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.

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:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUtauRD5ipo

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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RWJ6u8X4dY

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

U13 Week 5

Hey Coaches!

So, this week I am going to come and do a Head Coach Technical Session with your teams. We will join all the teams together in one large group, and I will coach them along with your help. There will be some drills/games that we will then break off back in to our teams to work on.

I will need you all there to help with this. This is a time for me to interact with your teams, and also gives you a chance to breath as well as to see my coaching style, and hopefully learn something all at the same time :) In the end, I am here to support each of you through training and development. One of the best ways to do this is to work together on the field.

This week we will be working on Positions (how they all interact with each other and what each position is responsible for), using the width of the field, and attacking along with finishing. The emphasis will be on the attacking portion.

Let me know if you have any questions! Please bring all of your equipment, and also arrive early so that we can talk things through.

U13 Week 4

Hey Coaches!

This week is supposed to be warm, so it might be wise to email your team and remind them to bring lots of water. We will be doing some fun game this week to hopefully keep everyone motivated through the heat! Make sure you give your team plenty of water breaks, but at the same time don’t give them too much time to goof off.

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.

1. PONG

We did this last week, and it seemed to be a hit so we’ll do it again! Encourage players to play the ball quickly to catch their opponent off guard.

Two players play against each other and share a ball. They place two cones anywhere from 2-8 yards apart. They choose! Players pass back and forth to each other. The rules are that the ball must never stop, must always stay on the ground and must go through the two cones without touching them. Whenever this is violated the other person receives a point. Because of the rule that the ball must never stop, players have to play 1-2 touch. The closer the two cones are the closer the pairs are probably going to be. The farther apart they are, the more they will have to move laterally and look more like the old arcade “pong” game. Play for time and see who can become the PONG Champ!

2. Two-touch Showdown

This is a game between two players. A soccer ball and three cones are needed for this game.

Position the cones in a triangular shape, about two to three feet apart.

The first player gently taps the ball through the cones to the second player. The second player has to send the ball back through the cones but cannot go through the two cones from which the ball just came through, and the player only gets two touches to perform the maneuver.

Hints: 1) the first touch is crucial in that the player should touch the ball to one side. 2) if the first touch is poor and the player is fairly close to the cone, the player can take a large step and push the ball with the other foot, ankle flicking it through.

Here’s an example from youtube

https://www.youtube.com/?

3) Bocce Soccer

This is played similar to the Italian game on an open field, except you use soccer balls for the bocce balls and one mini soccer ball for the pallino, and you kick the balls rather than throw them. The game is played with two, four, or eight players. Depending on the size of your team, you can make 2 teams. Make sure that they stay within your portion of the field and don’t interfere with other teams.

This will be a good game to slow things down and give your team a little breather while still having fun and will work on passing accuracy.

Choose a player to kick the pallino (mini soccer ball). The same player will kick his first soccer ball. The purpose of the game is to get your soccer balls as close to the pallino as possible. Feel free to scatter cones around your area to add some obstacles.

After all players have kicked, the player that is closest to the mini ball is awarded points. I will have mini balls out for you.

4. Square support passing game

The purpose of this soccer passing drill is to focus on players angle of support, the weight of passes and the quality of 1st touch.

Drill Setup:

1. Create a grid approximately 12x12 or 10x10 yards depending on the skill level of the players.
2. Put 2 defensive players inside the grid in one color and the remaining 4 or 5 players along the outside of the grid.
3. Make sure you have a good supply of soccer balls to keep the drill flowing.

Drill Instructions:

1. Instruct the 2 defensive players to stay inside the grid and attempt to break up any passes from the outside players
2. Outside players play keep away from the 2 inside players in an attempt to complete 10 consecutive passes. They should be moving along the side of the box they are on to always be creating space and support. Soccer players should never be standing still.

Drill Coaching Points:

The coach should focus on:

• Angle of support
• Angle of passes
• Weight of passes
• Quality of 1st touch
• Playing on toes
• Early support
• Good communication

5. Scrimmage

If you have time at the end, allow your team to play a scrimmage. Focus on their first touch, and movement off the ball to always be finding space and angles for receiving a pass. Make your game field a little smaller to speed the game up, and also force a quality first touch. Change things up by only allowing 1 touch. This make them think about what their next move (or pass) is before they receive the ball as well as will keep them moving.

U13 Week 2

Hey Coaches! Our first week went great, and kids seemed to have fun! I enjoyed coming around to each team and seeing the giggles and smiles on your player’s faces. Every week our goal is to have fun, and to encourage our players. The more fun they have, the more they will learn -even if that’s just how to run around within a square, or kick a ball to their friend. These are the building blocks of strong players.

As your team shows up give them a ball and have them play pass with each other, or with a parent.

When you change to a new drill, send the team for a REALLY quick water break (30 seconds) or have them working on their juggling, passing between each other, or be creative in how to keep them occupied. If you give them time to goof off, they will do just that and you will struggle to get their attention back.

