PAGE  35
by Gary Rue
garyrue@bellsouth.net
 

NOTE:  Gary did not write these exercises and tips with the idea that someone would publish them.  I subscribe to the Soccer-Coach-L e-mail list and Gary is one of the coaches that posts extremely well thought out replies.  These are some of Gary's posts that I collected for use in coaching my own teams.   I approached Gary and he was gracious enough to allow me to publish them here.  If you like what you see or have a question about one of the exercises you can reach Gary at garyrue@bellsouth.net There are 50+ more pages of Gary's posts categorized at the Home Page of Exercises of the Day by Gary Rue. Click here and enjoy.

Exercise of the Day - Shooting

• Here are a couple of shooting exercises:
  
• Two Man Layoff
  Place two goals about 50 yards apart. Two players dribble from each goal towards one another, when about 5 to 10 yards apart, they lay their ball off to the side (each to their right or each to their left); then each player shoots the other's ball. If only one goal is available, then the player without a goal makes a long instep pass back to the next player in line--small cones can be used as a goal for accuracy.
  
              ^       ^
                 A
                  /
                  \
             <- - /
                    - ->
                  \
                  /
                  \
                  B
              ^       ^
  
  
• Three Man Weave
  In groups of three, run the three man weave, middle player B passes to wide player C and follows pass and over laps as C dribbles towards the middle and passes to A; C follows and overlaps A.
  
  * initially shoot off one of the passes, preferably C on his overlap
  * C plays to B on his overlap; B then crosses to A for the shot
  * instead of B overlapping C, B and C do a takeover, and C hits A for a shot
  * using either of the series above, A makes a diagonal run across the goal
  and receives pass and lays off to the third man coming down the middle
  
  (progression stages of the three man weave--B - C - A - B, etc.)
  
  A              Bo                C
  
  A              Co                B
  
  C              Ao                B
  

Exercise of the Day - Scurry Flurry

      In the WWC99 final PK shootout, Brianna Scurry provided a great example of
how to cut down the angle of an attacker approaching the goal. Ignoring the PK situation, imagine this scenario--an attacker has beaten the back line of defense and has a run on goal. The attacker will have control of the ball in the penalty area before the GK can get to the ball. The GK needs to move out towards ball to cut down the shooter's angles. However, the closer to the ball the GK is, the quicker the GK must react to the shot.

       Because the attacker is close to the goal, it is improbable that the GK has to worry about a shot over his head, therefore he should come out to close down the angle. In this situation, the closer he can get to the ball the better. However, it is extremely important that the GK reach a balance state (i.e., stop moving and not leaning) at the time the attacker is going to play the ball. <This is assuming the GK is not close enough to the ball to smother the shot attempt on the kicker's foot.> Note, in the WWC Final, Scurry was still moving forward on the first two PKs and was not balanced enough to react quickly in the direction of the shots.

• Warm-up: a gate (two cones about 4 yards apart) are positioned 3-5 yards in front of the GK. The GK moves out to make the save IN FRONT of the gate. Side to side or up and back movements can be added before the GK moves to the gate. Initially, work on the GK getting to the gate and getting on balance before the shot is served. Progress to the GK on balance behind the gate and then moving to making saves of longer shots, again in front of the gate.
  
• Breakaway: The exercise setup is to place a stationary ball at or around 14 yards out with an attacker positioned on the 18. The GK is about 2.5 to 3 yards out from the goalline. The gate is 2.5 to 3 yards towards the attacker and used as a guide for how far out the GK must get. The ends of the gate can be lined up with the stationary ball and the posts to indicate the GK's saving area. The setup emulates the ball being played forward by an attacker allowing the GK to "steal ground" while the ball is away from the attacker's foot. Focus on the speed in which the GK steals ground and the how quick he gets on balance. The GK should have a slight bit of forward lean (definitely not a backward lean), the knees should be bent, feet should be at or slightly less than shoulder width and the hands should be low, forward and wide.
  
• Progress to the attacker playing the ball at full dribble into the area. This puts the exercise in a more dynamic mode and allows the GK to make the decision on when to come out.
  
• It is important that the exercise is changed to where the attacker comes from the corner of the 18. There are two differences to the attacker coming from the middle versus coming in from an angle. First the GK does not have to go out as far to cut down the angle. Again this can be demonstrated with a stationary ball and the gate cones lined up with the posts. Secondly, the GK has to be more concerned with a shot over his head to the far post as there is now more distance between the GK and the kicker and the GK and the goal for the ball to loop over the GK and drop down into the goal.
  
• Develop the exercise at a slow enough pace to make sure the GK understands how to move, where to move and how to get on balance. Then make the ball and attacker more dynamic and mobile to develop the GK's decision making.

Exercise of the Day - Target Player Game

      To help players understand the importance of playing the ball forward and then receiving a drop or back angle return, the target player game is a useful tool. Initially, conduct a warm-up that involves a forward that comes back to the ball (checking) and/or three man combination play. The targets in the game will emulate a checking forward.

• Game Setup:
  Divide the team into 3 groups of 4 (5 or 6). The goals are set at 40-60 yards apart depending upon age, skill level and number of players per group. Position a player (from the group not playing) outside each post on each goalline (4 players total). Before a team can score, they must work some combination with one of the target players on the attacking goalline. After a few minutes play, switch one of the playing teams with the target players.
  
• The target players move along their part of the goalline to be as available as possible should minimize their touches (one is preferred) and get the ball back into play immediately. They should not only look for back angles, but crosses to far post runners as well. It is recommended that the target players find opportunities to move off the goalline and up field in order to check to ball. They are to return to the goalline immediately after being played a pass or bypassed.
  
• This game also helps the teams that use a more direct style of getting the ball forward out of the back. A coach may want to encourage the long cross field ball out of the back for quick counter attacks.

"Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength;
attacking, a superabundance of strength." 
Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Exercise of the Day - Four Corner Passing

     Following are some fun warm-up passing exercises using 4 players and two balls. These exercises require some quick feet and quick minds. The coach has some opportunities to address specific technical problems as well as discuss tactical implications of the passing movements.

• Players are in a diamond shape, generally about 15-20 yards apart diagonally. The distance between players is determined by age and skill of the players and the passing exercise itself.
  
          A
  
  
   B             D
  
  
          C
  
• Switch fields
  A and C pass to B and D respectively; B and D receive across their bodies with the back foot, touch the ball towards their target and pass to C and A respectively. After a player passes the ball, they should move back towards the next the pass, positioning their bodies to receive the ball on their back foot. When the ball is traveling in a counter clockwise direction, the trail foot is the right foot. This exercise should also be run with the players wider apart to work on longer passing. On the reception, the ball should be played at least a step or two towards the next target. Do not allow the players to "stop" the ball on the reception.
  
• Double pass
  A and C play to B and D respectively; B and D one touch return the pass to A and C; A and C then turn switch and play double pass combos with D and B respectively. After a couple of rotations, B and D initiate the double pass combo.
  
• Zig-Zag
  A plays to C; C plays to B; B plays to D; D plays to A; the second ball is put into play by C as A plays to C; the two balls follow each other through this zigzag pattern forcing one player to receive the second ball immediately after passing the first. 
  
• Around the Horn
  B and D play one ball continuously across to each other; the second ball is played A to B to C to D; A and C need to time their passes so B and D so that they do not receive two balls at once. Switch the circling direction to clockwise after a few rounds and then let A and C hit the cross all.
  
• Diagonal Runs
  A plays to B as C plays to D; A and C switch positions as B plays back to A and D returns the pass to C. After a couple of crossing runs, B and D become the diagonal runners. This exercise can be enhanced by all players switching after their passes. That is, after A and C exchange positions after their passes to B and D, B and D exchange positions after their return pass to A and C. You can't run this one too long.
  
• Wall Pass
  A and C dribble toward each other; A and B combine in a wall pass as C and D execute a wall pass; it is important that A runs between C and D and C runs between A and B. This series emulates taking a defender on, kicking out the ball to a teammate, running on the opposite side of the defender and receiving the wall pass return.
  
• Takeover
  A dribbles towards C as C takes over the dribble; A and C "explode" in opposite direction as the takeover is completed. B then dribbles towards D for a takeover.
  
• Changing the setup slightly, B (B1 below) moves next to A and D (D1) next to C
  
          B1
          A
          o
  
  (B2)         (D2)
  
  
          o
          C
          D1
  
  
• Check and Drop
  B and D moves wide to their right sides in an angled check position (B2, D2 in the above example). A plays to D as C plays to B. B and D return their passes and move back to their original positions, before making an angle check to their left side (C still passes to B and A to D).
  
  
• Check and Turn
  same as above, except when B checks and receives from C, B turns and passes to A; D checks and receives from A, D turns and passes to C.
  
  
• Check and Spin
  same setup as above (widen the gap between groups); B checks to C, receives and returns pass, spinning away and receiving a return through ball, laying the ball off to A. The same pattern is run where D checks to A.
  
  One of the benefits in doing some of these two man combs in groups of 4 players is that between the four of them, they ought to have at least one
  player that knows what to do. :-)

Exercise of the Day - The Wheel Deal

     This is a passing and moving exercise to encourage playing angled balls into the middle, then out wide. It can be used as a one touch or two touch exercise. Later, awareness of shape and adjustment to receiving positions can be addressed.

• Setup:
  
  6 players are positioned; one player is in the middle, four players are in a circle (like spokes in a wheel) or on the corners of a 25x25 gird; the sixth
  player has the ball near one of the outside players.
  
    5           4
  
  
  
  
           2
  
  
  
       o
    6 1          3
  
  
• Procedure:
  
  The player making the pass always moves to the position he passes to. The receiving player always passes to another player (never the one that he
  received the pass from).
  
• Patterns:
  
• pass to the middle (1-2), out wide (2-3), back to the middle (3-1), out wide (1-4), etc.
   
• pass to the middle (1-2), make a definitive turn with the ball and pass out wide (2-4), pass to the middle (4-1) etc.
   
• pass to the middle (1-2), out wide (2-3), square pass to another wide player (3-4), to the middle (4-1), out wide (1-5), square to another wide
  player (5-6), to the middle (6-4), etc.
   
• pass to the middle (1-2), out wide(2-3), long ball over the top of the middle player (3-5), to the middle (5-1), out wide (1-4), over the top
  (4-6), etc.
   
• same as above, except use ground pass as the over the top ball for the new middle man to dummy
  
• By making the grid longer than it is wide (20 x35) you can incorporate the
  imagery of drop passing and long through balls:
  
• using the diagram above where the long sides are 5 to 6 and 3 to 4
  
• 1 to 2 in the middle, 2 drops to 3, 3 plays long forward ball to 4 who plays the center (player 1 is the new middle player), to 5, long ball to 6, etc.
   
• same as above except play long diagonal ball over the top of the center (3 to 5)
   
• 1 executes a wall pass with 2 and plays to 5 (2 stays in the middle after the wall pass series); 5 to 2 as 5 moves into the middle; 2 to 4; 4 plays
  wall pass combo with 5 then plays to 3, to 2 to 6, etc.
  
• A must variation is that the players do not follow ball, but move away from the ball and exchange positions with another player. This is extremely
  important especially for the middle player to move wide and another outside player moving into the middle to "show" for the ball.
  
• If the number of players are not even, a 5 man group can be definitely be used. Here, the outside players need to rotate to keep a triangular shape,
  else the exercise will start to look like a semi-circle. Being forced to recognize the shape problem and make the adjustment is goodness, however.
  
• A 7 man group can also be used, but the exercise really starts to take the shape of a wheel or circle. It is possible that the extra players can be "in
  line" at one of the grid corners if it's important to keep that rectangle shape for a pattern

Exercise of the Day - 5v5v5 Transition

         Transition games often become one of the most requested training activities by players. Transition is the changing from an attacking mentality and execution to one of defense. Transition must be addressed as the third piece the other major topics of attack and defense. At some levels, set pieces would be the fourth major topic.

• Setup:
  Separate the players into three even numbered groups with pinnies; in this example we are using five. If the groups are at an odd number, then work the extra players in by trading off each time or identify a player that will stay on. Two large goals can be used with GKs or multiple small goals can be used on each end line. For 5 players the field should be at least 60x50.
  
