SKILLS ENDURANCE WARM UP 

@DavidBairdSC

A few highlights from the teams warm up in preparation of a game the next day: 

Receiving Open Body

& Playing a Weighted Pass

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A session for small sided teams (8 v 8) looking at angles of support and playing a weighted pass so you and your teammates can move the ball quickly

Coaching Points:

Specifically for my team I look at the shape of my 3-1-3. No matter how you look at the diamond, we are moving it across the field then up the field as quickly as possible, I keep the player in juggling and speak about space and distance and the CM connecting all the triangles on the field

Progression 1:

Notes:

Check to each side of your maker to move the ball quicker and split the diamond, speak about pattern of play... right back, to right winger, back to the full back, hit the striker, recycle and play it again.

Conditioned Game:

Turning Session For Young Players

More drills: Football drills and sessions

By @DavidBairdSC

Progression 1:

Progression 2:

Progression 3:

More drills and sessions by David Baird soccer coach: Soccer drills and sessions

First Time Shooting

by David Baird

A session for first time shooting, the weight of the pass must be stressed when assisting the shot and the technique for striking the ball cleanly with power and accuracy:

• Put your laces through the ball
• Knee over the ball
• Strike just below the center of the ball
• Head down, shoulders slightly back
• Standing foot - have your toe in line with the back of the ball
• Swing from the hips
• Opposite arm to foot comes up as you strike for balance 

Drill 1:

Drill 2: 

Drill 3: 

Conditioned Game: 

David Baird Soccer Coach

@DavidBairdSC

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Quick Passing in Tight Areas

By David Baird 

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I used this session with a good U10 team to encourage pulling the other team down and combining to get forward once we had done so.


Warm up:

Drill 1: 

Progression: 

Conditioned Game: 

More: Soccer Drills and Sessions

1 v 1 training for young players

By David Baird

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A session to encourage young players to go past defenders




Successful 1 v 1 formula

• Close Control
  
• Change of direction
  
• Change of speed
  

Close control – use the front of your small toe to approach the defender, touch the ball with every step you take

Change direction – come in slow (60%) and straight (commit defender), perform a change of direction, scissors, step over, fake take etc

Change of speed – slightly bigger touch to take you in the direction that you want to go, accelerate at 100%


Progression 1:

Progression 2:

Progression 3:

Use the teammate as a diversion or if they are in a better position to get past the defender pass the ball


Progression 4:

Passing and Moving 2

By David Baird

Follow @DavidBairdSC


A session to encourage young players to pass, move and support the ball




Passing:

• Inside of the foot
  
• Punch through the ball
  
• Head down
  
• lock ankle – push your toes towards the sky
  
• Aim with standing foot and hips
  

Progression 1:

Progression 2:

Progression 3:

Notes: Support play, always show your feet to the ball and get into open space. 

More Drills: Football drills and sessions

Soft Touch, Quick Strike

By David Baird

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A session to improve functional play of the striker 








Progression 1:

Progression 2:

Progression 3:

Progression 4: 

The Weighted Pass

This is a simple drill that I was explaining to a friend, just uploading this so he can see it.
I often progress this to a race between the 4 teams (or however many you have) once the receiving player gets through the gate, the next pass can be played, first to 30.

CONTROL AND SHOOT

Look to shoot early and at every opportunity around the box - if you don't buy a ticket you can't win the raffle

Warm Up

Players move freely around a large area, start with the players passing and moving using 2 or 3 footballs and gradually add more balls to increase the passing tempo. 

Players should re-act to coaches commands such as, 2 touch passing, step over then pass, turn and then pass, pass and then press the ball

Include dynamic stretches while off the ball, side steps, knees up, heels up etc. 

Coaching points:

• Receive the ball side on 
• Aim with the non kicking foot pointing to the intended target
• Keep your head steady and eye on the ball
• Play the ball at an angle which is easy for the receiving player to control  

Main Drill

The ball starts with the player beside the goal, who passes the ball out wide. The wide players will then play into the striker who is standing in the box allocated just outside the penalty area. 

The striker takes their first touch out of feet (out of the box) and strikes on goal.

The sequence starts again from the other side this time.

Rotation is simple, follow the ball to the next station, striker gathers the ball after his shot and joins the line next to the goals. 

Coaching points:

• Speed and accuracy of pass
• First touch should be forward and into space, setting yourself up for a shot 
• 'Check' into an area of the box as if to create space for receiving the ball
• Striking technique, keep head down and put laces through the ball, aiming away from the keeper and into a corner

Progressions:

• Ball can be varied between played into the strikers feet or in the air for him to control
• Passes can apply limited pressure to the receiving player

Conditioned Game

On a 40x40 pitch, play 5 v 5 with 2 wall pass players at each side of the goals.

