Teaching players to create space and exploit it can be one of the most complicated things to teach a player. It is one thing to tell player to move one way to take a defender away from the space you want to open up and then move into it. It is a completely different thing to get players to recognize opportunities to create, create and then exploit it with a combination or attacking run. This session is really two sessions or a two hour session. You can mix and match the games to create two sessions. I would suggest using the simpler games first then in the second session adding the extra rules. As a two hour session the games get more complex and then reduce the restrictions until free play at the end which should have the effect of players continuing to create space by using combinations and wide play to open the field up.
U-17/18 Girls Training February 16, 2011
U-16 Girls Training February 17, 2011
8v8 with Outside Lanes- Area is half field or smaller depending on the number of players. There are no permanent players in the outside lane. The ball must enter the outside lane before the possessing team can attack. The outside lane is also not a free zone defenders are allowed into the outside lanes.
8v8 with Outside Lanes 2nd Progression- The same game as before with a new restriction and players must create a combination in addition to playing to the outside lanes before going to goal. In the second progression don’t allow defending in the outside lanes for the first 5 minutes. Encourage overlapping runs as the combo especially before defending is allowed its one the best ways I’ve found to demonstrate how an overlap should work.
U-17/18 Girls Training February 16, 2011
U-16 Girls Training February 17, 2011
8v8 with Outside Lanes- Area is half field or smaller depending on the number of players. There are no permanent players in the outside lane. The ball must enter the outside lane before the possessing team can attack. The outside lane is also not a free zone defenders are allowed into the outside lanes.
8v8 with Outside Lanes 2nd Progression- The same game as before with a new restriction and players must create a combination in addition to playing to the outside lanes before going to goal. In the second progression don’t allow defending in the outside lanes for the first 5 minutes. Encourage overlapping runs as the combo especially before defending is allowed its one the best ways I’ve found to demonstrate how an overlap should work.
8v8 with Midline and Outside Lanes- The ball still has to go outside before attacking but now in order for a goal to count all players must get to the attacking side of the midline. If all defending players are not back on the defending side of the midline any goal counts for double. Combinations should still be encouraged as a way to open up space.
8v8 with Midline- The requirement to play to the outside lane is now gone. All players still need to be on the attacking side of the midline in order to score and on the defending in in order to avoid goals counting for two.
8v8 No Restrictions- This should be self explanatory. Continue to encourage outside play and combinations and everyone getting forward and back together.
