index fingers and thumbs are as close as possible (almost forming a “W” or “u” shape with fingers on the ball).

2. Bring the ball over the head just behind the ears with your arms loose and elbows bent and flared out.

3. Stand with your feet a little than shoulder-width apart with one foot in front of the other (start at a standstill first, then add 1 step, then 2, and so on).

4. Face the field.

5. Bring your head, neck, shoulders and trunk back, bending at the knees. 6. Thrust the ball forward resulting in your entire body going forward.

7. Release the ball as it just goes past the head.

The throw-in is a pass; so therefore, it should have all the characteristics of a pass, i.e. played to a teammate with the proper pace so that it can be controlled easily and possession can be maintained.

Throw-ins (part 1)

A throw-in is awarded when the entire ball goes across the touchline. An opponent of the team who touched the ball last throws in the ball at the point at which it went out of bounds. The object is to maximize territorial gain while ensuring that a teammate can gain possession from the throw. A player should collect the ball and get into position as quickly as possible after the ball goes out of bounds in order to take advantage of teammates who might be breaking away toward the goal.

To do a legal throw-in, the ball must come back over the head (referees usually look to see if the ball goes back past the ears) before being thrown forward; the ball must be thrown with both hands on it, and it must be released immediately after passing the front of the head (no spiking is allowed); both feet must be in contact with the ground when the ball is released; both feet must be behind or on the touch-line; and no twisting of the body is allowed to propel the ball further. There are two basic ways to do a legal throw-in. One is to step forward with one foot in the direction of the throw, and drag the toe of the trailing foot as the ball is thrown. The other is to simply stand with both feet firmly planted and throw the ball in. Both ways are effective … which style is used is a matter of player preference.

Here are the fundamentals of a proper throw-in, from ‘The Nose to The Toes’:

Secure the ball with both hands, ensure that the index fingers and thumbs are as close as possible (almost forming a “W” or “U” shape with fingers on the ball). Fingers should be spread to maintain control of the ball.
Bring the ball over the head behind the ears with your arms loose and elbows bent and flared out.
Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart with one foot in front of the other (start at a standstill first, then add 1 step, then 2, and so on). If you prefer, place your feet parallel, shoulder-width apart.
Face the pitch.
Bring your head, neck, shoulders and trunk back, bending at the knees.
Thrust the ball forward resulting in your entire body going forward. Parts of both feet must remain on the ground at all times, behind or on the touchline.
Release the ball as it just goes past the head.

The throw-in is a pass … therefore, it should have all the characteristics of a pass (played to a teammate with the proper pace so that it can be controlled easily and possession can be maintained).

The most common error in throw-ins is lifting the foot. This error almost always occurs because the player is trying to throw the ball too hard, and almost always occurs in players who use the method of putting one foot in front of the other … they lift the dragging foot in an unconscious effort to get more power on the ball. If you notice you are lifting the foot repeatedly, switch to doing throws by standing with your feet together. Your main job is just to get the ball on the pitch. By taking the pressure to set distance records off, your chances of a good throw are greatly improved.

Tactics:

Scan the pitch while collecting the ball.
Look for an open teammate.
Throw the ball quickly, to keep the opponents off balance.
Throw the ball where you will get the greatest territorial gain.
Throw the ball so that it is easy for a teammate to control.

There are three important rules to remember:

A goalkeeper may not catch a throw-in.
There is no offside on a throw-in.
No goals may be scored by throwing the ball into the goal directly from a throw-in.

Note: If the ball does cross the line directly from a throw in taken by the defending team, it is a corner. If the throw is taken by the attacking team, the referee’s decision should be ‘goal kick’.

The push pass

The instep or push pass is a common pass used in soccer. To do a push pass, you use the inside of the foot (along the arch) to push the ball forward. As a result, the hip and leg/knee must rotate outwards to allow contact with the ball. Taking these elements in sequence, you will:

Turn the pass foot outward, locking the ankle so that the foot will not wobble. The knee of the passing leg will be slightly bent to allow the foot to come into contact with the middle of the ball.

As you are turning the pass foot outward, you will be stepping up to the ball with your plant foot, so that it is about hip-width away from the ball. If you stand too close, your hip will not swing smoothly. If you stand too far to the side, your angle will be awkward and the ball will not be struck smoothly. Your plant leg should be slightly bent, and the toe of the plant foot should be pointed at the target.

