Soccer Drills – Page 45

Swedish handball

Minutes: 5-30 Players: 6-20 Ages: 7-99

Objectives:

1. Movement, warm up. 2. Teach pass and move concept. 3. Teach importance of passing. 4. Teach importance of moving into space. 5. Improve teamwork. 6. If nothing else, the kids love this game–it can be exciting and fun.

Description:

Set-up.

This is a team game. 3v3 4v4, 5v5 etc. Set up a goal at each end of the field. Goal can be a small (5×5) square or a circle or triangle–does not matter, just a dedicated area where the ball can be placed. Field size varies depending on number of players, for 5v5 I would suggest 40 by 30.

Procedure.

The aim of the game is to pass the football among your team WITH HANDS, keeping possession and working up the field in order to score a point. Each team scores by placing the ball (or throwing the ball down) in their opponents goal.

To pass the ball you must use TWO hands (just underarm, or for older kids overarm as well helps with throw in practice). Before passing to a team mate you must touch the ball on the ground–then pass. Once the player receives the ball they cannot run, they are frozen (or can just take one step) and then must pass to a team mate (you can use your judgement depending on kids, maybe have 1-2 or 3 steps, can enforce time, i.e.. must pass within 5 seconds). The opposing team can only intercept between passes–they cannot grab the ball out of players hands. If the ball goes out of grid award throw in to opposing team.

Team scores if they place or throw the ball down into the opposing goal. You may need to enforce a 1 or 2 defender rule, otherwise defending players tend to just crowd around the goal area.

In have been coaching in the US now for a few weeks (I am a UK FA coach) and the kids love this game and it is truly amazing to see how they spread out and pass and support. I have used this game as a great way to give kids a practical example of how to play “give and go” soccer.

Adaptations or Progressions.

Spike Ball — one team plays Swedish Handball and tries to spike the ball used by the other team who are trying to make 10 consecutive passes.

1, 2 or 3 touch small sided football.

Head Ball

Same as Swedish handball–adapt rules so that every second pass is a header and that opposition cannot gain possession from a header

Stop trying to score!

Minutes: 10-20 Players: 6-10 Ages: 9-99

Objectives: Passing, Controlling, Supporting in Space

Description:

OK, the title probably got you to read this far. Too many teams focus so intently on scoring that their entire approach is unidirectional–whichever direction the goal is in. Players focus on scoring so much that they never fully develop the ability to see space and control opportunity around them in other directions. This game solves that problem.

Setup just like a regular small sided game with even sides:

3v3 20×30 yds.
4v4 25×35 yds.
5v5 30×40 yds.

Oh, and there are no goals.

Each team needs to string together consecutive passes. Their score is the high count of the number of passes they can make consecutively without an opponent intercepting the ball.

After a few minutes they lose sight of which end of the field they initially perceived as theirs to defend. They start to move to space and they start to communicate.

If a ball is lost out of bounds, the other team brings it back in–set your own rule on dribble in or throw in, depending on how much work you need with throws.

If players still try to dribble too much, remind them that it’s the passing that counts. If it continues, you can institute a number of touches rule.

Staggered goals

Even the top-level players perfect their shooting skills without a defensive presence.

Shooting while under pressure is a critical part of a player’s training, but only after the player has developed some skill and confidence in shooting. Actually, some coaches claim to see more scores (and missed opportunities) when there is no (immediate) defensive pressure.

Training environments should get players maximum shots with different varieties of passes and situations.

A staggered goal setup is a wonderful training environment especially when training in a small area. It allows for players to share an area and still feel as if they have large area to work in.

There are a couple of things one can do from this setup. If a coach has a flat goal, s/he can place it at the halfway off towards a touch and the players can be separated into shooting on four goals. Defensive pressure can also be included if needed in this layout.

Set Up and Execution

Long Shots

A plays long ball to B who controls and shoots on Goal 2; the next player B immediately plays long ball to A (initial passer) who controls and shoots on Goal 1.

Either the player retrieves his own ball and switches sides or he can retrieve the other shooter’s ball and stay on same side.

Back Angles

Line 1, player A dribbles along goal line (towards goal 2) and plays an angled pass back to player B in line 2 moving on to goal 2.

Immediately after the pass, player A makes run on goal 1 as next player in line 2 dribbles along goal line (towards goal 1) and plays back angle to A. Players retrieve shots and exchange lines.

