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Sunday 4 June 2017

U5 Week 6



Hi Coaches! We are into week 6 and it has been great getting out on the field with all of you and seeing you interact with your teams. I say this almost every week, but I feel it’s something that can’t be said enough: We are here to always encourage! Kids love it when we respond positively to them and encourage them in what they are doing. Our players are young and with that they can find a lot of things challenging and frustrating, but when we take them time to acknowledge what they are doing well and encourage them, they will fall in love with the game of Soccer.

According to the weather forecast, it is supposed to be a nice and warm day (finally on a wednesday!). It may be a good idea to email your parents and remind them to make sure their kids have water.

1. WARM UP - Coach Says
Played like Simon Says. Anything that gets those little guys moving goes. Use the whole body. Start without soccer balls for movement and stretches.  Jog around the area, one foot hopping on each foot, high knees, skipping, kick your butt, etc.  See  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsCLLgkQgNc

2. Soccer Islands
In your grid, make “islands” in each corner by using cones to mark out the “island” and make one circular island in the middle. Have the players start in the middle island, and number the 4 corner island 1-4, or give them names. Call out a number (or name) and have the kids run there. Once they get there, have them do a certain skill (toe taps, tic-tock, jump up as high as they can, lay down flat and get back up again, yell as loud as they can, etc… be creative. This is all about getting them to move).

3. Pac Man (aka Kick the Coach; kids LOVE this game!)
First, demonstrate what a proper pass looks like:
-planting/non kicking foot next to ball, pointing at target
-strike ball with side of foot
-firm ankle
-follow through to target
Have players practice this in pairs so that you can give individual feedback to each player.  Once you have gone through each player, they can then play the game.
All players have a ball and are dribbling in the grid and trying to hit you with a pass (you don't want to be hit).
Work on good passing technique. You may have to create a zone for you that the kids can't enter (small square in middle of grid and then move to no square and everyone moving).
This video demos passing technique with cues, but don't spend as much time talking as this coach does!

4. Clean Your Messy Room.
Split your grid in half with cones across the centre, and split your group up into 2 "teams".
Line up soccer balls in the centre, in line with the cones.
When you say "Go!" players rush to the centre to kick balls into the other half of the grid; they must try to keep the balls (laundry? toys?) out of their "room" by continuing to kick them into the other team's half.
When coach say "Stop!" players freeze and count up the balls to see who wins (least amount of balls/laundry/toys in grid wins).
Play again!

5. Soccer Bowling
If you need another game to fill some time, you could use this one...
The name is as it suggests and the video makes it self-explanatory.

6. Balls in the bag

This is really just a way to clean up before the game, but we might as well have fun! Make sure everyone has a ball, and hold your ball bag open on the ground. Have them shoot their ball into the bag. Once all the balls are in, say something like, “what’s that? Oh no! There’s a hole in the bag!” and dumb all the balls out. Do it again, but maybe move the bag a little, or have them stand further back.

Game Time
The horn will go at 4:30 to signal you to get ready for your game. The game will start at 4:35. If you are the first team listed you are the home team. The away team (second team) will come to you. Remember, the game is about getting lots of touches on the ball. Feel free to add a second ball. Score doesn’t count at all, we want to see lots of touches on the ball.

Here is the game schedule: