8U Week 4 – Receiving & First Touch

1st PLAY PHASE (Intentional Free Play) DURATION: 18 min. - INTERVALS: 3 - ACTIVITY: 5 min. - REST: 1 min. OBJECTIVE: To pass or dribble past an opponent in order to score goals PLAYER ACTIONS: Pass or dribble forward ORGANIZATION: Divide your (25W x 35L) game field into two 15W x 25L fields with a small goal on each end line. When practice is scheduled to start & as soon as 2 players arrive, start playing a game. The game can start as 1v1. As players arrive, the game becomes 2v1, then 2v2 up to 3v3. KEY WORDS: go to goal, score GUIDED QUESTIONS: Once you have received the ball, what is the next action you want to take? Why is it important to shoot whenever you see an opening to goal? ANSWERS: Play forward and to goal whenever possible. You must shoot to score so look for the chances as often as possible. NOTES: Once 1 field is at 2v2, consider starting the second game. Once both fields are at 2v2, add arriving players to either game.

CORE ACTIVITY: 2 x 1v1 to End Zones DURATION: 20 min. - INTERVALS: 10 - ACTIVITY: 1 min. - REST: 1 min. C C OBJECTIVE: To pass or dribble past an opponent in order to score PLAYER ACTIONS: Pass or dribble forward ORGANIZATION: Divide your (25W x 35L) game field into two 15W x 25L fields with a 5-yard end zone on each end. One team starts with soccer balls behind one end zone & the other team starts behind the opposite end zone. On the coach’s command, 2 players with a soccer ball each enter the field and try to score in the opponent’s end zone. The team without soccer balls send 2 players onto the field to stop the attack & steal the ball to score in the dribbler’s end zone. Rules: both teams try to score in the opponent’s end zone by dribbling into the space. Defenders can only steal the ball outside of the end zone. Once 1 ball is scored or knocked out of play, the players can help their teammate to score the ball still in play. After 1 minute, the round is over. Players exit the field and the next players begin. All goals are worth 10 points. KEY WORDS: Find the opening, fake the defender GUIDED QUESTIONS: What can you do if there is an opening all the way to the end zone? How can you use your teammate to fake the defender? If you see an opening to the endzone, how can you dribble the fastest? ANSWERS: Dribble the ball toward the end zone to score. Swing your leg toward the ball without hitting it so the defender thinks you are passing to your teammate. Then dribble to the end zone. By pointing your toe down & making a fist with it. Then push the ball in front of you with your laces & run onto the ball. Note: Encourage the attacker in the 1v1 at the beginning then, if it occurs, encourage the decisions of the attacking team of 2. Switch ends after 5 rounds.

2nd. PLAY PHASE: The Game – 4v4 C