Talk On The Pitch: Recent Posts

Talk On The Pitch: Recent Posts http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Talk On The Pitch: Recent Posts en Sun, 26 May 2013 06:27:01 +0000 Anonymous on "Session Plans" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/session-plans#post-223 Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:48:20 +0000 Anonymous 223@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Just found a great website for coaching this past Summer. Has some lesson plans and other tips. Really worked well with my U10 team this season, number 1 seed in the playoffs baby! Check it out <a href="http://blog.unitedsocceracademy.com/2011/09/ball-mastery-turns-moves-1-changing.html" rel="nofollow">http://blog.unitedsocceracademy.com/2011/09/ball-mastery-turns-moves-1-changing.html</a> Anonymous on "2011 NYC Mayor's Cup Soccer All-Star Games" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/2011-nyc-mayors-cup-soccer-all-star-games#post-221 Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:07:30 +0000 Anonymous 221@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ The NYC Mayor’s Cup Soccer All-Star Games will bring together the best boys and girls soccer players from the city’s public, Catholic and independent high schools for two days of exciting action! The games will take place at Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn, beginning on Saturday, November 19th with the public school all-stars against the Catholic school all-stars. On Sunday, November 20th, the public school all-stars will take on the independent school all-stars for a chance to hoist the NYC Mayor’s Cup trophy. Admission is free for all spectators so don’t miss this opportunity to see the sport’s future stars compete against each other for the title of Best in the City! Schedule: Saturday, November 19 11:00 A.M. – CHSAA Girls vs. PSAL Girls 1:00 P.M. – CHSAA Boys vs. PSAL Boys *The CHSAA is only able to play on Saturday so they will not be eligible to compete for the NYC Mayor’s Cup Championship Sunday, November 20- Championship Games 11:00 A.M. –Independent School Girls vs. PSAL Girls 1:00 P.M. – Independent School Boys vs. PSAL Boys For more information, including a full schedule and team rosters, please visit <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nycmayorscup" rel="nofollow">www.facebook.com/nycmayorscup</a> nerevfan on "Punishment for not winning a match" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/punishment-for-not-winning-a-match#post-214 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:08:41 +0000 nerevfan 214@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ And this improves the team how? nerevfan on "no goals at practice field" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/no-goals-at-practice-field#post-213 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:37:11 +0000 nerevfan 213@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Hi, My town has a great soccer complex that is only available on gamedays. All the other fields are just that - fields. There are no soccer fields and no goals available. What suggestions do you have for me ? I coach U8's and U10's. thanks! Anonymous on "Play time in U10" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/play-time-in-u10#post-210 Sun, 29 May 2011 19:14:16 +0000 Anonymous 210@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ We play for a pretty competitive club in SoCal, one of our teams is going to nationals. At age U12 and below, soccer playing time (50% of each game) is guaranteed. I believe you either need to get your daughter a private trainer so she can get more playing time, or get a better club. Your club seems way too focused on winning when they should instead be focused on your daughter's development as a player. You have 8 more years to worry about winning before college admissions - right now your club should be focusing on development. Anonymous on "Play time in U10" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/play-time-in-u10#post-178 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:53:00 +0000 Anonymous 178@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Still the original poster: I thought maybe I should add that this is our oldest child, thus the first time we've gotten to this level. Our daughter has always loved soccer. She's well-behaved and she responds well to criticism. She was so proud when she made this team, but we had no idea that at age nine, the kids would be divided into players and subs. I looked up our soccer club's guidelines, and they suggest that each player play 40% of the game. However, play time is at the discretion of the coach. Is it common for a U10 team to have four players who are only played the absolute minimum? Why have twelve players on the team, then? Does it make any sense to approach the coach? I don't want to be seen as complainers, and I'm sure we can't change his philosophy, so maybe the best thing is to just tell him we're switching her. We will lose money for switching, and probably will have to pay for the new team, too, but our daughter will be playing soccer. Also, the coach only subs the offense--the defensive players are the ones who play the whole game, so if we switch, our daughter will presumably get to play some defense, too. Any replies would be appreciated . . . our whole family puts so much into soccer, and it's hard when your child isn't thriving. Anonymous on "Play time in U10" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/play-time-in-u10#post-177 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 00:21:40 +0000 Anonymous 177@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Our daughter's U10 travel team has 12 players. Five of them play the entire game in the same positions, three play half of the game, and the last four sub for the three. Our daughter plays 7 minutes in each half. We've been to every practice and game, their trainer is great, and our daughter has many friends on the team. But how much is she going to improve by sitting on the bench, and how much is her confidence going to suffer? When people ask her what position she plays, she says, "I'm a sub." Her team is the A team. Should we move her to the B team? Should we talk to the coach first? Our most important goal is to send her on her way to a life-long love of athletics. Thanks for any advice or