Soccer: U11/12 Learn to Train, second session

With the week-one kinks well behind us, week two was a good session to build from.

On Tuesday night our U11/U12 player program continued at the Welland Soccer Club at the Youngs Sportsplex.  Or, as we like to say The Youngs Sportsplex, HOME OF THE WELLAND SOCCER CLUB.  :)

Tuesday's session was again delivered using the LTPD guideline for the Learn to Train stage.  Warmup/SSG/Technical/SSG/Cool Down.

We started our warmup by establishing 4 squares again, one small ball drill in each and the players move through each square, 1 minute each.  After the first 4 minutes, we stopped for 60 seconds to give them quick reminders for each square then started again.   The warm-up was much more productive tonight now that they know the sequence.  The 4 drills in the square were:

• One-touch passing with a partner
• Toss - thigh - volley with a partner
• Toss - volley with a partner
• Toss ball in the air and bring down with thigh to feet into a short dribble

We then went to small sided games, 5v5, reminding the players what we did last week.  Look-touch-look-play.  Some showed signs of carrying last week's progress into this week.

Our technical was working on turns.  We organizing the players into 10 groups of 3 and executing 3 turns with a lot of repetitions.  Bottom of the foot, inside chop and outside chop.

Before getting back into our small sided games we gave the players ideas where turns can be used during games.  We talked about how using our eyes gives us the information we need to decide if we need to turn:

• Are we running out of room?
• Are we being closed down by an opponent?
• Am I heading for the touch or goal line?

It was nice to see a lot of the players trying more turns after the technical portion of the session.  As a coach, seeing a player using one of their turns tells me they are aware and thinking during the game and trying to express themselves through their ideas.

Our cool down was every player with their own ball juggling.  Simple.

Next week, I am going to introduce 2 more turns during the warm-up.  I will discuss our session with coaches Colum and Nilan before deciding on the technical portion.

I was happy with the session tonight.  I was able to get there earlier than usual and calmly set up before the stampede of people arrived at 5:45-6pm.  A lot of people have questions and information as it gets closer to start time.  Once the clock strikes 5:45 it's a mob scene in that building.  Awesome.

We put pinnies on the players right away to get into the games a little quicker and started at 6:00pm sharp.  A few players were late but the assistants did a great job getting them into colours and groups.

There were a few too many balls laying around but they never got in the way.  It just looked messy.  We also had more balls than usual stroll into the neighbour's field and  I will have to think about that over the next week.

The facility was full again and that creates a real buzz in the building.  Lots of soccer.

I look forward to this program progressing.