The ball is struck in the middle. If struck towards the bottom, it will go airborne. As the ball is struck, the plant leg should continue thru a natural swing of the hip, which will transfer additional power to the pass and also help to make it more accurate.

The arms will be held somewhat out from the body, especially on the follow-thru, so improve balance.

push pass 1 push pass 2The push pass can be learned by most children by around age 8-9. Short children (because the ball is relatively large) may have difficulty with this pass, as they may have insufficient hip width or swing to be able to get enough power. Children under age 8 often do not have the balance/coordination to use this pass, and may do better with a laces pass (passing the ball by pointing the toe down and hitting it along the big arch bone which along the side of the shoe laces).
Corrections

You can easily tell if the player is not using proper technique, because the ball will not stay on the ground and/or will not go in the desired direction.

If the ball is getting airborne, this means that the player is striking it towards the bottom. If he strikes the ball in the centre or towards the top, it will stay on the ground. Usually can adjust easily by simply bending the knee of the passing leg.

If the pass isn’t accurate, this usually means one of two things. Either the ankle of the pass foot is wobbly (not locked) or the toe of the plant foot is not pointing at the target. Watch from the front, and this is easy to spot.

If the pass has no power, this usually means that the plant leg is too straight/stiff, which reduces the ability of the hip to swing thru the pass. Sometimes, the plant foot will be planted too wide, or too close, which also can reduce power. This also can lead to inaccurate passes.

The job of a defender

In 1989 I coached a U10G team, Hat Tricks 80. I made them a one page handout on individual defending tactics that read:

No get
No turn
No move
No shoot

This was easy enough to memorize and to teach as the basis for an individual marking-based defence that we used in the first year before moving on to team oriented defence.

Teaching “no get” is easy at U9/U10 in the context of little games that kids can play 1v1, they like to push and chase. The hardest part is giving the defender a natural feel when to hold and when to step in front of the opponent.

You could structure a defending practice session around the drills below. There are many other exercises for this in use, this is just one example.

1. Partners with ball and cone as server and defender. Server with ball 10 yards from cone, defender a few feet behind cone. Server with ball passes to cone, defender steps around cone to intercept pass.

2. Groups of three – server, static opponent, defender. Server passes to opponent, defender rounds defender to right then left to knock each pass away. Go about 30 seconds, change roles. Should be fairly intense.

3. Group of players outside a 10×10 grid with one cone and one defender in middle. Each player outside grid with one or two balls. Players outside take turns passing to cone. Defender in middle tries to win or deflect each ball. At first, players go in order and take their time. In second round, players pass to target cone at will, going as quickly as possible to keep defender busy.

4. Same as 2, replace target cone with target player who can move around in the middle of the grid. Defender works to deny possession.

5. Groups of 4 with two balls. Two players as servers, 10 to 15 yards apart. Two other players as attacker and defender. Attacker works from end to end to receive ball to feet, defender works to deny ball.

6. Game with target player/servers in 10×20 grid. Four target player/servers with balls serve from outside ends of grid, two target player/servers at each end of 10×20 grid. Two v two in middle, red v blue. In middle, two red players try to receive a ball from a server, turn, and play ball to target player at opposite end to score point. Blue players oppose and try to prevent possession. After point is scored or ball is lost, teams switch roles in middle.

Blue attacks to opposite end, trying to score by receiving pass, turning, and playing to target players. Players in middle can pass to each other and also dribble after receiving pass. Change ends into middle after a few minutes.

7. Play a game 4 v 4 to cone goals, coach the topic, stop and correct, stop and compliment.

The Coerver method

The Coerver Method (or the Coerver Coaching Technique) is a football coaching technique created by Wiel Coerver.

By analysing videotapes of various great players including Pelé, Wiel Coerver, Dutch coach of the 1970s, fragmented the vision and moves of his players and devised a new concept in football which advocates that skill could not only be inherent with the young players but could also be passed onto in a comprehensive academic way.

Under this technique, players progress in a structured manner, pyramidal, from basics of ball mastery to a tactically driven group attack. They would be exposed to the other essentials like Receiving and Passing, Moves (1v1), Speed and Lethal Finishing.

The 1 v. 1 moves learned in the Coerver Method are more generically known to football players as “Coerver moves.” Examples of these include the scissors, double scissors, Rivelino move or step over, Matthews move, Puskás move or v-move, Maradona move or 360, Cruyff move, Scotch move, and Elastico. These moves are used to provide misdirection to get the defender leaning one direction, so that you can dribble past him.