experience you may have. Anonymous on "Soccer Drills" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/soccer-drills#post-175 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 11:27:22 +0000 Anonymous 175@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Do any of you have your kids wearing CUSTOM fit mouth guards? The statistics on youth sports injuries is staggering. Concussions are a major concern and being the lead topic of conversation for parents and coaches. The new research suggests concussions at any age leads to the early onset of dementia/memory loss. A well fitting CUSTOM mouth guard will give your child the best protection against dental/facial damage, that may cause extremely high dental bills, as well as some protection of concussion. The athlete should want to wear it. It should be comfortable as well as “coooool”. Chech this out <a href="http://www.gamouthguards.com" rel="nofollow">www.gamouthguards.com</a> Anonymous on "Play time in U13 Competitive League" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/play-time-in-u13-competitive-league#post-174 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 11:25:56 +0000 Anonymous 174@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Do any of you have your kids wearing CUSTOM fit mouth guards? The statistics on youth sports injuries is staggering. Concussions are a major concern and being the lead topic of conversation for parents and coaches. The new research suggests concussions at any age leads to the early onset of dementia/memory loss. A well fitting CUSTOM mouth guard will give your child the best protection against dental/facial damage, that may cause extremely high dental bills, as well as some protection of concussion. The athlete should want to wear it. It should be comfortable as well as “coooool”. Chech this out <a href="http://www.gamouthguards.com" rel="nofollow">www.gamouthguards.com</a> Anonymous on "Pros and Cons of starting U10 Travel Teams" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/pros-and-cons-of-starting-u10-travel-teams#post-173 Sat, 06 Nov 2010 11:24:42 +0000 Anonymous 173@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Do any of you have your kids wearing CUSTOM fit mouth guards? The statistics on youth sports injuries is staggering. Concussions are a major concern and being the lead topic of conversation for parents and coaches. The new research suggests concussions at any age leads to the early onset of dementia/memory loss. A well fitting CUSTOM mouth guard will give your child the best protection against dental/facial damage, that may cause extremely high dental bills, as well as some protection of concussion. The athlete should want to wear it. It should be comfortable as well as “coooool”. Chech this out <a href="http://www.gamouthguards.com" rel="nofollow">www.gamouthguards.com</a> Anonymous on "Is our coach a genius; or way off base" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/is-our-coach-a-genius-or-way-off-base#post-167 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 13:04:21 +0000 Anonymous 167@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ We play soccer in an 8v8 game i'ts a u12 division. Our coach runs a 1-1-3-2 formation; that would be sweeper, stopper, midfeiders, forwards. We can not stop teams from scoring. Has anyone else seen this formation? Anonymous on "College recruitment advice" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/college-recruitment-advice#post-164 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 15:49:15 +0000 Anonymous 164@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ I am new to the college recruitment process and while researching I came across the following website: <a href="http://www.soccerscholarshipguide.com." rel="nofollow">www.soccerscholarshipguide.com.</a> This guide seems like it contains all the information I am looking for, but I am not sure if it is a scam. Has anyone ever purchased this? Please let me know! Anonymous on "Play time in U13 Competitive League" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/play-time-in-u13-competitive-league#post-163 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:53:37 +0000 Anonymous 163@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ There are lots of factors to consider: The ratio of training to games should be 2 or 3 to 1..so do you think the training sessions are developing you son's skills? At this age (assuming 6th or 7th grade?), the focus is still on ball mastery so quality training sessions are crucial. What is the ultimate objective/desire of your son? Is it to play at higher level of school competition? Club/ODP route? Get a college scholarship? Just to play? Seeing limited playing time is not fun, but if this is just an ends to some higher level goal, then training with good coaches and with skilled players with limited playing against high quality teams may be better than lots of playing against weaker players and training with lesser skilled kids. What is the caliber of the club? Is it a local travel team or a more regional select team? Some clubs just take kids to fill out the roster (and $$), while others only accept kids they know have the potential to play. At U13, my feeling is the non-starters should still be seeing around 25% playing time (8-10 min shift per half)..4 min spot shifts are not that helpful..but you have to be realistic about the players' skill level, importance of tournament, emphasis on winning, etc. Our local club has a 25% playing rule for U-12 and up..equal for U10 and below..but the U12 rule goes out the window for state/regionals..the premier clubs make no promises on playing time.. Anonymous on "Youth Soccer Academy Video" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/youth-soccer-academy-video#post-162 Sun, 23 May 2010 22:43:39 +0000 Anonymous 162@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Hi everyone, I just want to advertise a video about our youth soccer academy in Portugal, where you'll see some highlights we selected from a "1 week intensive training program" course we've made recently. These represent a great chance for young players to develop their skills and talents, and i think you'll be surprised on how fast some kids can improve in such a small period of time. So here it goes: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du6Vd9auTOQ" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du6Vd9auTOQ</a> Any