To score a team must play the ball to a wall player then shoot and score first time with the return.

Players play 2 touch and the wall players only have 1

Coaching points:

• Speed and quality of pass 
• Create space to receive 
• Receive to play the ball forward
• Look for early delivery into the wall player with speed and accuracy 
• Striking technique

Pass and receive

David Baird Soccer Coach

Twitter: @DavidBairdSC
Facebook: DavidBairdSC
Blog: http://davidbairdsoccercoach.blogspot.co.uk/

Warm Up

Players stand 10 yards apart, with each player standing behind a gate. The player who starts with the ball will pass through his partners gate. The receiving player will take 1 touch to the side of the cones and pass through his partners gate, the process continues working on a good first touch out of your feet and into space then an accurate pass to your partner. 

Make sure players are using the inside of their foot to pass and receive and encourage players to work both feet

Progression: 

• Ask the player passing the ball to now call out right or left. The player receiving the ball must take his first touch in that direction and then call out right or left when passing back to his partner. 

Coaching points:

• If moving to the right of the cone, use the inside of your right foot to push the ball slightly to the side and pass with the inside of your right foot
• If moving to the left of the cone, use the inside of your left foot to push the ball slightly to the side and pass with the inside of your left foot
• Don't take a first touch that is too big or too small, focus on getting the ball slightly in front of your kicking foot making it easier to pass the ball
• Passing - aim with standing foot (toe pointing to target), lock the ankle and pass through the centre of the ball.
• Call the name of the player you are passing to/receiving the ball from 

Main Drill

Split an area of 20x20 into 4 grids (perhaps larger for players of lesser ability) . 

Each team has a player in every grid and there are 2 players of each team on the outside of the square, to start with both teams have a ball.

The yellow team move their ball with 2 touch passing from side to side, while the red team move their ball with 2 touch passing from end to end. At least 3 passes must be made in the center before hitting a target player.

Progression: 

• Competition - which team can transfer their ball from one target player to the other 5 times first?
• 1 touch

Advanced Progression:

• Remove one of the balls and play competitive, players cannot leave their gird and the team to get from 1 of their target players to the other the most wins. You may want to add a coach as a neutral for  this game in the middle of the grid

Coaching points:

• Weight and accuracy of passes
• First touch must be good in tight areas. Take your first touch into space away from pressure and the second touch should be a pass
• Play 1 touch where possible
• Players must be moving to create space in order to receive the ball
• Communication

Conditioned Game 

6 v 6 directional end zone game.

Teams play possession with an aim of passing the ball into the end zone where an approaching player can run onto the ball and receive it.

If the player is already in the end zone when the ball is passed call this offside.

Coaching points are the same as above, however tell players not to force going for the end zone, pass and move keeping possession and when the chance is their to play someone into the end zone take it. 

Quick combinations towards goal (drill)

This drill should be carried out at pace with 1 touch passing where possible. 

questions or feedback about the blog? find me on twitter @davidbairdsc

Set Up

Mark out a 20 x 20 square with players in each corner; in the center should be two target players, I have put the target players in different colors to help explain the drill but this is not necessary.

Explanation

The red player on the outside starts with the ball and plays to a target player of his choice. Here he plays to the green player who quickly plays to the other target player who plays the ball back into the path of the player who started the move. On receiving the ball that player will play it to the next red player who will repeat the sequence. 

The next red player must play his first pass to the target player who did not receive the first pass last time (yellow) who will then play to green and back to the red player who has moved into a position to pass to the next red player in the sequence (here we are working anti-clockwise)

Then progress the drill by adding a goal and a goalkeeper. The red player will play into a target, who plays the ball into the other target who then must find the run of the red player towards goal. 

Remember the next red in the line must play the first pass to the other target player. Which encourages movement off the ball from both players in the center. 

Static defenders can be added to this drill to make it more realistic and make players aware of the offside line when combining to goal (time your run to stay onside) 

Coaching points:

• Movement in the center - check to the ball if it is your turn to receive and the player not receiving should get into an angle to support his team mate for a quick pass
• Receive the ball open body - make sure you can see where you are receiving the ball from and where you are going to play the ball to. Allowing quick movement of the ball (1 touch)
• Play the ball in front of the moving player so he can run onto the ball and play first time
• Firm and accurate pass so the receiving player can play first time
• Communication - call for the ball.