From: The Myers Family [myer@sgi.net]
Sent: Friday, April 26, 2002 4:38 PM
To: chuck@datablueprints.com; Greg@Pleasanthillssoccer. Org; Joe@Pleasanthillssoccer. Org
Subject: Re: In House Tournament
Pleasant Hills Soccer Association
Spring Season, March 25, 2002

`Introduction`

The following contains the general introductory material for coaches outdoor session with the U8 and U10 players. This inhouse soccer program is designed to be age appropriate, fun, and focused upon the skills development of the players.

`Tentative Schedule`

The outdoor schedule is approximately 12 week in length, although the first and last weeks may be adjusted based upon weather and calendar.

Week 1 and 2: Introductory Soccer Mini-Camp. Potentially a three day event.

Day 1: Dribbling and Shielding
Day 2: Shooting
Day 3: Passing and Recieving

Week 3 thru 5: Training sessions and games focused on individual skills.

Week 1: Dribbling Fundementals
Week 2: Dribbling and Shielding Fundementals
Week 3: Shooting Fundementals

Week 6: Street Soccer Tournament

Two Days of player run games

Week 7 thru 10: Training sessins and games focused on skills and team shape.

Week 1: Passing, Receiving, and Team Shape
Week 2: Passing, Receiving, and Team Shape
Week 3: Goalkeeper Skills
Week 4: Defending and Team Shape

Week 11: Inhouse Tournament

Two Day Round Robin Soccer Tournament

`Introductory Soccer Mini-Camp`

The beginning of the season soccer mini-camp is a way to get the entire age group together and go over some fundementals of soccer in a camp like atmosphere. Some children benefit in this type of an environment and this provides these children with an opportunity to experience this within the regular season. At the same time, coaches get to meet their players, ohter coaches, and parents.

Organization:

approximately four or five stations are set up with each station targetting an activity covering the theme of the day.
an expert coach will be placed at each station. This coach will be the expert of the activity and will be responsible for running the activity with the players
the team coach or assistant will walk their team from activity to activity. The coach is expected to assist the expert coach assigned at each of the stations.
toward the end of each day's session, a set of at least two short games will be played. The game will be one of the Dutch Games targetting the theme of the day.

`Team Training Sessions`

The general structure or form of the team training sessions are as follows.

Warmup - typical techical light individual activity, may include stretching for the U10's
Individual Activity - techical activity based on skills needed for the theme of the day
Small Group Activity - Two's, three's, and maybe game related
Game Conditined Activity - Usually game situation conditioned to increase the frequency of the current theme of the day
THE GAME - At least 25% of the training session is the game of soccer in various forms.

The general structure of the training session must be adjusted to the audiance. Here are general constraints when working with the various age groups.

Under 6's:

Target approximately 45 minutes and never go over 60 minutes
Target approximately 7 minutes per activity
30 to 60 seconds rest between activity
Concentrate on individual activity with the ball and 1 v 1's
Progression is not important, having fun is very important
At least 25% of the training session is THE GAME
Fun, safety, and security are most important to a U6 player
Coaches must try to act as a kid and have fun

Under 8's:

Target approximately 60 minutes
Target approximately 9 to 10 minutes per activity
1 to 2 minutes rest between activity
Concentrate on individual skills, activities in pairs, 1 v 1, and 2 v 2
Progression and themes are important
Technical development may be introduced, but not corrected
At least 25% of the training session is THE GAME
Sandwich all instructions between positive remarks
Encourage the U8's to do better, they are task oriented

Under 10's:

Target 90 minutes
Target approximately 12 minutes per activity, but you may go longer if the players are focused on in the "zone"
Give about 3 minutes rest between activity
Technical skills training is very important and should be included with every training session
Progression from simple to complex and theme orientation are very important
Warm-ups and stretching should be included into the training session
Concentrate on individual skills and small group activities
At least 25% of the training session is THE GAME
Do not over coach, let the kids have fun competing in a game like atmosphere

`Street Soccer Tournament`

At about the midway point of the season and after most of the coaches have had an opportunity to teach the players some of the fundemental skills of dribbling, shooting, passing, and receiving, the players will have an opportunity to display their skills in a street soccer environment.

Organization:

Typically we want all players playing the same (Dutch style) 4 v 4 game at the same time
Set up enough fields so each player will be playing. Some teams may be 3 v 3 or 5 v 5. Label all fields in some manner.
Place scrmmage vests and balls at each field. Players always leave their scrimmage vests and balls at the fields between games.
Players are told by the coach whcih field to report to and which color vest to put on based upon a ramdom selection process
Players should referee themselves as much as possible
On coach's signal, play will begin and will end
Games will be approximately 8 to 12 minutes long
All restarts are either a kick or a dribble from the point of restart. Restarts are from the middle with all team members on their respective side of the field.
The coaches' job is to time and record results. Coaches should refrain from side line coaching.

We will run a two day street soccer tournament. The first day will be the Dutch four goal game and Dutch shooters game. The second day will be the standard two goal game. We will try to get 4 or 5 games in per night. The children get points as follows:

one point for each goal scored as an individual,
team goals will be recorded,
team goals against will be recorded,
win/loss/tie is also recorded.

`End of the Season Inhouse Tournament`

The end of the season will conclude with a round robin type of tournament with possibly a winners bracket championships and a non-winners bracket championships.

Organization:

Tournament will cover two days
Tentatively, round robin play on the first day and half of the second day
Game duration will be short enough to allow multiple games in round robin play. Some games will be back to back.
Final games may be longer in duration
Regular rules apply as during the seasonal games.