feedbacks will be appreciated of course. Soccer Dad on "Injury Etiquette" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/injusry-etiquette#post-161 Thu, 20 May 2010 09:08:47 +0000 Soccer Dad 161@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ I think many people do see that as bad sportsmanship - ie that you're ignoring the injured player (or even worse injured a player to get a time out) It's a perception thing. I'll admit on occasion I've quietly spoken to a player near the sideline during an injury. But that's about it. And if the injury happens in an opponent's end of the field, my players are instructed not to contest the drop. Often in situations like this it is much more about managing perceptions than it is about intentions. Anonymous on "Injury Etiquette" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/injusry-etiquette#post-160 Wed, 19 May 2010 14:31:33 +0000 Anonymous 160@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ When a player on the other team is injured, is it OK to call your team towards the sideline and have a word with them. I did this during our last match with my U12 team and the parents of the opposing squad thought we did not show good sportsmanship (according to the comments my wife heard on the sidelines). I did have my goalie (who was involved in the injury play) go over and shake the hand of the kid that was injured as he returned to his position. joelmaners on "Play time in U13 Competitive League" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/play-time-in-u13-competitive-league#post-159 Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:53:50 +0000 joelmaners 159@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Sounds like you need to find a team whose goals are to develop each of the player's skills. It sounds like a team that is primarily interested in winning games for the glory of a few select players. Which is better, to play the game or warm the bench of a winning team? How you answer that determines what you will choose to do. joelmaners on "Punishment for not winning a match" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/punishment-for-not-winning-a-match#post-158 Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:49:29 +0000 joelmaners 158@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Just ask yourself, does this seem like an exercise to correct deficiencies or improve skills, or is this just a coach lashing out his frustrations on the team to make himself feel better. Who's need is being met here? Anonymous on "Play time in U13 Competitive League" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/play-time-in-u13-competitive-league#post-145 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:18:19 +0000 Anonymous 145@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ What is a realistic expectation for game playing time for a U13 select team? My son is on a competitive team with a roster of 17. During a 2-day, 3 game tournament, six players each had 11% or less play time over the entire tournament (1st game - 4 mins; 2nd game - 4-6 mins; 3rd game: 8-15 mins). A decision was recently made to withdraw the team from our current league (where these same 6 players saw substantially more play time) to a more challenging league. I am worried these players will see even less play time, but am trying to educate myself on realistic playing-time expectations. Any thoughts? Anonymous on "Join Us at Youth Soccer Talk" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/join-us-at-youth-soccer-talk#post-144 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:38:44 +0000 Anonymous 144@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ New York, New Jersey and PA's Premier Site for Youth Soccer Talk Youth Soccer Talk offers an open forum where adults and children over age 13 can post information and opinions about issues related to youth soccer in NJ, NY and PA. Our goal is to be the primary resource for navigating the waters of youth soccer. Poster or reader, we hope you'll continue to enjoy this forum but also join us at <a href="http://youthsoccertalk.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">http://youthsoccertalk.blogspot.com/</a> Anonymous on "Keeping players motivated when the team has lost a series of games" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/keeping-players-motivated-when-the-team-has-lost-a-series-of-games#post-143 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:55:56 +0000 Anonymous 143@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ This article is helpful if you're a youth soccer coach and you want to keep your players motivated and positive despite maybe being in the middle of a losing streak. My team has been through a number of set-backs and sometimes the mental attitude is the hardest problem to deal with. I'd be interested to hear if other people think these tips are relevant. Tips to keep your players motivated despite a losing streak Every soccer (football) team - no matter how good - will at some stage go through a losing streak and, as the coach, it's your job to keep players motivated, prevent demoralisation setting in and help the team cope with defeat constructively. Losing a series of games can have a far-reaching impact on youngsters' attitudes and performance in both training and subsequent matches. In youth games, losing often means heads drop, more goals are let in and your young players' self-belief and confidence flies out the window. What happens then is that players are less likely to turn up for your soccer training sessions or turn up with a less than positive attitude towards training. Tips to help players cope with defeat As a soccer (football) coach there are various ways you can turn attitudes around when your team has been losing. You need to work hard to boost morale and help the players through periods when they lose and give them a reason to keep working at their skills and drills. It's a question of attitude for you and your players. When the team loses, think carefully about your praise/criticism ratio and concentrate on: PRAISING individuals who have played well despite the team losing. PRAISING particular occasions in games when a player has done something good. PRAISING players who have tried to continue playing well despite being a lot of goals behind. PRAISING the individuals who try and encourage the rest of the team to step up a gear even though they are losing. Constructive coaching The other discussion to have with your young players is about how they have the ability to put everything right the next week. Get them thinking constructively about how they played in the latest match and what they need to do to put any mistakes right in the next match. Give them a long-term aim to go for and put their 'few defeats' in the context of the bigger picture. Finally explain, in a diplomatic way, what went wrong in the game and how with hard work in soccer training and teamwork they can put it right. Key soccer coaching tip Remember this is a sport where you can often learn more when you lose than when you win... For more soccer (football) coaching tips and advice on helping motivate young players, click here. <a href="http://www.bettersoccercoaching.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.bettersoccercoaching.com</a> jmingus on "Goal of the Year" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/goal-of-the-year#post-140 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:44:20 +0000 jmingus 140@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ At the last game of the season, my U13s played the 2nd place team (we were in 6th place). First half was scoreless with my team hitting the post twice. The first 13 minutes of the 2nd half were a shooting gallery against my goalie. Then my mids popped one to midfield to my striker who was standing their all by herself behind the last defender but on our side of the field. She took the ball in once motion and proceeded to carry it all the way to goal, before burying it past the keeper. It was the prettiest run I'd seen my team make all season. Soccer Dad on "training your kid?" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/training-your-kid#post-139 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:34:44 +0000 Soccer Dad 139@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Some thoughts... No laps - kids can get conditioning from drills where they have a ball at their feet Maximum ball touches. Everything should involve lots of touches on the ball. Here's a warmup we use with our travel team to emphasize ball touches: Everything was done from one touchline to the other, so 70ish yards. But can certainly be less. Put foot on ball and roll it forward/backward with ball of foot. Now try rolling it left/right so you're touching the ball almost with the side of the cleat from left to right. Good building block skill. How fast can you do it. Can you do it without looking at the ball? Inside/Outside. With right foot, touch the ball with the inside then the outside of the foot every step. Right foot cannot touch ground without touching the ball first. Repeat for left foot Ring the bell/Tic-Tocs - Touch the ball with right foot then left - no foot touches ground without touching the ball first. Don't swing feet sideways - focus on lifting knees nad making quick touches on the ball. Toe taps - always a great warmup (tap ball with bottom of each foot while pretty much hopping) Rolling - face direction your'e going with left shoulder. Pull ball towards your body with right foot by dragging cleats across top of the ball. Keep ball behind you but try to keep ball moving -body is going sideways (lead with your shoulder) So always pull the ball towards the front of your body from the side. Tricky at first, but great ball skill to use for more advanced stuff later Juggling juggling juggling. Helps develop a soft touch Quick pass - into a wall or hard surface. See how many times he can bounce the ball off the wall, standing a yard or so away, in 2 minutes. Try to do better each time. Passing with you - always good. Always be moving as you pass vs standing still. 1v1 is ALWAYS a good thing. Throw a cone/bucket in the ground and defend it while he tries to hit it with the ball. Try to keep it fun. Much of what I describe here is boring on teh surface (thus we use it mainly for warmups, etc) but you can craft challegnes/scoring/etc around much of this. There are tons of other drills. Check out <a href="http://soccerxpert.com/" rel="nofollow">http://soccerxpert.com/</a> Soccer Dad on "Slow start to games" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/slow-start-to-games#post-138 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:27:06 +0000 Soccer Dad 138@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ I think this can be a common problem. My 96 girls team suffered from this. In 3rd Division, they were often the better team and knew it. So they'd play down to the level of an opponent for the first half. Then in the 2nd they'd score a bunch and be done with it. Drove us crazy. So we moved them up to 2nd Division. That freaked them out - none believed they were ready - so they played scared. But still, this past season, every single match we played except for two, the score was 0-1 at halftime. Was bizarre. Then the wheels would usually come off. That said, I've had to deal with the same exact thing with a couple of my strongest players. Probably my most dangerous scoring threat often starts flat. So we started her on defense for the 1st Half. She had no choice but to play hard and by the time we moved her up front in the 2nd half, she was chomping at the bit. So maybe explain to the 'starters' that they aren't going to start until they start to show intensity from the beginning. May work, may not. Never did for my team, but may for yours. Girls soccer teams = amazingly complex puzzles :) I wish I had better advice, but I'm still trying to figure it out - haven't yet. Anonymous on "training your kid?" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/training-your-kid#post-137 Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:11:51 +0000 Anonymous 137@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ My son has been bugging me for a couple of years to let him play in the AYSO soccer program (he's 8). I've finally said ok, but because the next season doesn't start for a couple months, he wants me to start teaching him now. So, we've done a few practices over the last week, but all I recall from organized soccer as a kid was that we ran a lot. I played a season of adult soccer, but never really knew what I was doing, and we didn't practice much. We start out with him doing a few laps around the field, then some sprinting, then bob and weave around cones I set up about 5 feet apart. Then I have him practice dribbling around the field, then he and I run passing drills between cones, then we do some mock soccer play. It's truly the blind leading the blind here. Actually, since he does play soccer at school once or twice a week (not organized soccer, just pick up games during recess, etc), it's more like the blind leading the visually impaired. Advice? -Charles Anonymous on "Slow start to games" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/slow-start-to-games#post-135 Sat, 03 Oct 2009 20:17:08 +0000 Anonymous 135@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ I've been having a terrible time getting my U-10 girls to start a game effectively. In five games so far this year we've yet to score first but have come from behind to win four out of five. I've changed our pregame warm-up, given motivational speeches and even started a line-up of my most intense players even though they weren't the best players. Any experience with this or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Anonymous on "Soccer Drills" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/soccer-drills#post-131 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:36:03 +0000 Anonymous 131@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Rec season is almost here. I hope these drills help the parent/coach. <a href="http://www.learnsoccerdrills.com" rel="nofollow">www.learnsoccerdrills.com</a> INDIVIDUAL & 1v1 SOCCER DRILLS v1.7 Newsletter U6-U7-U8 Individual & 1v1 Soccer Drill: This soccer drill will be run at center field around the outside of the circle. If you do not have access to the center of a field then create a large circle with cones. If your team consists of 10 players or less then have them do the following. Dribble around the outside of the circle in the same direction. When you blow the whistle have each player dribble directly across the circle to the other side. The purpose of this soccer drill is to avoid hitting another player or their soccer ball. In order to do this the players are going to need to learn to dribble the soccer ball with their head up, looking at where they are going. I like to run this soccer drill several time, alternating how the players dribble. For example, the first time have them use only their right food, second time their left foot, third time the outside of their foot, or inside...so on and so on. Alter as you see fit, but emphasize keeping their head up and the ball close to them. They should also be moving at a pace, not walking, not running but somewhere in between. If your group is larger that 10 players then number them 1 & 2 and then call out the number and only that group dribbles across the circle. Learning to dribble with their head up will play a big role in the future development of the player. It provides field vision for passing, dribbling, putting moves and much more. U6-U7-U8 Individual & 1v1 Soccer Drill: This soccer drill is designed to have the players dribble the ball while looking up. They should also focus on keeping the ball close to them while moving quickly. Have the players line up on a side line, each with a ball and facing towards the other side line. They should have at least 7 yards between them so they do not run into each other. As the coach you will be about 30 yards in front of them and will be required to run backwards towards the other sideline. Have the players begin dribbling at a good pace while keeping the ball close. You will raise your hand and the players will need to repeat the number of fingers you are holding up. If you see players dribbling and the ball getting too far in front of them then yell "FREEZE" and the ball will roll away from them. They should be able to stop the ball when you say freeze. If they can not stop the ball, simply point out that if the ball is getting away from you then you do not have control which increases the chances of it being taken from you. Continue all the way to the other side line and have them turn around, where your assistant will be waiting to do the same thing the other way. I like to run this soccer drill several times. Once they get the concept of control and freeze, tell them you are going to call out a particular type of move, like a dip or cut (see other drills for examples), at which time you will want them to do the move, but also that they need to keep their head up to call out the number of fingers you are holding up. Point out that the reason you want them to have control is because without control of the ball it would be impossible to attempt a move. U9-U10 Individual & 1v1 Soccer Drill: This is a 1v1 soccer drill designed to work on both offense and defense, while promoting aggressiveness. Set up a goal with cones. The goal should be about 5 yards wide. Players should form two lines about 30 or 40 yards from the goal. The lines should be facing the goal and roughly 5 yards from each other. Please note, as a coach you are going to want evaluate your players by skill level and have them match up against a player of similar skill. If you have a large group then create two sets of goals so you can have more players going at one time. One player will start with the ball (designate right or left) and they will be the offensive player, the second player will be the defensive player. The goal of this soccer drill is to have the player dribble and score, while the other player tries to take the ball. If the defensive player does get the ball then he/she then becomes the offensive player and tries to score, while the other player becomes defensive. This soccer drill could play out over an extended time, but I encourage you to let it go until they score or it goes out of bounce. Have the players switch lines when they return. Emphasize to the players that this is practice and they should be working on individual moves, shielding the ball with their body (see other drills) and defensive pressure. They have nothing to lose...it is practice. Anonymous on "Soccer Drills" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/soccer-drills#post-130 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 19:54:30 +0000 Anonymous 130@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ <a href="http://www.learnsoccerdrills.com" rel="nofollow">www.learnsoccerdrills.com</a> JUGGLING SOCCER DRILLS v1.6 Newsletter U7-U8-U9 Soccer Juggling Drill: Juggling is an under-rated soccer skill in my opinion. It something the kids can do at practice, on their own at home or school and even in groups. Juggling a soccer ball will add soccer touch, soccer coordination, ball control and awareness of the soccer ball in relation to a players body. As a coach, introducing this early to a player is fun because you will be the first to see a difference on the feel in terms touch and control. To teach the basics there are a few key points to communicate to the group. 