Learning Outcomes
1. Improve players' ability to pass with both feet.
2. Improve players' ability to open up to receive on back foot.
3. Improve players' checking movements to create space to receive.
4. Improve players' ability to identify moments to penetrate vs. moments to possess.
Organization:
1. Players work in pairs.
2. One ball per pair.
3. Open area.
Instructions:
1. As players arrive, they pair up and pass back and forth to each other.
2. Players can stand as close as 5yds to each other or as far as 10yds.
Coaching Points:
1. Head up - eye contact.
2. Communication.
3. Weight and accuracy of pass.
4. Quality of first touch.
5. Technical execution of push or driven pass.
Progressions:
1. Have players increase distance gradually.
Organization:
1. Red square - 8x8yds.
2. Blue square - 40x40yds.
3. Players distribued evenly.
Instructions:
1. Blue players move to receive from a white player outside of area.
2. Blue player looks to dribble through red square before combining with different white.
3. Rotate roles after set time.
Coaching Points:
1. Connect with teammate - eye contact.
2 Communication - verbal (call for ball, feet, space).
3. Communication - visual (point to desired target for pass).
4. Weight and accuracy of pass.
5. Direction and quality of 1st touch.
Progressions:
1. Focus on specific techniques.
Organization:
1. Red square - 8x8yds.
2. Blue square - 40x40yds.
3. Players distributed evenly.
Instructions:
1. First player at each blue cone makes a forward run to nearest red cone.
2. Player checks away from red cone to receive a pass from player at blue cone.
3. Player receiving opens up, takes first touch towards next blue cone (clockwise/counter-clockwise).
4. Player dribbles to end of line at next cone while passes follows pass to red cone.
5. Ensure to work in both directions.
Coaching Points:
1. Connect with teammate - eye contact.
2 Communication - verbal (call for ball, feet, space).
3. Communication - visual (point to desired target for pass).
4. Checking movement away from defender (cone).
5. Weight and accuracy of pass.
6. Receive sideways on - open up hips, back foot.
Progressions:
1. Ensure to work both sides.
2. Instead of dribbling back, player receiving at red cones opens up and passes to next blue cone.
Organization:
1. Red square - 8x8yds.
2. Blue square - 40x40yds.
Instructions:
1. Teams set up for 6v6.
2. Teams play along outside of red square.
3. Players are allowed to go inside red square to receive but cannot stay in there.
4. Ten passes in blue square = 1 point.
5. Combining in and out of red square = 1 point.
Coaching Points:
1. Visual cues.
2. Movement to create options/space.
3. Look to split defenders when possible.
Progressions:
Organization:
1. 30x20 area with goals.
2. Equal teams.
Instructions:
1. Free play - 3v3 or 4v4.
2. Kick-ins or dribble-in if ball goes out.
3. Corners taken from own goal.
Coaching Points:
1. Lines of attack.
2. Movement to create space/support.
3. Angles of support at 10 and 2 o'clock.
4. Communication.
Progressions: