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Monday 19 June 2017

U13 Week 8


Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged which has been great to see! I have also seen many great ideas that you have come up with in how to keep your teams engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

Boys teams, lets try and stay away form playing lightning. I know the boys love it, and that it keeps them engaged, but there are many more drills and games that are beneficial and will keep them engaged. If you have questions, let me know. You are the coach. If you say they can't do something, they should listen to you. If they don't, let me know :)

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!


I will be coming around with Evaluation Forms for your team for you to fill out. This will help us with next year's team selection and to also help track development of our club.

U10 Week 8


Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged which has been great to see! I have also seen many great ideas that you have come up with in how to keep your teams engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!


Also, I will be coming around with Evaluation Forms for your team for you to fill out. This will help us with next year's team selection and to also help track development of our club.

U8 Week 8


Hey Coaches! Its week 8 already! Can you believe it?

Thanks for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making everything run smoothly.

This week the Girls will replay their games from the week that the Thunderstorm hit (Blue vs. Orange, Green vs. White). I will bring the nets out, but will need you to set them up (or get some parents to set them up). Feel free to make the games a little shorter and do some of your girls' favourite drills with them. Try and keep them engaged and working hard :)


Boys, I said that I will come do a Head Coach Technical Session with you. With it being the last week, I do not want to take the entire session away from you. So I will come and do a 30 minute session with your teams, and then for the last 30 minutes you can do whatever drills/games/ideas you have with your team. Try and keep them engaged and working hard :)


If you need any extra equipment for your session, let me know.


I will also be coming around with some evaluation forms for your teams. This will help us with team selection next year, as well as keep track of development of a club from year to year.

U6 Week 8

Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!

U5 Week 8

Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!

U4 Week 8

Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!

Sunday 11 June 2017

U13 Week 7

Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work!

All Information for the Wrap-up will come out ASAP.

Do your regular warm up with the 2 lines. It has been great to see everyone doing this. Warming up is vital to being a good soccer player, and helps prevent injuries. It is also a time to help them focus on what they are there for.


Once you have done your warm up, have them pair up and get in groups of 3 and try to keep the ball in the air while juggling. See who can do it the longest. This is also something you can get them to do while they arrive.


This week we will be working on defending. I’ve noticed that all  the teams are aggressive, but the technique behind defender is missing a little. There was lots of just running at the ball and lots of collisions. Hopefully these drills/games will help with defending awareness.
Defending coaching points. Here are some points for you as a coach to remember about defending, as well as a youtube clip that talks about Block Tackling. Remember, we DO NOT slide tackle at this age, and all slide tackles will be called by the ref and could result in your player being asked to sit on the sidelines during a game. This is simply about safety as most players at this age are unable to slide tackle safely.
Ensure you spend time demonstrating proper defending stance and positioning. Encourage good defending skills and correct when needed.
Defender's stance:
Defender's feet should be about a shoulder width apart, boxers stance
- legs should be slightly bent
- stay on toes so you can react to any sudden changes of direction by the attacker.
-quick close down. You want to get to the attacker quick, but in the last few feet slow your run down so you can close down the space and react to their movements.
-delay/give space - don't commit- jockey (wait for them to take a bad touch or make the first move).
-watch ball not player. You want to be watching the ball, not the player's body or feet. Their feet and body can confuse you, but the ball can only go in the direction it will go.
-make the attacker make the mistake
Defender positioning:
- defender is goal side (closer to net than attacker)
- direct attacker into area where there is support or try to force them out wide.
How to block tackle:

1. Ball warm up:
Keep Away - 20 X 30 m grid. All players except for two are dribbling within a grid. Those without balls try to win ball from other players and then continue to dribble with grid. When coach stops play the two players without balls must do a challenge.

2. 1 vs 1 defending.
Play kings court style or just let them play until the get tired.  Players stand 15 yards apart. Defender passes ball to attacker who tries to beat defender and dribble to end line and stop it. 2 minute games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6-1No0rddBo  (as in video except multiple grids so no line ups.)
Progress to 2 vs 1 where defender is trying to prevent two attackers from getting to endline or to get a shot on net.
3. Shark
You Could play knock out version with two grids, continuous, with one person as the shark, they need to know everyone's ball out of grid, when knocked out, they go into second grid, coach designates a shark for that grid.  Switch sharks when clearly tired.  

4. Win ball Drill  
Two lines facing coach, coach passes a 50/50 ball, players need to try and win ball and either score on a small net or pass to a target (ball on cone or at the net) and work on defender's working to win the ball back and make strong second effort.
5. 1v1 to numbers game
Have two small goals on either end of a mini field.  Balls at centre on side of grid with coach, line up of players on either side of coach (two teams, one in pinnies), play a ball into middle of field, 1v1 until dead or score.  Can increase number of players going for ball to create different situations, 2v2, 3v3 etc...or numbers game:  Number players 1,2,3,4,5 etc. Call out a number. Coach rolls out ball at center line and numbered player on each team must try to win ball and then either defend their goal or attack the other goal. Progress to calling out more than one number and encourage players on same team to work together to score.
6. Game
Two teams. Regular rules except man on man marking only. Pair up forwards and defence, and midfielders and midfielders. Have one player on each team who can check anyone. Stress importance of knowing where your check is and to get goal side (between the attacker and your goal)  and defend against check when ball is lost. Place a ball on top of a cone at each end. This will act as the “goal.” To get a point the attacking team must knock the ball off of the cone.


U10 Week 7

Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work! You’ll notice that the format below is a little different. I am trying out a new resource that we are looking at implementing next season.

All information for the Wrap-up on Saturday will be coming out ASAP.

Do your regular warm up It has been great to see everyone doing this. Warming up is vital to being a good soccer player, and helps prevent injuries. It is also a time to help them focus on what they are there for.


Once you have done your warm up, have them pair up and get in groups of 3 and try to keep the ball in the air while juggling. See who can do it the longest. This is also something you can get them to do while they arrive.

  1. Asteroids
Have players line up on either side of grid, each with a ball. 2 players will run through the middle (almost as if it was a gauntlet) while the players on the edge try to use their balls to hit the running players balls. Players on the outside must only use the inside of the foot to kick the ball (to keep the ball from getting to high) and all kicks must be below the knee.


Screen Shot 2017-06-11 at 9.39.20 PM.png
Be creative with turns. Have your players demonstrate some turns. Biggest thing is to keep them moving, lots of little touches on the ball (keep it close) and to execute the turn quickly. Feel free to add light pressure by trying to defend them.


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U8 Week 7


Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work! You’ll notice that the format below is a little different. I am trying out a new resource that we are looking at implementing next season.

All information for the Wrap Up will be coming out ASAP.

Over the last few weeks I have been going around to each age group and doing a "Head Coach Technical Session" where I have coached all the teams at once. This gives myself a chance to interact with the players, as well as a chance for you to observe me and hopefully learn something :)

This week I will work with all the u8 GIRLS teams. As your players show up get them to pass with each other, and then we will start the session all together with a warm-up. We will need all of your balls and other equipment. I will also need your help in demonstrations and drills. We will work on the specific skill together, I'll demonstrate the drill, and then we will break in to our teams and do that drill.

Boys, you will play your games that were cancelled on Thursday due to the Thunderstorm. Check you schedule for who you are playing. I will bring the nets over to the field, but will need your help in setting them up :) Also note that you will not have referees (unless Rory is able to find some that may be interested) so one of the coaches will ref the game.


Next week (Our last week) I will work with the boys, and the girls can play the games that were missed from the thunderstorm.

U6 Week 7

Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work! You’ll notice that the format below is a little different. I am trying out a new resource that we are looking at implementing next season.

Information on the Wrap-up for Saturday will be coming out ASAP. 
  
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* This is a good game to teach your players how to move. Obviously in soccer we don't use our hands, but the concept of moving and working as a team is difficult for younger ages. So playing Handball is great as when you have the ball you cannot move and are forced to work as a team.
Screen Shot 2017-06-11 at 10.35.22 PM.png
*Ball on top of cones inside the “castle” will work great as well

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*You can start with the balls in the middle as well. Make teams according the the number of players you have




U5 Week 7

Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work! All of the information for the Wrap Up Should be out today.

1. Colour dribbling and Stopping
This is a variation of Red Light/Green Light sort of combined with simon says. Start by having players dribble in in your area. Red Light means Stop, Green Light go.

As they get warmed up with this,  have them stop their balls with various parts of the body as identified by colors. Example - red is right hand, blue is left foot, rainbow is forehead, etc. I suggest start by just saying the body part first, and then as they get the hang of it assign a colour to that body part. This is a great game for them as it changes how they think about the movements of their body. They have to process what they are doing, which down the road will help them focus more in the game. As we change how our brains associate movement, the less we actually end up thinking about it when it becomes a normal thing (it becomes a “muscle memory” movement).

2. Pirate Ship
Use your cones to make a circle in one corner. This will be the “Pirate Ship”. In the opposite corner place anything you can (other cones, balls, pinnies, jackets, whatever you have) This is the treasure the players (I mean pirates…) will be stealing.

When you say go, they start in their ship and run to the treasure and can bring back ONE item at a time.

Start without using balls and just let them run. If they are too good, feel free to have them dribble the balls, but this may be a stretch.

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3. Number Dribbling
Have players jog with a ball at their feet in the same direction. When you call a number, that many players must come together with balls touching each other. Example: the call is three, players must get in groups of 3. Those players unable to form a unit of three do three push-ups or star jumps or…? Be creative :)




4. Trap, Dribble, Score
Make a channel of cones with the net at the end. Players line-up opposite the net. You will pass the ball in, and the player must take a good first touch, dribble the ball towards the net, and shoot. Once they shoot they run back to the end of the line around the outside of the cones (to stay out of the way.

Trap-Dribble-and-Score.png

4.2
Once they get the hang of trapping, dribbling, and shooting, add some cones in the middle to create a slalom course they must dribble through.
Trap-Slalom-and-Score.png


5. Possession

Split your team into 2 teams and simply have them play keep away. Make sure they are moving and passing.

One way you can motivate them without having a net is to have a coach (or parent) stand at each end (where the goal would be) and the point is to pass the ball to the coach (or parent). Once the coach receives it, they must pass the ball back to the team they got it from (1 coach per team standing opposite each other).



U4 Week 7

Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work! All of the information for the Wrap Up Should be out today.

1.  Lights
  • Line players up on one side. You are on the opposite sideline. When you say a light they will start running. Remember to encourage them to keep the ball close (not kicking it far away).
  • Game: Call out a color light
    •  Green light: they run and dribble towards you
    •  Yellow light: they walk and dribble towards you
    •  Red light: they stop the ball with the bottom of their foot – the sooner the better
    •  Disco light: they stop and give you their best dance moves
2.  Spiderman
Players all have a ball. Coach (or parents) holds a pinnie, this will be your “web”. Players run around in your area trying to keep their ball safe from your web. You chase after them and try to throw your net (pinnie) on their ball. If you catch their ball, they are frozen and another play must come and touch the caught ball with their own ball.

3. Pirate Ship
Use your cones to make a circle in one corner. This will be the “Pirate Ship”. In the opposite corner place anything you can (other cones, balls, pinnies, jackets, whatever you have) This is the treasure the players (I mean pirates…) will be stealing.

When you say go, they start in their ship and run to the treasure and can bring back ONE item at a time.

Start without using balls and just let them run. If they are too good, feel free to have them dribble the balls, but this may be a stretch.

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4. Steal the Bacon
In your grid, place the balls in the middle in a straight line. Spit your team into 2 groups and have them line up on either end.
When you say “GO” the goal is to run to the middle, and get a ball. Start with having them pick the balls up with their hands and carry the ball back to their end. Once they get the hang of it, get them to DRIBBLE the ball back to their end, once all the balls are at both ends, the game is over.
  • Change things up by having the players start with laying down, and getting up when you say go or sitting facing the opposite direction. This will work on their coordination and ability to get up quickly.
  • Another way to change it up is to number the players (1 to ?) and call out numbers, I suggest calling out 2 numbers at a time. Only these number can go and get a ball. Once each number has gotten a ball, call out another number. Keep going until all balls are gone
5. Musical Soccer Balls
Use cones to make a circle large enough for your kids to run around. Place the soccer balls in the middle of the circle and make sure you have one less soccer ball than you have players. The players start on the outside of the circle and they are not allowed to go into the circle until the whistle blows. On the whistle, the players can sprint to the soccer balls. Because there is one less soccer ball, one player will be left without a ball. The player without the ball is then removed from the game. Every round you will need to remove one soccer ball.


Sunday 4 June 2017

U13 Week 6


Hey Coaches! Thank-you for letting me spend time with your teams last week and lead the session. I really appreciate all of the help that you gave me, as well for supporting your teams. If you have any questions on the drills, on my coaching style, or anything to do with coaching and soccer in general, please feel free to talk to me :) I am here to help enable you in any way that I can. I want to see you succeed as a coach and am always willing to help out.

Today we are working on using the width of the field. We have touched on this a couple of times, but will focus more on it this week. In watching your games I have seen moments of teams using the entire field, but also many times that we have bunched up and played what I call “mob soccer.” The soccer field is large, and there is always tons of space. We need to teach our teams how to utilize that space.

Start off with your normal warm-up. Make sure they get moving, get lots of the touches on the ball, and stretch (both dynamic and static stretching)

1. Extra wide two goal game

Set up a field that is 30-40 yards wide and ~20 yards long. Make four small goals,  using cones, in each corner. Make two teams and tell them they score goals by scoring into the two goals opposite them and defend the two at their end. Remind them that if they go towards one goal and find the other team all drawn to defending it they can switch play across the field and attack the other goal.

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Change it up by saying that instead of shooting into the net, you can only score by dribbling the ball through the net and stopping it on (or near) the goal line. This will force them to really use the width.

Change it again by making the players pass the ball through the net to another play (one player must run ahead and get on the other side of the net to receive a pass in order to score).


2. Switching Play

Using the same playing field as the first game (Ignoring the nets in the corners), put 2 players on the outside of the grid (see below), and the remaining in the middle. Depending on the number of players, try and have a 3 vs. 2  or 2 vs 1 or something similar (one team with an extra player).

The goal of the team with more players is to pass the ball to the players on the outside, recieve it back from them, and then switch the play across to the other side and pass to that player who is on the outside. Each time they get the ball successfully to BOTH outside players, they get a point.

Players on outside can move up and down the line. Encourage as much movement as possible, and to play the ball quickly. Catch the defenders off guard.

Switch attackers/defenders/outside players.

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3. Channel Game

Use same playing field as before, but add in channels on the sides (about 5 yards wide)(see below).

On each end, make a net with cones, use the nets on the field, or put a ball on top of a cone to act as the “goal”
Split team into 2 teams, 1 with pinnies.
Before a team can score, they must have one player receive a pass while in the channel and pass it back out of the channel. There are no defenders in the channels. This is to help the team use the width of the field rather than just stay in the middle of the field. Extra points if they score off of a direct cross that results in the goal.
  • Change things up by making them pass into and out of each channel, or make every player have to touch the ball before the team can score.



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If you have time at the end, feel free to do a scrimmage. But when making your field, make it wide and short. This will force your team to use the width. Something like 30longx25wide


U10 Week 6

Hey Coaches!

This week we will be working on possession and being a team. Encourage your players to use the width of the field, always have their head up, and to communicate (talk) to let their teammates know where they are and that they are open.

Start with your regular warmup. It is important (especially if it is warm) that we warm-up properly. As your players arrive, get them passing the ball to each other or working on their juggling.

1. Avoid The Collision:
See image below for drill.
  • When players meet in the middle and avoid each other, have each player move to the right. Try making a move (cut the ball outside, spin around, step over, etc..). Tell them what direction to go so they don’t collide.
* Coaching Point: Players should always have their head up. As soon as the receive the ball they should have their head up so that they can see where they are going, where the defender is, and where their team is. Players must always be looking up. You can see the ball from the bottom of your eyes (peripheral vision)
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2. Outside Posession

Make a grid 15x15 (or larger if you need). On the outside, make channels on every side, 1-2 yards deep running the entire width of the grid (see image below).

Count how many players you have, if you have 6, have 2 players inside and 4 on the outside (on each side). If you have more, add them where you can, but make sure there are more players outside then inside. Try putting 2 players on one side on the outside.

The goal is for the players outside to keep possession by passing the ball. The players inside must try and win the ball. Players inside must not enter outside players areas. Make sure the players outside are not standing in one spot. They should be moving along the sides to find an open space to receive the pass.

As they get the hang of passing, put a time limit on how long they have until they must pass (something like 3 seconds) or a touch limit (can only take 2 or 3 touches). This will force them to move the ball quicker and speed up their thinking.

*Coaching point: Before a player receive a pass, they should already know where their next pass is going. Not just in this drill, but any time they receive a pass. This is done by knowing where you players are, communication, and positioning.  




3. Through the Middle
See image below. Make your area either a square for circle. Place 4 cones in the middle. This is the starting point.
Split teams into 2 groups. One will work inside while the others are outside.
Players on the inside start in the middle square, and then must run out and receive a pass from a player on the outside. They must then pass the ball back, and run back through the middle square (they must always return to the middle).
See who can get 30 passes first (or whatever number your decide on :)  )
Change the groups after everyone has made that many passes.

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4. Keep Away


Create smaller grids, probably 10x10 would be good, but feel free to make them bigger. In groups of three, play 1 v. 2.  Start with the 2 plays having a ball, the other player tries to get the ball. The one who has the ball must dribble and keep it. Those who don’t have a ball try to get one. Once they get the hang of it, change it that only 1 players has a ball, and the other 2 are trying to get it.

5. Possession Game
Regular scrimmage game, but no nets (at least to start). The goal is to make passes and keep possession.
  • Start with a goal being 5 passes
  • Next every player on the team must receive the ball
  • Next is 10 passes
  • Next is..? Get creative!
We want to see our players working as a team, not just one “superstar”. Games are won and lost as a team.


Towards the end of your session, feel free to add in some nets and just simply let them play, but only if they are working as a team and making passes.