1. The goal of control and touch, which means we are not trying to kick or hit the ball high into the air because this is the opposite of control. We want the soccer ball to not touch the ground while the player continues to hit in the air in a controlled manner. 2. Any part of the players body can be used except the hands. Feet, thighs, head and even the chest can be used. 3. Let the players know it is not easy and takes time. Set a base number at first (2, 3 or 4). Each player will be different. 4. Let the players know there is going to be a challenge as the year goes on. Rewards for achievements. These goals will need to be set by you as the coach and will vary based on the age and skill of the kids. For example, demonstrating 5 juggles the player gets a sticker on their bag, 10 a pin, 15 a red marble and so on. I have seen coaches use different colored beads tied to the players bag to indicate how many juggles have been achieved. The players will start to take pride in this and practice on their own. You can also break this up into number of juggles by feet only, head or thigh only. You will be surprised how quickly the number will start to increase, and you will also quickly be able to tell which players that are practicing on their own. Keep pushing them and challenging them. Have an ultimate reward of a metal or trophy. You will see a difference on the field. Spread the team out and have them start using their thigh. Help them and show them that they do not want the ball to go above their eyes. How many can they do. Maybe write it down and see if they beat it next practice. Move to feet only. This will be a little tougher. They should try to keep the ball below their belly button, but explain if for some reason it does go higher then use the upper thigh to regain control to drop it back down to their feet. Again, how many, challenge them to get to five or higher. After you this, explain why juggling is important and that you will be implementing a rewards program. This soccer drill will teach valuable basics that will serve the player well throughout their soccer playing days. Professional players still juggle today. Touch and control are a huge part of the game so practice as much as you can. U9-U10-U11 Soccer Juggling Drill: Pair players up and have them juggle as a team. They should be using their head in this drill, as well as feet, thighs and chest. Make a competition of it. A single player should try to get it back to the other player in one touch, but realistically this sometimes can not happen so allow each player touch it twice before passing, but only one time. If a 2nd time occurs then the count stops. This soccer drill will really start to teach control because they are not just trying to place the ball with touch to themselves, but place it another player. Point out good spots to set your partner up, like the the thigh or head. If the two touch rule is too much, then remove it. This should be fun. U11-U12-U13 PLUS Soccer Juggling Drill: This is a tough one. Find a tennis court you can use and tell the player to bring their turf shoes because they are going to play soccer volleyball. This drill is good on a hot day when you want to limit running and have some fun. Split the team up into two teams, equally. Note: I have seen this played with as little as one person on each team, so the number really should not matter, but remember to adjust the size of the court based on the number of players. This is just like volleyball. Serve by dropping the ball to a players foot and kicking it over the net. Each player can only touch the ball one time and the goal is to get it back over to the other side without it hitting the ground. Players can use anything but their hands. I also run a variation of this soccer drill where the ball can bounce one time. Let the players know they should try to score by setting up their team mates in a way they can drive the ball down to the ground. A good example might be a header (see heading drills) driving the ball down. They should also look to place the ball with touch to an open space. Anonymous on "Soccer Drills" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/soccer-drills#post-129 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:35:33 +0000 Anonymous 129@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ <a href="http://www.learnsoccerdrills.com" rel="nofollow">www.learnsoccerdrills.com</a> HEADING SOCCER DRILLS v1.5 Newsletter U7-U8-U9 Soccer Heading Drill: Heading drills can be a challenge for young soccer players, so before going into an actual soccer heading drill I would recommend discussing some basics. 1. Getting in position to head the soccer ball. Discuss moving so the player is facing the ball and their body is directly in front of the soccer ball. 2. Keeping your eye on the soccer ball all the way to the forehead - it will be tough, but they should really try to keep their eyes open all the way in to the point of contact. 