Game Day Warm-up (ONE Touch Layoff)

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Area: 15 x 15

Routine: A well weighted pass to the center cone; where a player is waiting to layoff a pass and back pedal out of the way to create a new passing lane for the player standing on the cone opposite of where the play originated.

A third player receives and dribbles at full speed back to the line. Player sprint and follow their pass and be ready for the next pass.

Coaching Points:

1. Mental and physical preparation for the game

2. Players pass, receive and move off the ball at GAME speed

3. Quality of the pass: weight, timing, angle; accuracy

4. Intensity at every stage to be prepared for the game

Players move to the cones to receive the pass. Moving left to right the player must position so they receive the ball with the OUTSIDE / OPPOSITE foot. This opens their body position up to be able to either pass back or in a different direction very easily and very quickly because they are already balanced and ready.

Warm Up and Cool Down for Training and Match Situations

The following is an excerpt from The Ultimate Youth Coaches Training Guide; A Complete 6 to 10 Year Old Developmental Coaching and Training Program.

This program is perfect for youth coaches wanting practices to start their soccer coaching education and it is also for those more advanced and experienced coaches wanting to train their players as best they can at these wonderful open minded ages for development and education of both the mind and body. Our plan is to help all coaches at whatever level of experience they are at. Find Out More

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Warm Up and Cool Down are both important parts of any coaching session or indeed any game situation and should be included at all times particularly at a young age where doing so reinforces good habits in players. Due to the great need for players to have as much contact on the ball as possible to aid technical development, I recommend coaches get away from warming up and cooling down without the ball and introduce its use at every session they do, be it at a game or at practice. I will include some practices you can use as a reference.

TECHNICAL ROUTINE TO USE

1. Players standing in the same position have to use one foot to “pull” the ball back with the “sole” of the foot and “push” the ball forward with the “laces” of the same foot. Do the movement with their heads up.

2. Do it in a circle facing North, South, East and West on the call of the coach or have for example ten pulls with the sole and pushes with the laces movements at each direction. Quarter turns on each call going around in a circle.

3. Same idea but drag back with the sole, push forward with the side of the foot not the laces. Bounce on the non-kicking foot as they do it.

4. Inside and outside of the foot, roll the ball to the outside (on top of the ball contact), cut it back with the inside and roll the ball to the inside and cut it back with the outside of the foot. Repeat 10 times either side.

5. Using the inside and the outside of the feet and moving side to side. Move the ball with the inside of the foot then the outside to bring it back but with the same foot. Use a cutting motion. Repeat 10 times either side.

6. Juggling and counting the number of juggles, using both feet and both thighs.

7. Step-Over Turn

8. Drag Back Turn

9. The Cryuff Turn

10. The Inside Hook Turn

11. The Outside Hook Turn

12. Twist Off Turn

13. Matthews Dribble

14. Beardsley Dribble (double Touch)

15. Rivelino Dribble

16. Scissors Dribble

17. Double scissors Dribble

18. Maradona Dribble and turn

For individual dribbles and turns do 10 each one on the calling of that number. It can be three separate routines, 1 to 6, 7 to 12 and 13 to 17. You can create your own routine from all these ideas that the players must do for a warm up at the beginning of every session.

1. Divide into two teams to start (for the scrimmage later if it’s a coaching session). A Ball each dribbling, turning controlling the ball, practicing skills at a slower pace if it’s a warm up to build to full pace or slowing down if it’s a cool down

2. Include changes of pace in this, switching balls between players, Coach can provide passive pressure and can condition the content; the players decide when and where to implement it.

3. Stop on a regular basis to stretch, get them tuned into thinking for themselves and being concentrated early by asking the players to come up with stretches for you.

An example of effective use of a ball during warm up and cool down:

Five minute warm up = 3.5 minutes with the ball (1.5 minutes stretching) i.e. 1 touch / second means 210 extra touches.

Five-minute cool down: as above = 210 extra touches. Total is 420 extra touches on the ball per player by just incorporating the use of the ball (Ten minutes either side of the session would provide 820 extra touches if you have the time, and help to reinforce the awareness session).

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Passing and Moving (A Fun Warm Up)

Two balls passing at the same time and across each other.

Player passes then goes to the back of their own line.

One touch passing if possible.

Here it shows the direction they go. Pass forward and check to the back.

Now they are passing the same way but running one place to the left. Now running two places to the left.

Simple exercise but good for one touch passing and movement off the ball and it keeps the players focused and moving.

The Ultimate Youth Coaches Training Guide; A Complete 6 to 10 Year Old Developmental Coaching and Training Program.

Third Man Run Training Warm Up

Some of the best forward runs in soccer are deemed “third man runs” often made from a position that is blindside of the opponents. The third man run player can start the passing sequence; or not, but invariably they are on the end of a forward pass often beyond the back four of the opponents. A usual sequence is; a forward pass; a backward pass, a forward run. A one, two; three; so to speak.

Some of the best players in the world use this tactic to great effect, of course Messi, Iniesta, Xavi and Pedro of Barcelona; Ozil and Kaka of Real Madrid; Frank Lampard; Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney of England. Most of the runs start in or behind the Zone 14 area which is approximately 25 to 35 yards outside the penalty area though it can depend on the depth in defense of the opponents back four also.. It is best against teams who defend high as there is much more space behind them to pass and run into for the third man runner, or runners. Diagonal passing is often the best way to employ this; a diagonal pass and a straight run, or a straight pass and a diagonal run can occur too.

A very simple set up to get the idea of the 3rd man run into the heads of the players. The third man run player makes the initially pass to start the sequence off. Here (1) makes the first pass to (A) coming short, who plays it off to (2) who plays (1) in ahead of the run.

After the three runs (1) lays off a diagonal pass to (B) and the sequence continues.

The sequence continues.

This is just showing where each of the initial three players in the move run to after the passing phase. Players move to opposite sides to start again when it is their turn next.

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MORE LIKE THIS: Small Sided Third Man Run Games - Training Center Exclusive

Some of the best forward runs in soccer are deemed “third man runs” often made from a position that is blindside of the opponents. The third man run player can start the passing sequence; or not, but invariably they are on the end of a forward pass often beyond the back four of the opponents.

The set up in the first game is as it would be in the attacking shape of a 4-2-3-1, so you can take this small sided game to represent the 11 v 11 in a particular area of the field making the same types of plays. You can also use this for any team shape set up you might use in an 8 v 8 or 11 v 11. If you play with two striker s then play 7 v 7 and two up front for example or even change the shape behind. Read more

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Quick Play Warm Up and Drill

The following session comes from One Touch Mentality Training Ideas. Join the Soccer Awareness Training Center to access exclusive presentations and sessions.

A ball each passing and moving playing 1 and 2 touches only. Avoiding the cones which represent opponents. Learning to position in the best space possible between cones.

The goal is to teach

1. playing in tight areas,

2. developing fast feet,

3. positioning off the ball

4. Developing a spinning head or rubber neck I call it

5. Defending condensing attacking spreading out

6. Teaching spacing and moving into passing lanes (between cones and between opponents) to get free

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Restricted area to play in. Cones represent opponents so players must avoid passing close to them or positioning close to them. Blue cones the free players so always an overload.

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Add goals. Now a REAL GAME SITUATION. Keeping score making it competitive working between restricted number of touches and unlimited touches to test players peripheral vision and awareness.

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Get all of these sessions and more in the One Touch Training Mentality Ideas Training Center Exclusive Article.

• Space Rondos Using One Touch

• Three Man Look, Pass, Move Without Pressure

• Testing Players Awareness

• Angle of Support Positioning

• Checking To The Ball To Receive Away From Pressure

• Sliding Rondos Using One And Two Touches

• Awareness Rubber Neck Training with 5 Players

• Awareness Session Passing and Movement Off the Ball

• Competitive Awareness Numbers Game

• Quick Play Session

Academy Level: A Fun Awareness Warm-up for Improving Peripheral Vision

The following comes from the Soccer Awareness 12 Week Academy Level Training Plan! 

Do you want to get to the next level in your team's soccer development? If so check out this specialized coaching and training program by our Founder, Wayne Harrison, is designed to cover: Technique; Skill; Physical; Tactical and Psychological / Mental Developmental Training.

Preview Here

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Each player has a ball to play with. They must protect their own soccer ball but at the same time try to kick someone else’s ball out the area. When your ball is kicked out you cannot kick anyone else’s ball out. You can vary the game by allowing them chances, maybe up to three each before they are ultimately out of the game. When they are out have them juggle the ball to keep practicing skills.

Play until the last player is left with their own ball still and everyone else’s ball has been kicked out. This player is the winner. Variations can be you have three areas of play they can work in. They start in one then if they are kicked out they go to the next and so on, this way they get two chances but also you can have two winners in each group with an overall winner at the end. Or you can just decrease the area they are playing in to make it harder as there is less space to work in.

Coaching Points:

1. Skills practice including Dribbling and Turning,    
2. Shielding,                                                                                                                       
3. Tackling,                                                                                                                        
4. Awareness of where other players are (in this case all the other players are defenders trying to win possession of your ball) whilst maintaining possession of the ball ensuring players are looking around away from their own ball,       
5. Anaerobic Fitness work. These are practices that are fun but ensure relevant skills are practiced by the players.

This is a session that is fun but ensures relevant skills are practiced by the players.

Kick Out Game

There are 12 players in this session, 9 with a ball, 3 without. The 3 without have to try and win a ball off a player with a ball and kick it out the area. If a player has their soccer ball kicked out then they can join in with the other players helping them keep possession by passing and support play.

To make this competitive rotate the players so different groups of 4 work together, time each group to see who does the best. 

To decrease the time it takes if the defenders can win a ball and pass it to the coach (who is constantly moving around outside the area) for example 3 times out of the 9 balls won, then the clock stops. This represents winning the ball and keeping possession in a game rather than kicking it out of play and losing possession again in a game. It may be the first 3 balls the defenders win. 

Then have it where they need to get all the balls to the coach, a bigger more relevant challenge and have the coach moving around the area.

The session develops from an individual 1 v 1 attacking / defending work out to a passing and support situation. You can work on the defenders by encouraging them to work as a team, maybe in 2’s for instance to have a better chance of winning the soccer balls. The defenders can pass the ball around between themselves until one can find the coach with a pass. Attackers during this time can try to win it back before it goes out the area.

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Warm Up: Circle Keep Away 1 Touch Only

The following comes from the Soccer Awareness 12 Week Academy Level Training Plan! 

Do you want to get to the next level in your team's soccer development? If so check out this specialized coaching and training program by our Founder, Wayne Harrison, is designed to cover: Technique; Skill; Physical; Tactical and Psychological / Mental Developmental Training.

Preview Here

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Area: 8 yards by 8 yards

Progression: Reduce the size of the Circle to play in smaller spaces to test the players

Coaching Points:

• Keeping the ball away from the central player
• Passing and maintaining possession
• Different number of touches (try 2 touches to start)
• Defender must work hard to win the ball; set challenge 10 passes means defender stays in
• Body position and foot preparation is vital when playing one touch
• Assessing the next pass before receiving the ball
• Call the name of the player they are passing to before receiving the ball to show their decision was before receiving the ball
• Add two then three defenders

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Warm Up: Circle Keep Away One Touch Only Against 1

Players can move on the outside to help each other and open up,a passing lane, just a yard either side can make all the difference.
 

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Warm Up: Circle Keep Away One Touch Only Against 2

When two defenders are in try to split them with a pass. This is a good warm up for the players and begins the awareness decision making process of rcognizing the pass BEFORE receiving the ball.

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Warm Up: Circle Keep Away One Touch Only Against 3

This is a good warm up for the players and begins the awareness decision making process of recognizing the pass BEFORE receiving the ball. A bigger challenge with 3 defenders.

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Add an Attacking Player

Try to work with the inside player as often as possible. Rotate the defenders and rotate the inside player. (11) has unlimited touches, outside players one touch only.
 

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