U12 Boys - "Can I go forward?"

Last night, I was invited by Coach Jim to run a session for the U12 boys.  I know many of these players from past clinics and our fitness sessions, but I’ve never worked with them as a team on the field.

I knew I would be back with them a few times, so I used last night as a sort of diagnostic session for me to see what to do next.  My theme was decisions after asking the question “Can I go forward?”

I started with a dribbling warm up using agility poles. Players were going around the poles with the inside and outside of their feet, both feet.

We then got into turning and passing. My focus wasn’t so much on different styles of turns, but deciding which foot to use on the turn and subsequent pass. We were also stressing the quality of the pass to the next player.

Coaching points were:

• Proper foot on turn and pass
• Head up after the turn
• Speed of the turn
• Ball passed in front of next player so they can easily move forward, dribble and turn

We then moved into a functional game:

• 50x40 area, divided in half lengthwise
• 2 teams , 6v6
• Each half had 4 of one colour and 2 of the other.  So, the 4 players in one half had their 2 teammates in the other half

The goal of the game was to connect with one of the two teammates in the other half and they had to complete a pass between them.  We were looking for the players to decide if they had an open target.  If yes: pass now.  If not: turn and pass to a supporting teammate in your half, exactly how we did it in the previous drill.

Coaching points were:

• Shape of the 4 players in their half, in possession (width, depth)
• Support position of target players in opposite half
• Quick-early-accurate passing
• First look/touch forward
• Pressure on the ball by defending team

The game was starting to work and the players were getting the hang of it.  It definitely merits revisiting during a future session.  To help the boys understand the support aspect across 4 players, I told them the player with the ball had to be the forward most player in that half of the field.  That helped a bit.

When we got into our 7v7 small game, the lesson was to look/touch forward first and look to attack.

Coaching points:

• First look/touch forward
• Ask the question "Can I go forward?"
• Make decision quickly?  Pass/dribble forward?  Pass back to support?
• Attack open space in front of you
• Patience!  If forward play is not there, that's OK.  But you had to look forward to determine that.

I learned quite a bit about this group and I know what I need to know when it comes to delivering a session.  They worked hard for me and I appreciated that.  Some of them got the points and the rest were on their way.  Some went forward no matter what the situation.

My next time with them I will practice moving the ball, back and forth, across 4 players then try the 6v6 exercise again and see if there's improvement.

One of the keys to possession is to be able to decide if you can go forward or not, and play the ball accordingly, with technical proficiency.