Coaching Practice - Possession to Attack Game

It's been a while since I have posted an actual session plan so I thought after the success of a new game last night that I would share this with you. When I say a 'session plan' it isn't a full session plan. We have a specific syllabus that we work to with different component parts put together over a full week's training diary - three sessions plus a game. 


This 'game' formed about 40 minutes of the session where the theme was about developing passing, receiving and support play outcomes. So, here is the picture of what it looked like and then I'll explain it for you...

Last night I had 13 players turn up, always the dreaded number when you have planned a session but that is part of the skill of the coach - to adapt and include all the players. 


There are two pitches within one - a yellow pitch attacking the top goal, which had a goalkeeper in. This was an outfield player as the GK's weren't in so they were rotated round. There is then an orange pitch attacking the bottom goal, which inside the normal goal I put a mini-goal, which they had to miss for the goal to count. 


Yellow Pitch:
Yellow v Blue, 3v3 + GK. Yellow's had one midfielder and two forwards, matched up by the defending team. 
The coach started the practice by playing into the midfielder to then develop an attack.
If the Blue defending team regained possession they played into the coach, who was constantly moving about the top of the playing area so the picture always changed. 


Orange Pitch:
Red v White, 3v3. Red's played with two midfielders and one forward, matched up by the defending team. 
Same rules as the other pitch; play into Coach on regain and he would restart the practice.


The middle third of the practice was quite busy at times, with both games often starting in the same area. This provided a bit of contextual interference for the players, meaning they had to play round other bodies, not just their one defender. 


They swapped roles on the same pitch and the defenders became the attackers and vice versa. Then they swapped pitches and played in the other game with a slightly different set up. 


What is key are the questions you ask of the players - how can you create an overload? Where is best to attack and how? What techniques are you going to need to be good at? What did you find out from playing in that game? Can you find ways to rotate positions to create space? How can the forwards combine to make it hard for the defenders? The boys answered these in little groups of three when developing strategies as well as during the session.


The feedback last night from the boys, bearing in mind they are U10, was:
"We found that switching the ball from the middle to the wide areas was helpful to create a 1v1." (when they had two midfielders)


"Its important for one forward to drop short and the other to play a bit longer" (when they had two forwards). I followed this up with "how can the midfielder help at this stage?" and the answer was "for them to drive forwards and support the higher forward". Great answers. 


Outcomes:
Passing and receiving, combination play, decision making, forward movements, shooting and finishing, shot stopping, devising and sharing tactics and strategies, listening to others, respect for other people's ideas, teamwork (physical outcomes as well but they weren't the learning focus in this game).


What it gave the boys was a similar picture, but slightly different, lots of times. Nothing ever happens the same in a game twice so this varied was important. It's called 'constraint-led coaching' - have a look for some information on it. 


Overall the game worked very well. The boys went through a short process of 'learning the practice' before 'getting better' at the practice - normal when given something 


Feel free to give it a go and see what happens. We ask the players to take risks in the games and practices so we should feel comfortable doing this as a coach too! 

Something for your parents - youth sport.

Stumbled across this little gem, you might want to share this with your parents, specifically those new teams or at the start of next season. This for me is what grassroots sport is about and the last two verses sum it up well. 


A Parent Talks to a Child Before the First Game


This is your first game, my child. I hope you win.
I hope you win for your sake, not mine.
Because winning's nice.
It's a good feeling.
Like the whole world is yours.
But, it passes, this feeling.
And what lasts is what you've learned.


And what you learn about is life.
That's what sports is all about. Life.
The whole thing is played out in an afternoon.
The happiness of life.
The miseries.
The joys.
The heartbreaks. 


There's no telling what'll turn up.
There's no telling whether they'll toss you out in the first five minutes or whether you'll stay for the long haul. 


There's no telling how you'll do.
You might be a hero or you might be absolutely nothing. 
There's just no telling.
Too much depends on chance.
On how the ball bounces. 


I'm not talking about the game, my child.
I'm talking about life.
But, it's life that the game is all about.
Just as I said. 


Because every game is life.
And life is a game.
A serious game.
Dead serious. 


But, that's what you do with the serious things.
You do your best.
You take what comes. 
You take what comes and you run with it. 
Winning is fun.
Sure.
But winning is not the point. 


Wanting to win is the point.
Not giving up is the point.
Never being satisfied with what you've done is the point. 
Never letting up is the point. 
Never letting anyone down is the point. 


Play to win.
Sure.
But lose like a champion.
Because it's not winning that counts.
What counts is trying.


(Unknown)