Tewksbury Soccer Club Register

U8 4V4 Defending

Week 6 · Session goal

Prevent build up in your half of the field

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MomentDefending
Duration60 minutes
Players8-12
Format4V4

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Key qualities

Read & understand the game, Focus

Skill acquisition

Pressure: Angle, speed, distance of approach, footwork - Types of Tackles: Poke, Block, intercept

The session

1

Play phase

Intentional Free Play

18 min3 intervals · 5 min play · 1 min rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

On your 25W x 35L game field, set up two (13W x 20L) fields with a 4-yard space between. Place a small goal on each end line. When practice is scheduled to start & as soon as 2 players arrive, start playing a game. The game starts 1v1. As players arrive, the game becomes 2v1 then 2v2 up to 3v3. Once 1 field is at 3v3, start a second game on the field next to it.

Key wordsBlock your goalGet back

Guided questions

What should you do if your team does not have the ball & you see your goal is open?

get back to block your goal.

When should step to the ball and tackle it away?

If the dribble lets the ball get too far in front of him/her, step to the ball to tackle it away.

Coach note

Encourage players to dribble to goal. At the first break, ask questions which generate thoughts about when to dribble. Second break, elicit answers from the same questions to determine the level of understanding from the players.

2

Core activity

4 Corner Shooting/Defending

18 min18 intervals · 30 sec play · 30 sec rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

On your 25W x 35L game field, set up a 13W x 20L field with a goal on each end line. If you have more players, set up 2 fields. Divide the team into 2 groups. Each group starts at opposite ends & divided equally between the 2 corners of their end line. The coach starts outside the center line with all the soccer balls. The game starts when the coach serves a ball onto the field. 1 player from each corner enters the field to play 2v2. The game is over when either team scores or the ball leaves the field of play. Once the game is over, all players leave the field & the coach serves another ball for the next players to play. Rules: Players cannot enter the field before a new ball is served in.

Key wordsBlock your goalGet back

Guided questions

What should you do if your team does not have the ball?

One of you should try to steal the ball and one of you should help by getting close to your teammate and block the goal at the same time.

Where should you go if the attacker gets past you?

Get back to your goal to protect it.

How do you tackle the ball?

Step close to the ball and poke it away or block it from going to the goal.

Coach note

Try to serve the ball to the player who has not been involved in the play as much. All serves should favor 1 team or the other instead of down the middle.

3

Less challenging

4 Corner Shoot/Def. 1v2 to Goal

18 min18 intervals · 30 sec play · 30 sec rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

On your 25W x 35L game field, set up a 13W x 20L field with a goal on each end line. If you have more players, set up 2 fields. Divide the team into 2 groups. Each group starts at opposite ends & divided equally between the 2 corners of their end line. The coach starts outside the center line with all the soccer balls. The game starts when the coach serves a ball onto the field. Whichever side the coach serves the ball can have 1 player join the game. The team who does not get the ball can have 2 players join the game: play 1v2. The game is over when either team scores or the ball leaves the field of play. Once the game is over, all players leave the field & the coach serves another ball for the next players to play. Rules: Players cannot enter the field before a new ball is served in.

Key wordsBlock your goalStep to the ball

Guided questions

What should you do if your team does not have the ball?

One of you should try to steal the ball and one of you should help by getting close to your teammate and block the goal at the same time.

Where should you go if the attacker gets past you?

Get back to your goal to protect it.

How do you tackle the ball?

Step close to the ball and poke it away or block it from going to the goal.

Coach note

Try to serve the ball to the player who has not been involved in the play as much. All serves should favor 1 team or the other instead of down the middle. Week 6 FIVE ELEMENTS of TRAINING EXERCISE TRAINING SESSION SELF-REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. Organized: Is the exercise organized in the right way? 2. Game like: Is the exercise game like? 3. Repetitions: Are there repetitions when looking at the overall goal of the session? 4. Challenging: Are the players being challenged? (Is there the right balance between being successful and unsuccessful?) 5. Coaching: Is there the proper coaching based on the age/level of the players? 1. How did you achieve your goals in the training session? 2. What did you do well? 3. What could you do better?

4

More challenging

4 Corner Shoot 3v4 to Goal

18 min18 intervals · 1 min play · 30 sec rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

On your 25W x 35L game field & a goal on each end line, Divide the team into 2 groups. Each group starts at opposite ends & divided equally between the 2 corners of their end line. The coach starts outside the center line with all the soccer balls. The game starts when the coach serves a ball onto the field. Whichever side the coach serves the ball can have 4 players join the game. The team who does not get the ball can have 3 players join the game: play 3v4. The game lasts for 1 minutes. If a ball goes out of play or is scored, a new ball is played in. After 1 minute, all players leave the field and a new round begins. Rules: Players cannot enter the field before a new ball is served in.

Key wordsBlock your goalStep to the ball

Guided questions

What should you do if your team does not have the ball?

One of you should try to steal the ball and one of you should help by getting close to your teammate and block the goal at the same time.

Where should you go if the attacker gets past you?

Get back to your goal to protect it.

How do you tackle the ball?

Step close to the ball and poke it away or block it from going to the goal.

Coach note

Try to serve the ball to the player who has not been involved in the play as much. All serves should favor 1 team or the other instead of down the middle.

5

Play phase

The Game - 4v4

20 min3 intervals · 4 min play · 1 min rest

Objective

To deny the opponent's ability to create scoring chances or score goals.

Player actions

Protect the goal, Steal the ball

Organization

In a 25Wx35L field & a small goal on each end line, play a 4v4 game with no goal keepers. Play for 22 minutes - 2 x 9-minute halves with a 2-minute half-time. Local rules apply. If the ball leaves the field, the coach can play another ball onto the field and the play continues.

Key wordsBlock your goalStep to the ball

Guided questions

What should you do if your team does not have the ball?

One of you should try to steal the ball and one of you should help by getting close to your teammate and block the goal at the same time.

Where should you go if the attacker gets past you?

Get back to your goal to protect it.

How do you tackle the ball?

Step close to the ball and poke it away or block it from going to the goal.

Coach note

Depending on your local rules, coaches may introduce throw-ins, corner kicks & goal kicks if rules enforce. Remember to create a build out line for goal kicks and focus on the techniques needed to complete the task instead of the moment of the players on the field. The game must be played so try not to dwell on the restarts. C C

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Check your setup

Five elements of a training exercise

1

Organized — Is the exercise organized in the right way?

2

Game like — Is the exercise game like?

3

Repetitions — Are there repetitions when looking at the overall goal of the session?

4

Challenging — Are the players being challenged? Is there the right balance between being successful and unsuccessful?

5

Coaching — Is there the proper coaching based on the age and level of the players?

After the session

Self-reflection

How did you achieve your goals of the training session?

What did you do well?

What could you do better?