unskilled players

[dethfire]

I'm coaching high school girls soccer and everyone on the team is unskilled. 90% of them have trouble completing a decent pass or trapping a pass. It's a 1/2 step above 3rd grade bunch and boot ball. We've had a week of practice doing small sided games and VERY SIMPLE dribbling and passing drills. However, they need many many hours of basic touch and control practice. They'd be doing it night and day if I could get them to. How do I make practice different and fun every day if really all they need is very basic drills 24/7?

[Cookie]

Originally Posted by dethfire

How do I make practice different and fun every day if really all they need is very basic drills 24/7?

Just because they need basic technique improvement does not always mean your sessions need to be boring or repetitive. That's the art of good coaching!

Nobody gets bored quicker than 5 or 6 year olds and yet this is where I always concentrate solely on technique. But the sessions are ALWAYS fun (otherwise kids would soon drop out).

Some simple passing drills that can also be fun and challenging.

1. Set out a 10x10 grid, with four equal teams in each corner and they have a ball each. In the centre is a marker cone with a ball placed on top. Teams take in turn to race each other (diagnoally) by having to sprint one complete lap (you decide if they should go clockwise or anti-clockwise to keep them on their toes). The first player back to his own ball has to pass accurately to try and knock the centre ball off of the cone. Encourage good passing technique (compose themselves before passing rather than rushing after sprinting, non-kicking foot pointed towards target, inside foot surface etc. etc.)

2. Using the same grids, have four players one on each corner with one football. The first player passes to any other player and then must move to the spare cone (which at the start will be the centre cone). The sequence continues - pass & move to vacant marker. This encourages players to look up and assess where the space is before they pass. I restrict my players to two touches only, the first to change the dircection of the ball as they receive it, the second to pass and then quickly move into space. The player in the middle should always be encrouaged to receive on the half-turn (back-foot) and play away from where the pass was received.

3. Large square (relevant to age and ability) with all players in the middle and half the number of balls per number of players. Each player must pass and then move into space again looking for a new pass. Limit the number of touches, get players to receive on half turn. Encourage good decision making, is there an immediate pass on? If not, take another touch and look for an early pass elsewhere.

4. In the same large square, split the squad into three teams. Two equal teams play for possession in the middle whilst the third team are neutral around the outside helping the team in possession to retain possession. Focus on good possession, turning away from danger, good passing technique etc. Swap teams around regularly and give them targets such as 8 successful passes to win.

5. Passing in sequence. Give everybody a number and make a 15x15 square (with red slalom poles) and they all start in the middle. There is also a larger 20x20 area on the outside of the first square and marked with yellow slalom poles (so a square within a square). You can start off with them throwing the ball in sequence to each other and making them leave the red square to go round any yellow pole before returning. if they get it easily, progress it by making them touch two outside yellow poles before returning or add a second or third ball equally among the numbered players. Then get the ball on the floor and continue the sequence but focusing on passing skills. (Make them use left foot only, or right foot only). I like to make my players have two touches only and the ball must never stop moving otherwise there is a forfeit (if they manage to keep it moving for a defined time, then the coaches perform the forfeit). This will make them think about their body shape, receiving angle, quality first touch, head up looking for their passing partner (both from and to) and good communication. It is also a good fitness drill when progressed to push them hard.

There are literally hundreds of good passing exercises out there, the only limitation is your imagination.