3. Contact should occur at the upper front part of the forehead, not on top or the side. 4. If possible, they should be trying to strike the soccer ball with their head by moving the head back and then forward. It is a soccer timing skill. The point here is as they gain confidence they should not just be standing and waiting for the ball to hit their head. The below soccer drill will help emphasize this. A good soccer heading drill to get the basics down is to split players up into partners with each two person team having a single ball. Have one player sit on the ground with their legs straight out. The other player should then stand in front of them (about 2-3 yards). The player standing should lightly throw the soccer ball under handed towards the player sitting. The throw should be a little short so the player has to move towards the ball to hit with their head, rather than waiting for the soccer ball to hit their head. This is a good starting soccer drill for headers. Once you feel the players have the basics then do the same drill except this time instead of sitting have the player rest on their knees. Again, throw the soccer ball short so the player must lunge or lean into hit. They can cushion themselves from hitting the ground by extending their hands to the ground (almost like a push up). For the players you feel are advanced, challenge them to direct the ball to the left or right of the thrower. Again, this soccer drill will teach them to move forward to the ball and keep their eyes open. U9-U10-U11 Soccer Heading Drill: This soccer heading drill will teach directional heading. Split the players up into groups of three with each group having one soccer ball. They should form a triangle with each player being about 5-7 yards apart. One player is going to be the heading person and facing the other two, one player will be tossing the ball towards that player. When the soccer ball is tossed towards the heading player they should lean back and head the ball at the third player. They should be striking the ball with their head, redirecting it towards the receiving player. Repeat the process 10 times and then switch players so that everyone gets a chance to head the soccer ball. This is a good soccer heading drill and should move quickly. Once the header is received by the player they should be throwing it back to be headed again. Emphasize putting some power into it and on target. You can even tell players to mix it up by heading some to the ground at the players feet, and then others up high. Challenge them. Also, have the receiving player trap the ball. It is good practice. Anonymous on "Soccer Drills" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/soccer-drills#post-128 Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:12:11 +0000 Anonymous 128@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Just sent this out and wanted to add it to this post. Hope it helps. Newsletter Vol. 1.4 <a href="http://www.learnsoccerdrills.com" rel="nofollow">www.learnsoccerdrills.com</a> TRAPPING/RECEIVING SOCCER DRILLS Newsletter U6-U7 Soccer Trapping & Receiving Drill: Have the players form 2-3 lines, depending on the number of players and coaches. You want to keep the lines small (3-4 players). A coach is going to stand about 7-10 yards from the players in line, facing them. Have the coach roll the soccer ball at the player, and the player should then trap the ball with their foot. They can either trap it by using the bottom of their foot or receive it with the inside of their foot. In either case the goal of this soccer drill is to gain control of the soccer ball so it rests on the ground in front of them. The key to this soccer drill is to start by rolling the ball at the player. Once they understand the basic concept explain that you are now going to roll the ball not just right at them but possibly to either side, at which point they will need to move into position to trap or receive the soccer ball. This soccer drill will teach the basics of moving into position to properly trap and receive a ball on the ground. Once received the player can pass the ball back to the coach and go to the rear of the line. The 2nd phase to this drill is to move closer (5 yards) and now throw the ball lightly at the players feet (do not bounce but loft it gently so it heads toward their foot in a arcing manner). They should be able to trap the soccer ball to the ground by watching it closely and then placing their foot on top of the soccer ball right as it hits the ground, trapping it between their foot and the ground. Use your best judgment to determine if your players are ready for this. At this age it can be tough to trap to the ground from the air but it is good to at least introduce it to them. It is a timing issue to trap the ball from the air to the ground, so try practicing this for 10 minutes a session and you will start to see a difference. U8, U9 & U10 Soccer Trapping & Receiving Drill: This is one of my favorite soccer drills for this age because you can do it as a team practice or individually. I still take my sons and daughter out and do this with them. Split the players up into two groups if you have a lot of them. You will need to have a Goal/Net for each group. Also, you have a choice to use an actual goal keeper (good practice for them) or you as a coach can be in goal. Have the players line up about half way between midfield and the goal, facing the goal. They can be further from the goal if you want, depending on how far you want to send the ball to them. The coach will be in goal, or by the keeper with a stack all of the soccer balls. As the coach you are either going to roll the ball hard at the player, or send the ball in a high arcing manner at the player (simulating a kick). The player will then trap the ball by using either their chest, bottom of the foot or inside of his foot, maybe even their thigh or knee depending on how quickly they can get to it. The key to this soccer drill is to direct the players to be aggressive and not wait for the ball to come to them on the 2nd or 3rd bounce, but attack the soccer ball and gain control. Move at the ball, trap or receive it to the ground in front of you and then once control is gained dribble forward and shoot on goal (this is where it can be good practice for a keeper also). Point out that typically the person that can control the ball where they want it is going to win the initial battle, so they should be trapping or receiving the ball so it is in front of them and on the ground. You can also choose to have the keeper send the ball out instead of you. If you have a keeper that can kick it consistently then I recommend doing it, otherwise have them or yourself throw ball out high and hard. Remember, the real goal of this drill is to help players aggressively trap and receive the soccer ball in a controlled manner so they can move forward. Don't just throw it at them, make the player run and adjust to the ball, teaching them to move themselves into position to properly receive or trap the ball. It is okay if it bounces 1 time or even 2 (depending on the kick/throw), but if it starts to bounce 3 or 4 times then the player needs to understand to move towards the ball quicker Anonymous on "Soccer Drills" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/soccer-drills#post-127 Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:51:17 +0000 Anonymous 127@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Everyone: I decided to start posting a weekly drill letter and will try to post here when I send it out (as long as there are no objections). PASSING SOCCER DRILLS v.1.2 NEWSLETTER U6-U7 Soccer Passing Drill: Place two sets of cones (tall cones) in a parallel line. See below as an example. The cones should be about 10 yards apart from each other to start and can be moved to any distance depending on the age group. x x x x x x Break the kids up into two groups with a player behind each cone. There should be one ball per line of cones, so in the above example you would have three soccer balls. Have all the soccer balls start on one side or team. The goal is to kick the ball in a passing manner to knock the cones down. Team A can kick to other cone, then Team B. Leave the cones down and the first team to knock all the cones down win. I always like to have the losing team do 10 sit-ups or push-ups because it is good exercise and will help keep them engaged since there is something at stake. Move the cones back the next round. Illustrate to them that a close pass should be accurate and on the ground. As the cones move back they may need to use a different type of pass (e.g. a harder kick using the shoe laces of the foot). U9-U12 Soccer Passing Drill: You will need three players and two soccer balls for this soccer drill. You will also need to have the players form a line with about 10 yards between them (see below). The two outside player will be facing each other with the center player facing one of them (forcing his back to the other player). Each outside player will have a ball. See below. X--> X <--X The center player will have his back to one of the players. The player he is not facing will pass the ball and yell "TURN", at which point the center player will receive the ball, control and quickly pass it back (accurately). The other player will then pass the ball and yell "TURN". Timing on this by the passing player is key. You do not want too much idol time for the center player. This soccer drill teaches good soccer passing and communication by the players. Switch it up as you go along. Emphasize accuracy and good solid passing by all players. Also, let the passing player know how important it is to time the pass, just as if they were in a soccer match. Soccer Passing Drill w/Movement: Break the kids up into three groups. Take three cones and form a triangle about 20 yards apart and have a group of kids start behind each one of the cones. 1X 2X 3X Have one ball. Player first in line at 1X will pass to player at 2X. Right after he passes he will SPRINT to the end of the line at 2X. The key here is the player receiving must execute receiving the ball and then passing in two touches. He will pass to 3X and SPRINT to the end of the line at 3X. Finally, 3X will pass to 1X and so on. If you are working with large groups then have multiple sessions going. You do not want long lines (maybe two per cone). This soccer drill will improve receiving and passing. It also teaches to move after making a pass. Anonymous on "FC Alliance 3v3 Summer Youth League" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/fc-alliance-3v3-summer-youth-league#post-126 Thu, 28 May 2009 19:29:28 +0000 Anonymous 126@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ June 14th - July 21st. 3v3 is the essence of soccer a showcase of technical skills and a tactical challenge for beginners to premier players. Get your teammates and friends together to declare your teams position in this league and be ready for a fun summer of soccer! League offers: Starts June 14 and runs until July 21. Tuesday and Thursday night games 5:45 pm-8:15 pm 2 games per week 3 twelve minute periods per game Competitive and Recreational play Summer League Location: Alliance Park 2809 Ball Camp Byington Road Knoxville, TN 37931 Deadline: June 5, 2009 Entry Fee: $75 per player Ages: u5-u18 For information contact: Burak Er 865-643-4625 <a href="mailto:globalteez@hotmail.com">globalteez@hotmail.com</a> Soccer Dad on "Punishment for not winning a match" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/punishment-for-not-winning-a-match#post-125 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:36:29 +0000 Soccer Dad 125@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ Sounds like a great way to get kids to quit playing soccer. As a coach I often struggle with the positive vs negative reinforcement. But that's just silly punishing a team because they didn't score 10 goals, an extraordinary feat in itself unless you play all teams much lower than you are. If I was a player I'd be furious at having to do insane amounts of sprints - which are often a waste of time anyway. So much better to develop intensive drills with the ball at their feet to build up endurance. How this coach thinks this will improve hsi team is beyond me - they may be in excellent cardio shape, but wouldn't it be better working on things liek shooting, passing, and crossing that'll help them achieve that 10 goal goal? jmingus on "Punishment for not winning a match" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/punishment-for-not-winning-a-match#post-124 Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:29:14 +0000 jmingus 124@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ So they lost 1-0 and the coach is making them run 54 full field sprints. That seems stupid, absurd and abusive. From a practical standpoint, I wouldn't want to spend the practice time running. I'd rather have the time to focus on drills. Specifically, if there was a particular reason they gave up a goal, I would design my next training session around that situation. Anonymous on "Punishment for not winning a match" http://onthepitch.org/talk/topic/punishment-for-not-winning-a-match#post-123 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:44:18 +0000 Anonymous 123@http://onthepitch.org/talk/ I was just wondering what your thoughts were on a U14 coach that makes his girls run 6 full field sprints for each goal not scored up to 10 goals? Is this a positive or negative thing? Our girls will be running 54 full field sprints for a 1-0 game.