From: The Myers Family [myer@sgi.net]
Sent: Sunday, January 19, 2003 5:27 PM
To: Myers, Crystal; Antonelli, Sally; board@pleasanthillssoccer.org
Subject: Suggested Third Winter Indoor Session for U9 and up
Pleasant Hills Soccer Association
Winter Session 3, January 20 - 26, 2003
 
 

Dribbling Introduction (Under 9 and up)

Suggested Winter session for week 3 of the Under 9 and up. The theme of the Winter session is dribbling and shooting as described in the introduction.  As with all the Winter sessions, we will begin with the introductory dribbling skills associated with this session.  This is our third session indoors. Much of the material from week 3 will be geared toward making inside and outside chops with the ball.

Up to this point, most of our individual activities have been group type activities and more "soccer like" than soccer. We are moving more toward to 1 vs 1 for two reason; the players are now much more comfortable with the ball on the quick indoor surface, and we want to encourage them to take responsibility for moving the ball forward in directional soccer play.
 

Warm-up: Introductory Dribbling Session With 1 v 1 to Cones

Go over each of the dribbling skills with the players having their own ball.

After a brief introduction, have the players pair up with a friend and one ball between them.  For each pair place a pair of cones near their playing area about two to three yards apart.  The players are two play 1 v 1 to the cone.  That is, they are to attempt to touch a cone with a ball. Each time touch the ball to a cone, they get one point and maintain possession of the ball.  They can score at either cone. The other player attempts to gain possession of the ball and score as well.

After several sessions, allow the players to score at any of the cones laid out all over the playing area.  However, keep the players in pairs.  The result will be more wide open and more of a chase game from the restrictive game above.
 

One vs One or Two vs Two to Multi-Directional-Goals

Set up a number of small fields in the playing area. Each field will be used to play 1 v 1 or 2 v 2 depending upon the number of players in your session. Each field is about 4 yards square and contains goals on all four sides. The field and the goals are laid out with cones.

Layout of a single field:
 

      _______
 ^    |     |    ^

    Y
 _       Yo      _
|                 |
|                 |
|_           X   _|

        X

 ^    |______|    ^
 

Each team is given an end goal to defend. In addition, all scoring is done by dribbling through the goal under control. The player or team may score either on the side goal (where they would receive one point) or on the goal on the far side (where they would receive two points).

The idea of this game is for the players to get their head up, move toward the goals and attempt to score, and being prepared to do quick change of directions if a goal is heavily defended.  With three goals and a maximum of two players per team, there will always be an open goal.

If you decide to play two vs two, there will often be situation where passing to your teammate is appropriate.  However, please realize we are attempting to give the players some new skills and success with dribbling.  Since we have been working on dribbling, dribbling to the goal will be their first choice and you, as coach, should encourage this.

Move teams or players around after a fix amount of time in order to give each player an opportunity to play with someone they normally would not choice to play with.
 
 

Game: Dutch Four Goal Game

The Dutch Four Goal Game is typically a 4 v 4 game played on a rectangular field that is wider than it is long.  There are two goals on each of the longer sides and distanced apart from each other.  One team will attempt to score on either of the goals on one side while the other team attempts to score on the other side.

Here we want the players to attempt to get their heads up while dribbling and look for the goal which is most easiest to score.  With the older players, they will usually spread themselves out and pass across the field in order to change the point of attack.  However, since we are concentrating on dribbling, do not be surprised if the players' first choose to dribble to the open goal and this is exactly what we want them to do with their newly acquired skills and confidence with the ball.
 

                                 __________                                           __________
         ____|       |________________|       |_____
        |                                           |
        |                                           |
        |                                           |
        |                                           |
        |                       Y                   |
        |      X                               Y    |
        |                                           |
        |                                           |
        |    Yo         X                           |
        |                                           |
        |                                           |
        |                                           |
        |                                      X    |
        |                                           |
        |               X          Y                |
        |____         ________________         _____|
                                |___________|                                       |___________|
 

Warn Down: Homework Dribbling

Review the inside and outside chops and have the players practice this at home until the get to the point that they can cut the ball back across their body in the other direction on a line.