AGES 13 TO 14 - WEEK SIX

Drill 1 - Shooting from Central and Wide Angles

Warm Up:
Refer to the “Warm Up” section for a variety of fun warm up activities for your team. Use a combination of exercises “with” and “without” the ball. Relate the warm up to the skill of the day. Be creative, energetic, and make the warm-up a fun start to the practice session.

Exercise Objectives:
This practice is designed to improve the player’s technical ability in a variety of shooting techniques.

Field Preparation
Large group of players
Penalty Area
Full Size Goals
Cones or Flag poles
Supply of Balls
Colored Bibs

Coaching Pointers:
A group of players are placed at the edge of the penalty area. Two servers are positioned each side of the goal. One server passes the ball to the edge of the box for the shooter to hit first time. Immediately after shooting the ball, the second server delivers a short-range pass at an angle from the goal, for the shooter to strike. After taking both shots, the shooter returns to his staring position and joins the end of the line.

Coach should keep track of goals scored and make a competition amongst the shooters.

The coach should emphasize the following coaching points:

The emphasis should be placed on "accuracy" and not power.
Players should time their runs so that they do not have to break stride when striking the ball.
Remember to keep the head steady and eyes fixed firmly on the ball.

Encourage players to use a variety of shooting techniques such as the low driven shot, the chip shot, the lofted shot and bent shot etc.

Drill 2 - 1 v 1 Knock out Game

Exercise Objectives:
This practice is designed to improve a wide variety of shooting techniques while under pressure.

Field Preparation
Large group of players
Penalty Area
Full Size Goals
Cones or Flag poles
Supply of Balls
Colored Bibs

Coaching Pointers:
Players are divided into pairs and placed on the end line at opposite sides of the goal. Each pair is assigned a number.

The goalkeeper starts the practice by serving the ball out towards the edge of the penalty area.

On distributing the ball, the goalkeeper calls out a number such as 1, 2, 3, or 4 etc. The pair selected then run out to the ball.

First player to get to the ball becomes the attacker, the second acts as the defender. The defender must attempt to win the ball, and the attacker tries to score. The defender becomes the attacker if they can win possession. After a shot is taken, both players return to their starting positions.

Coach should keep track of goals scored and make a competition amongst the players.

The coach should emphasize the following coaching points:

The emphasis should be placed on "accuracy" and not power.
Encourage attackers to run at the defenders with speed.
Keep the tempo high and at match pace.

Encourage players to use a variety of shooting techniques such as the low driven shot, the chip shot, the lofted shot and bent shot etc.

Progression:
This practice can be developed to play, 2 v 2, 3 v 3 etc.

Drill 3 - The Shooting Race

Exercise Objectives:
This practice is designed to improve the player’s technical ability in a variety of shooting techniques under speed.

Field Preparation
Large group of players
Half Field
Full Size Goals
Cones or Flag poles
Supply of Balls
Colored Bibs

Coaching Pointers:
A group of players with a ball each are placed at opposite goals. Two goalkeepers are positioned in goal. Identify groups using colored bibs. A cone is placed in the middle of the goals. On the coaches command, the first player from each group dribbles around the cone and has to score as quickly as possible. The first player to score wins a point for their team. After shooting, players join the end of their group. The practice is then repeated by the next players in line. Coach should keep track of goals scored and make a competition amongst the teams.

The coach should emphasize the following coaching points:

Be alert to the coaches command.
Dribble quickly.
The emphasis should be placed on accuracy and power.
Remember to keep the head steady and eyes fixed firmly on the ball.

Encourage players to use a variety of shooting techniques such as the chip, lofted, low driven and bent shot.

Drill 4 - Survivor

Exercise Objectives:
This practice is designed to improve the player’s technical ability in a variety of long and close range shooting techniques with an emphasis on 1 v 1, 2 v 2, and 3 v 3 confrontations.

Field Preparation
Large group of players
Area 30 x 30 yards
Full Size Goals
Cones or Flag poles
Supply of Balls
Colored Bibs

Coaching Pointers:
Divide group into two teams and position each team in a goal. The coach is positioned to the side of the field with
a supply of balls.

Players in each team are designated a number 1 through 4. The practice starts when the coach serves a ball into the playing area and calls out a number. The player who's number is called come onto the field and challenges for possession. The object is for the player who wins the ball to try and score as quickly as possible. The defender must try to stop him. Should the defender win the ball, the roles are then reversed.

When the ball goes out of play or the coach calls a new number both players must sprint back to their original positions. They are not allowed to touch the ball after the numbers are changed. Coach should keep track of goals scored and make a competition amongst the teams.

The coach should emphasize the following coaching points:

Attack defender with a commitment. Use a change of direction and speed.
Demand "realistic" defending, Go after the ball and try to win it.
The emphasis should be placed on "accuracy" and not power when shooting.

Encourage players to use a variety of shooting techniques such as the low driven shot, the chip shot, the lofted shot and bent shot etc.

Progression:
This practice is developed by playing 2 v 2, and 3 v 3.

Small-Sided Game (with goalkeepers)

Exercise Objectives:
Finish with small sided game 6 v 6, 7 v 7 (with Goalkeepers). The practice should be concluded with a small-sided game reinforcing the coaching points from your drills.

Field Preparation
Entire Group (split into two equal teams)
Area 40 x 60 yards
Use Small Goals, Cones or Flag poles
Supply of Balls
Colored Bibs

Coaching Pointers:

Divide the players into two equal teams with goalkeepers.
Each field should be approximately 40 yards x 60 yards.
Use corner flags or cones as goals.
Total time, 20-30 minutes.
At the end of your session, review all coaching points made during the practice.

Record Score:

Team 1_________________ v Team 2 _________________

At the end of your session, review all coaching points made during the practice.

Schedule

Week One
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six
Week Seven
Week Eight
Week Nine
Week Ten
Week Eleven
Week Twelve

Download Season Manual