Rory Luxmore, our head referee will be coming by at the following times to talk about rules of the game, and answer any questions you or the player's may have. This will be about 10 minutes:

5:00 U-13 girls

6:15 U-13 boys.

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Warm Up

Make 2 lines, Placing cones 10 yards apart from each other

players X ----------------------------------X

10 Yards apart

Players X-----------------------------------X

Have players line up in 2 single-file lines with equal numbers in each.

Have them start at the first cone, and work toward the second cone. Demonstrate and call out the follow: do each 2x, have next player go when player in front is half way through

• Light jog from cone 1 to 2
• High knees
• Heel kicks/ Butt kicks
• Open the gates (talk to me if you don’t know what this is :)   )
• Close the gates (talk to me if you don’t know what this is :)   )
• Kicks straight out
• Kicks across the body (swing arms and upper body opposite direction of kick)
• Touch the toes (bend down, straight leg, no bending knees and reach as far as you can. Try reaching with left hand to right foot, right hand to left foot)
• Squats (take 2-3 steps between each)
• Full sprint from cone 1 to 2

Watch this youtube clip for an idea of what it should look like, not all are in the video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emw4_CV5eR8

1. Box work

• We did this last week, but it is good to teach the players how to warm up properly and to get a good touch on the ball before working on other techniques.

Make your grid (however large you want) and give each player a ball.

• Start with dribbling around the box. Encourage players to change direction and not just go around in a circle
• Remember to take lots of small touches, and not big touches. The ball should never be more than 2 feet away from you at any time
• DO NOT use your toes, use the inside or outside of your foot
• As they get better at this, yell “stop” and have the players stop in place. Each time they are getting the hang of things, or you need to switch it up, do this and demonstrate one of the follow:
• Turn: Place foot on ball and roll it backwards as you turn
• Sit: Sit down on the ball until the coach says “up”
• Cut: With the outside of your foot, wrap your foot around the ball and push it in another direction (if they struggle with this one feel free to skip it)
• Change: Swap balls with another player by running up to them and gently passing the ball
• Outside: leave your ball and run to a cone on the other side of the box and run back to your ball
• Etc… Be creative. This is all about getting the players moving, and as many touches on the ball as we can.

2. 1v1 game (1 against 1)

Place 2 cones 1 yard apart. Place to pop up nets on either side of grid (see below).

Have players line up in 2 equal lines behind the cones.

When you say “GO” players will run behind the net (see line below), and then battle for the ball (played in by coach) in the middle. Whoever gets to the ball first tries to score, the other is the defender.

• Coach plays ball in from where the triangle is in the diagram
• Make sure you DO NOT play the ball straight down the middle as this is end up in a collision. Play ball more to one side, but make sure you are fair from turn to turn
  
  
  

  

  
  

3. Find the Gap

This is similar layout and drill to soccer tennis that was in the blog last week and some of you did, but a little simpler to help our players practice moving the ball between themselves, and “finding the gap” to pass through to maintain possession of the ball.

-In your grid, split it into 3 equal areas as pictured below. If you made your grid 15yards by 15 yards than these areas should be 5 yards deep by 15 years wide.

-Split your team into 3 equal groups. If you do not have enough for 3 groups than just do 2 and have parents act as defenders in the middle

-The goal of the attackers is to pass the ball 5 times before they can try and pass it through the middle to the other side of attackers. They must stay in their area, and make a minimum of 5 passes before they can play the ball to the other side. If they get it through the defenders in the middle, then they get a point and the game keeps going

- The goal of the defenders is to get the ball. All of the defenders stay in the middle of the grid and try to block that final pass.

-If the ball goes out the round is over and the other attacking team gets the ball. Switch after each attacking team has had 3 turns, and rotate the defenders with an attacking team.

- The coach will play to ball into the attacking team.They must take a first touch, and play the first pass to one of their team mates before the defenders enter.

-This will work on their first touch, movement, and most of all, working as a team.

-Try and keep things moving as fast as your can. It may take a few minutes and tries for the players to get the hang of what’s going on, but when they do they will love it! Keep things moving quickly and energetic and play the balls in quickly. The less time standing around the more fun every one will have.

- Change things up by introducing a defender that can only enter after the first pass. Once you have a defender, only make the attacking team make 3 passes.

4. Channel Game

Make your grid (I suggest 20x20 for this one). On each side, make a channel 3-5 yards in from the side (see below).

One each end, put a Pop-up net (I will bring them out on the field and they will be in a black cart with other equipment) for a goal.

Split team into 2 team, 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. 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.

NO GOALKEEPERS

If you have time at the end, allow them to keep playing this game, or take the channels out and just let them play a scrimmage, encouraging them to use the width, make lots of passes while finding the space, and to talk lots while calling out each other’s names.