Practice # 2 - Emphasis on Receiving - NASL Drills - Best source for soccer coaches in the world

Used 7/24/2003 with U16 and U18 Decatur United Teams. Most of these exercises can be found in the Receiving section of the Soccer-Coach-L compilations. Ken Gamble

Warm-up: Trapping – Groups of two players with one ball – Start off with static (non-movement) passing with inside of foot – players about 5 yards apart. Players must be bouncing and receive the ball with one foot and pass it back with the other WITHOUT taking a step with the kicking foot. Their first touch must be good. Emphasize that trapping is not killing the ball. Players should use their first touch to prepare the ball for their second touch. Ball must be trapped out in your line of vision so that player’s head does not have to go down. 5 Minutes
1. Variation – Same Drill except touch away from pressure to outside and return pass with the same foot – alternate feet
Warm-up Trapping – Active movement - moving across field – same two players with one ball
Start with passes from player moving forward to player moving back. Crisp pass that the player moving back kills and player making the pass moves to for the next pass. Continue the width of the field than switch passer, not positions. You now have new player moving forward and backwards. Continue the width of the field to original starting position. 10-15 Minutes
1. Inside of foot only
2. Outside of foot only
3. laces volley
4. receive with thigh, laces volley back, or half volley depending on skill
5. receive with chest, laces volley back, or half volley depending on skill
6. Defensive header (clearing high)
7. Attacking header (driven low)
8. Wider distance, roll the ball and chip back to partner
FUNDAMENTAL – Set up appropriate number of grids 2x2 (use 9 cones) with a player in each quadrant. Run the four grid drill showing them how the emphasis should be on making the pass to the outside foot, how to adjust if you are the receiver (Sneak a Peek). Passes to the inside foot should be returned to the passer. Passes to the outside foot should be played to the next grid. Count continuous one-touch passes. Explain that passes are a means of non-verbal communication from the passer. Passes to the front foot are the passer's way of telling the receiver to open up and go downfield with the ball. Conversely if a passer passes to the back foot, the passer is telling the receiver that a defender is present and that he should only open up (turn downfield) with caution. 10 Minutes
30 x 40 box - Groups of three with one ball passing to each other – the only restriction is that they need to keep a 10-20 yard separation from each other at all times. 5 minutes – Be sure they open up and pass to outside (front) foot – explain what to do if a teammate passes to the wrong foot
1. Set up cone random gates within the box. On each pass the receiving player must use his first touch to guide the pass through a gate
2. Variation – Two touch restriction with passes to space – 5 minutes
3. Variation – One touch restriction - 5 minutes
CONDITIONING – Four cone relay drills – No balls – shuttle races only – losing team does punishment – 10 minutes - These are what are commonly called "suicides". Three players per line with four cones set up per line. First cone is at 5 yards, second at 10 yards, third at 15 yards and fourth is at 40 yards. First player in line runs touches cone 1 and then back to starting line, then to cone 2, and back, then to cone 3 and back and then AROUND cone 4 and back to starting line. He then touches player 2 in his line and the race continues. Once a player completes his run, he sits down to signify he has finished. Last team to complete the race does some form of quick punishment - sit-ups, stomach crunches, push-ups.
BREAK

Sequence Passing – 2 cones, 6 players, 1 ball – Cones about 25 yards apart - Pass and move to the opposite cone. Use both feet for passing and controlling. Set up several lines and do this as a race to 20 good touches – No limitation on touches to start off with. 10 Minutes
1. Variation – 2 touch restriction
2. Variation – 1 touch restriction
3. Run this through twice without pressure to establish a rhythm, then make the server run straight at the receiver - (no actual defense just straight ahead pressure). This forces the receiver to touch the ball away from pressure WITH FIRST TOUCH before passing back.
Pass and Turn drills – Groups of 4 - two players in center between two cones 25 yards apart – one plays part of passive defender. The other receives the pass and makes a one touch turn and passes to the opposite cone. The passive defender then makes a run and receives a pass, makes a one touch turn and passes while the other player becomes the passive defender. Swap after five passes each.
1. Variation – Players in center now play against each other – passing and receiving the ball. End players only pass back to the player who passed to them. – one minute per group and then swap with outside pair. 5 Minutes
BREAK
3v3v3 in a 15 x 35 box – actually 6v3 – when a team loses possession they have to defend – Need three colors of pinnies. Three teams of 3 divided into a 25x12 yard area. 2 teams are always in possession against a third team (always 6v3). The team that kicks the ball out or loses possession is the defending team. Five passes in a row against the defending team equals a point for the defending team. Play for 5 minutes. Team with the fewest points wins! Coach is the referee and determines who is defending.

Coaching Points:
1- proper angles and distance of support.
2- draw the defense into one area and quickly switch play.
3- body angle when receiving should be "sideways on" and open to the entire field.
4- utilize the entire space ...."spread the field!"
5- quick transition from offense to defense.
6- Go to the pass – don’t wait for it.
Line Soccer - 6v6 or 5v5 on a large field – Set up two fields for 20 – 24 players
Players score by dribbling over the end lines with ball under control.
Add small goals and play – Team gets a point for a goal if their entire team is past midfield and they get two points if the entire defensive team is not back on their half of the field.
Scrimmage 11v11 – 40 minutes – 2 @ 20 minute halves