OCT 2008   Dribbling and Attacking 1v1

  NOV 2008   D License Candidates' Practice Sessions:

    Plan 1

    Plan 2

  DEC 2008  Playing Balls in the Air, Heading, First Touch - D License Course, 11/16/08

Technical Warm-up: Everyone with a ball juggling feet only, thigh only, head only 2 minutes each round. Juggle the ball up from ground, volley it high above head and smother to the ground using the inside of the foot, outside of the foot, and toe, sprinting 5 yards after each. Do the same thing receiving the ball with the thigh, chest, and head sprinting 5 yards after each. Can also add a sprint with a move after smothering ball to the ground.

Heading progression w/partners: isolate core muscles by having player lay on stomach, pushing up with arms to head the ball with chin up, eyes open as partner tosses ball toward the forehead. Sit-up headers: with one partner laying in sit-up position, and the other tossing ball just above knees for player to strike with head following through across knees. Move to squatting position with hands and feet touching the ground to attack the ball by diving forward as ball is tossed. Standing, have player arch back, step, and following through using abs with chin up, eyes open toward target. Have one partner hold ball high above their head out in front of body for partner to practicing jumping to head a ball by arching back and then snapping forward. Toss ball above partner’s head to make them jump to head the ball out of the air to work on both defensive and attacking headers. Defensive header need to be high and far by striking bottom 1/3 of ball while attacking headers should be low and hard toward partner’s feet by striking the top 1/3 of the ball.

Small-sided: 2v2 heading game in 10X20 grids: Partners score by heading the ball back and forth and then striking the ball hard with head across their opponent’s endline. The partners who are defending must stay on the line to use their hands and may not come out to defend the ball. If the ball drops before a shot is taken, then the defending team gets to start from the spot where the ball hit the ground in the grid. 1 point for a regular header, 3 points for a goal off of a diving header. Can do a tournament with 5-minute games.

Expanded Small-sided: 4v4+4 targets positioned in the corners of the field with two big goals and keepers, 40x60 field. Two teams on the field may score a goal by shooting directly for 1 pt. or by playing the ball to corner for a cross and finish with head for 3 pts. 4 players on the outside have one touch only. Play 5-minute games and rotate teams.

Final Game: 6v6, 7v7, 8v8 to big goals and keepers. ½ field with crossing lanes for ball to be played wide for a cross (1v1 in the lanes). 1 point for a shot and goal, 3 points for a cross and finish with head.

  JAN 2009