The central theme of all Coerver® Coaching concentrates on the improvement of both individual skills and small team group play, especially in the 6 – 14 age group. Coerver® Coaching believes that the game is made up of a series of movements and plays involving a small number of players (1v1, 2v2, 3v3 etc.) in different parts of the field. It is when they are linked together, or broken up defensively, that these small group plays make up a game of football.

Coerver® Coaching concludes that ultimately any system of team play is only as good as the players involved. It therefore focuses on individual development both alone and in the context of small group team play.1

Here are three example manoeuvres to get you started!

Cruyff turn

Facing your opponent with the ball, position your body to feign a cross or shot.

Then drag the ball with your foot behind your standing leg.

Turn and be on your way while the opponent is left flat-footed.

Stepover

Popularised initially by Pelé, this move is extremely popular in modern football and expertly utilised by individuals like Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho:

Feign to move on way by flicking your foot fully over the ball in that direction, but without actually touching the ball at any point.

Then push the ball in the opposite direction and skip past your marker.

The Matthews move

Named after one of the most influential wingers in football, Stanley Matthews, who was pivotal in establishing wing play as a vital part of attacking. The Matthews move is today a fundamental weapon in any winger’s arsenal:

When facing a defender, push the ball slightly forward to his standing foot.

Then instantly flick it horizontally down the wing and, as he’s wrong-footed, use your speed to waltz past him.

Team shape and movement

We will try to maintain a good attacking and defensive shape throughout the game. This is absolutely essential before we begin to work on positions. These principles apply to ALL PLAYERS, in ALL PARTS OF THE FIELD!! Generally, we want to spread out on the attack, and compact-in on defence.

We want to take more risks in the attacking third of the field, and play very conservatively in our defending third. Fill the diamond on attack, and recover and cover for your team-mates on defence. We will work on this a lot this week.

What to tell your children:

Attacking Shape

1) KEEP POSSESSION

2) Create or fill left and right (square) passing options IMMEDIATELY!!

a) Adjust constantly to be open and visible
b) Have adequate space – about 10 yards from ball carrier
c) Only one player in each support position. If one moves, FILL IT!

3) Make sure a back pass option is available can be to the keeper-(to the side of the goal please!)

b) TALK to the ball carrier – especially if they have their head down or if there is a defender closing from behind!!

4) If you are covered, MOVE. This draws away a defender and causes confusion for the opponent.

5) After passing, MOVE TO SPACE!

6) Look to fill the through-pass slot (go deep)

a) Adjust constantly to be open and visible
b) Try to draw defenders from the ball carrier if you are closely marked.

7) Movement is good, especially cross-field movement.

8) MOVE IF YOU ARE COVERED!!

Defensive Shape

1) 1st Defender: Pressure the ball IMMEDIATELY!

a) Do not dive in, just slow the attack down and make it predictable. PATIENCE!!
i) Eyes on the ball
ii) Weight even between legs, and forward on toes, knees bent

iii) Feet shoulder width apart, one foot forward

b) Do not mark too close until you have help- you may be beaten by a wall pass.
c) Mark close enough that the attacker has to keep her head down looking at the ball.
d) Herd the attacker towards the touch line (side line).
e) Tackle only if you are sure to win the ball, and have a teammate covering behind you.
i) Risk tackles more in the offensive third of the field (closer to the opponents goal)
ii) Tackle if the attacker is alone and outnumbered.

iii) Tackle if you can touch the ball before the attacker can.

iv) Do not tackle if you are the last defender!

2) 2nd Defender: Cover the space behind the 1st defender. LET THE 1st DEFENDER KNOW YOU ARE THERE!

a) Be a little bit toward the goal side usually.

3) 3rd Defender: Cut off passing options, especially square (cross-field) passes.

a) You can either mark the receivers, or the space between them and the ball.

4) RECOVER – It is never to late to run back and help your teammates.

5) STAY COMPACT – Do not be drawn out of shape.

6) Make sure that the far post area is covered as the ball nears your goal.

a) Do not be caught ball watching. Track players moving forward.
b) Do not release your mark to go after a back pass unless you are CERTAIN that a teammate is there to cover, AND does not have a mark of his own to cover! Usually this means the covering player TELLS YOU TO GO.

So tell your children to communicate!