• Procedure:
  Anytime the ball goes over a team's end line, that team comes off the field  and the waiting team enters on the attack. What was the attacking team now must transition into defense. A team stays on the field until the ball goes over their defended goal line. The other team should position their players around the field so they will be able to get into the attack regardless of which endline the ball goes over. The ball is restarted by the GK on the side the ball goes over putting the next ball back into play to the new team. Alternatively, the waiting team has a player at each end with a ball.  The one on the side the ball went over starts play by passing to a teammate or just dribbling in (attacking at speed, of course).
  
• Coaching Points: 
  The speed in which a player transitions into a different mode. Even the team that comes on after the ball goes out is transitioning from a rest state into the attack.
  
  The coach should constantly watch for: 
  players lagging back, not getting into (or paying attention to) a particular defensive shape, not trying to regain immediate possession of the ball or at least slowing down the attack until teammates have recovered, not attacking a vulnerable team at speed.
  
• Variation:
  Divide the field into three zones (e.g., 25x10x25); when a team loses the ball in their attacking third, they immediately stop play as the defending team attacks the waiting team in the other zone. The central zone can be used as a "haven" to regroup the attack without any defensive pressure. It
  can also be used as the place a team that has stolen the ball to get to before the attacking team drops off its pressure. When a ball goes over
  the goal line, the GK immediately distributes the ball to the defending team to attack the other team waiting at the far end.
  
• A variation of this could be to have only a halfway line (two zones). The attacking team that loses the ball can either stop playing or continue to try to get the ball back until the other team gets it over the halfway. Of course, the third team can start pressuring as soon as the ball crosses the halfway. This puts the team with ball in a quasi 5v10 situation.

Exercise of the Day--GK and the Low Cross

        Note: The "low cross" discussed below is defined for this topic as a ball that is played from the side near the opponents goalline and below head height.

       One of the biggest problems for a GK is the low cross, especially if the cross is angled back away from the goal.

       This type of pass is difficult to the GK for a couple of reasons. First, the GK is often trained to make the diving save across the goalmouth. On a low cross, the save must be made away from the goal, which takes the GK off his line.

       The next big problem is the cross itself. If the cross is moving away from the goal line, the GK must make the save on a ball moving away from him. This requires good timing, absolute commitment, and courage.

        To complicate matters, the GK has to deal with attackers that approach the ball at different angles to the GK. Normally, the GK faces the attacker(s).

        With the low cross, the attacker comes from the side or more often from behind the GK. A well timed near post run will usually beat a GK trying to guard the near post to the ball. The GK must be aware of and assess these runs in his decision to go out after the ball. 

        Not only are opponents a problem, but also the GK's teammates can get in the way. Many own goals have resulted from the low cross.

        Training to save this type of cross should start with the GK at the near post (NP). A server should play low hard balls from near the goalline. The server position should fluctuate from wide of to close to the NP. The angle of the cross should be from parallel to the goalline to a spot on the six extended from the NP (coach should decide the maximum angle). It is important that the GK see many different serves to assess which saves can be made and which can't.

        Technically, the GK should be near the NP on a line from the NP to the center of the goalmouth, 3-4 yards out. The GK's body should be in alignment with this line--in other words, he should not be facing the server, but slightly open to see both ball and as much of the field as possible. If a GK faces the ball, then he will be blind to the runs behind him.

         On the save, the GK should go out to meet the ball as its earliest point. This is very important on angled crosses as the later it takes the GK get to the ball, the further away the ball will be from the GK.  

        If the GK cannot make the save, he needs to adjust his movement to the ball, being at the 3-4 yard center mark as the ball crosses the center of the goal. Footwork to recover into a ready position is very important as the GK may take a quick step or two out before deciding the cross is unsavable.

         Progress the session to sending in near post runs from in front of the NP (where the GK can see the attacker). Then add NP runs from behind the GK
across the goalmouth. Add defenders at the NP and on the six that are to deflect the ball if they get a chance or until the GK calls them off.

        Lastly, add marking defenders on the NP attacking runs.

       The low near post cross or back angle cross is a killer ball to a defense and it is important that a GK is trained to recognize savable balls and to make the save.