Setup

• Each player has a ball
• Set down cones to make a 50×40 steps field for 12 players – larger if more players
  • Anything can be a cone (an article of clothing, a water bottle, any marker)
  • Set cones every ten steps
• Do not set up any goals
  • If there are goals, players will shoot on them and not listen to you
• Demonstrate each drill / game before starting it

Drill 1 – 5 minutes

• Dribble the ball anywhere within the field of play
• Use the entire space
  • Do not let players bunch up
• Keep the ball close to you while running
  • Can the players run and keep the ball under control
  • Players who are walking should be urged to run
  • Players who are running too fast should be urged to slow down in order to stay under control

Drill 2 – 5 minutes

• Review the 2 moves learned during Week 1
  • Stop-and-Go move
  • Inside-Out move
• Continue dribbling as done in Drill 1, but every 30 seconds or so ask the players to perform one of the two moves

Drill 3 – Stepover move – 10 minutes

• Demonstrate the move
  • Dribble at a moderate pace
  • Then, instead of taking a touch, step over the ball with one foot (to freeze the defender)
  • Use the other foot to take the ball around the defender
  • Accelerate for several steps
  • Go back to dribbling regularly at a moderate pace
• For the first 5 minutes, players dribble, but when you say “Stepover” they perform the move
• For the next 5 minutes, players dribble, but when you call out a move (stop-and-go, inside-out, stepover), players perform the move you called out

Drill 4 – Passing – 10 minutes

• Demonstrate proper passing technique
  • Find your target (where you are passing)
  • Take two steps away from the ball
  • Run up to the ball so that your planted (non-kicking) foot is to the side of the ball, and slightly behind it, and pointing in the direction you want the ball to go
  • Lock the ankle of your kicking foot, so it is sturdy and the toes are pointing slightly up
  • Use the inside of your foot to kick the ball in the center of it
  • Follow through with your kicking foot so that it comes off the ground, about shin-high

• Split the players into two equal teams and give one of them pennies to wear
  • Assign partners, one wearing a pennie and the other one not
• Standing about 10 yards apart have the partners pass the ball to each other on the ground for about 2 minutes

• Move the partners farther apart (about 20 yards apart) and have them pass the ball to each other on the ground for about 3 minutes

1. Partner with the ball dribbles the ball; 2. Upon the “Pass!” command the dribbling partner passes the ball to the standing partner; 3. The standing partner now becomes the dribbling partner and vice versa until the new “Pass!” command

• For the next 2 minutes, have one partner dribbling the ball in the field of play and the other partner standing in one spot without the ball
  • When you say “Pass” (every 20 to 30 seconds) the partner with the ball passes it to the one without the ball
  • The partner that did not have the ball is now dribbling while the one who had the ball is standing in place until you say “Pass” and they switch again

1. One partner dribbles the ball; 2. The other partner moves without the ball; 3. Upon the “Pass!” command, the first partner finds where the other one is and passes the ball; 4. The other partner now dribbles the ball; 5. The partner who first had the ball is now running without it until the “Pass!” command comes again

• For the final 2 to 3 minutes have both partners moving, one dribbling the ball and the other running around without the ball in the field of play
  • When you say “Pass” the one with the ball finds where the other partner is and passes it
  • Both partners continue to move

Game 1 – Scrimmage – 15 minutes

• Set up a small goal on each of the end lines of your field
  • Either use Pugg goals, or place two cones/bags/shirts about 3 steps apart from each other
• Players are alraedy split into two teams from the previous drill
• For the first 5 minutes, demand that any of the three moves (stop-and-go, inside-out, stepover) learned to date must be used before a team can score a goal
• For the next 5 minutes, demand that a team must make 3 passes before it can score
• For the final 5 minutes, just let them play without restrictions and see if they continue to use moves and passes

Drill – Move and Shoot – 15 minutes

• Demonstrate proper shooting technique
  • Trap the ball in front of you
  • Take a touch to get the ball 2 to 3 steps ahead of you
  • Run up to the ball, lock your ankle, lean forward so your chest is over the ball, and shoot using either:
    • The inside of your foot to place the ball into the goal (more accuracy less power)
    • The laces to shoot the ball harder (more power less accuracy)
• Put a goalkeeper in the big goal
  • If you don’t have a goal to work with, place two cones/bags/shirts about 8 big steps apart
    • Give the goalkeeper the same instructions as you would on gameday
• Players line up about 20 yards away from the goal (put a cone down that players will stand behind)
• Have the goalie pass the ball to the player
• Player traps the ball, dribbles towards the goal, beats a defender (you) with a move, and shoots the ball into the goal
  • Just pretend to play defense, don’t try to take the ball from the players
  • Make sure to stand closer to the players receiving the ball than the goalkeeper
    • When the player beats you he should not be right by the goalie, but should have to take a shot from some distance (10 to 15 yards out)
• Player, not the goalie retrieves the ball and goes to the back of the shooting line

End Practice

• Team cheer
  • 1,2,3 Go “team name”!