Spike ball

Objectives:
Good, fun keepaway game to improve passing and possession skills

SETUP

Mark a 30×30 to 40×40 square depending on the number of players and ages, divide players into two teams, and use three soccer balls.

PROCEDURE

1. One team has the ball and plays keep away from the other team trying to make 10 consecutive passes for a score.
2. The other team has two balls and, using only their hands, attempts to spike the possession ball (throw and hit ball).
3. If the defending team spikes the ball then they become the possession team.

RULES

1. Players with the ball in their hands (defenders) can only move 3 steps. This means the defending team must throw and catch the ball to move close for a chance to spike the ball.
2. Defenders without the ball can move freely.

COACHING POINTS

1. Encourage possession team to continually switch the ball away from the pressure. Trap and turn away from the passer!

Speed dribbling

Here is an activity that works on speed dribbling and also getting the ball under control after dribbling with speed.

Start with a 40-yard field with a 5-yard “buffer zone” on each end. If there are 15 players at a practice have 12 players start on the end line, each with a ball. The other 3 players start 5 yards back without a ball. See the diagram below for the basic setup.

When the coach tells them all to start, the 12 players with the balls try to dribble at full speed down to the other end line and get three touches on the ball in the far buffer zone. The 3 other players are trying to stop them by either winning the ball, playing the ball away or knocking the ball over the end line. If the players with the ball are able to control the ball in the opposite buffer zone with three touches on the ball, they get to go again in the next round. If the players with the ball lose the ball, they join the defenders in the next round. The last player with a ball wins.

With 15 players you can play this game 5 times to have each player have a chance starting as a defensive player and each player has 4 chances starting as an attacking player.

Not only doesn’t this activity work on speed dribbling but also it’s great for shielding, turns, change of pace and direction, as well as excellent fitness work.

Space and movement

Soccer, although it is played with a ball, is really a game of space and movement without the ball. Unlike some other sports, (baseball, for instance), soccer does not really have positions. Rather, players have differing responsibilities which change as the ball and the other players move about the field. In a strict sense, only the goal keeper really has a “position” to play.

Once your players have attained proficiency in the basic techniques of receiving, passing and shielding a football, you can introduce them to the fact that they will actually only spend a relatively small amount of time (perhaps as little as three or four minutes in every hour) with the ball at their feet.

Your players need to understand that they will actually spend around 90% of every game supporting their team-mate with the ball or moving into a position where they could receive the ball if the player in possession chose to pass. Knowing where they need to be at any given moment of a soccer game is, therefore, just as an important a skill as passing or shooting. Perhaps it is even more important.

There are many games and drills that will allow young soccer players to practice finding the right space and position for themselves on the soccer field.

Equally, there are many that focus on providing support for each other. The simplest of these – keepaway – is used by coaches at every level.

Keepaway, however, can get a bit boring if the only objective is to string as many passes together as possible. This is, after all, not a ‘soccer like’ activity – there is no point in possession without a goal at the end. Children prefer to play games that have an identifiable end result to possession, like the one described below.

Spreading out and positioning

Organisation

Grid is 60 yds x 40 yds
2 players (one at each end) on end lines who must use feet only-targets.
Retain possession until able to deliver ball to target
If successful in delivering ball to target, he returns the ball to the successful team and they attack the other end.
Use one neutral player (shown here in yellow) for both teams.

practicing movement, finding space and support play

Key points

‘Spreading’ out as a team when in possession.
‘Positioning’ in order to receive the ball in as much space as possible.
Appropriate controlling touch of the ball.
Pass forward accurately and sensitively wherever possible.
Movement to make forward passes possible: ahead of the ball and from behind the ball.

Ball control warm ups

Simultaneous passing

Players stand apart facing each other with a football at the players right foot

Each player simultaneously passes to the other players left foot

Each player receives the ball on the left foot and changes the ball to their right foot

Continue to go anti-clockwise,

How fast can you go and stay in control?

Change direction (go clockwise)

Simultaneous passing (2)

As above, the players stand facing each other with a football at their right foot.more passing

Again, each player simultaneously passes to the other players left foot

This time, the receiver taps the ball from their left foot to their right foot and back to their left foot.

Pass the ball back to your partner with the foot that receives the ball

How fast can you go and stay in control?

Reverse direction (right foot, left foot, right foot)

Pass and Flick

Both players stand with a ball in front of their feet soccer coaching warm up

Player A aims a gentle pass to player B’s ball

B meanwhile flicks the ball gently over the oncoming ball to A with the outside of the foot

Each player controls the new ball and continues

Repeat

Change so that B aims and A flicks

Change to use the inside of the foot to flick

Pass and Chip

Both players stand with a ball in front of their feet

Player A aims a gentle pass to player B’s feet

B meanwhile chips the ball gently over the oncoming ball to A with the foot

Each player controls the new ball and continues

Repeat

Change so that B aims and A chips

Soccer tennis

This is a GREAT game for developing juggling skills and “first-touch”.

The best thing is that the kids LOVE IT! We all know how important it is to be able to quickly control bouncing balls during a game. Soccer tennis will create hundreds of quality touches while the players are having fun. Without even trying, they will learn to receive chest balls, thigh controls, instep volleys and head touches. Soon they will be sliding sideways to get in front of the pass instead of poking out with their legs.

Basically it is a tennis game with some sort of improvised “net” (or real net), that is played with the soccer ball and controlled volleys and juggles. You can keep score like tennis games with “love-15-30-deuce” etc… or just play up to any number. (Non-tennis playing kids don’t get the tennis scoring concept.)

When the kids are just learning allow them lots of bounces (on the ground), between shots over the net. (I let my beginning kids have 3 bounces.) It is more important to keep the point going allowing for more touches, than it is to adhere to any strict rules. Later, when they are are pretty good, limit the number of bounces to only 1 or 2. If players have different skill levels, allow more bounces to the beginning player and they can still participate.

At first we even play that if a player totally “flubs” it into the net and the ball dies on their side, that player can get one chance to “rescue” the point by executing a “toe ball-lift” or “heel rainbow-lift” to keep things going. Make up your own version. Have fun! The key is keeping points going with lots of quality touches!

You can make a “net” out of several cones, or maybe 2 cones with a string hung between them. I use a stepladder that I have turned on it’s side, and added a couple of cones at each end and it’s really fun to use one of the little soccer-tennis nets that you can get from the soccer stores.

This game is easiest to learn on a hard surface, where the bounces will be “true” and higher. Later, you can play this game on the field which will require a little more juggling ability.

What to do: Set up a makeshift “net” out of cones, a ladder or even a row of soccer bags stacked up, or use one of the very cool soccer tennis nets. Then cone off a small sized “court” to fit the number of players and the net. If you are playing on the driveway use some chalk or just the lines in the pavement. Needless to say, if you have a real tennis court at your disposal, try it….. (as long as you don’t get yelled at by the tennis coach.)

Divide up teams. You can play 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or even 4v4 on a large court. You can play odd numbers like 2v3, etc.
One player serves from deep in their court across the net to the other team. At first the idea is not to win the point on the serve, but just get the point started.

We usually bounce the ball and then half-volley it across for the serve, but some variations we use are – serving the ball off the ground after a “toe-lift”, or just directly “flipping” it over with one’s toe. Sometimes we toss it up in the air and “head” it over to get things started.

Then the defending player controls the serve, sometimes after a bounce but occasionally out of the air. They will learn quickly to get their bodies in front of the ball and use their thighs, chest or head to make contact. Then you start counting bounces on the ground. Of course in real tennis, the players are only allowed 1 bounce. You will eventually get this good with soccer tennis, but start with more bounces to allow for learning.

I let my little kids take 3 or 4 bounces but the older kids are allowed only 1 or 2. (And of course, the coaches are only allowed 1.)

Juggling (without the ball bouncing) is encouraged. It doesn’t “count” against the player and they can manoeuvre the ball close to the net for a better shot.

Players can and should pass to each other. They will learn to chip a deep shot up to their team mate who then can try to put it away. It can be lots of fun while they refine a soft touch with their juggle touches, volleys and half-volleys.

**If you have time to play only one little fun game, play this one!

Tip: Set up a soccer-tennis net off to the side of your small sided scrimmages and drills, then when you have extra players, or need to rotate some players out, have them stay active playing soccer tennis. They will stay busy while you complete the drill, and refine their skills at the same time.