By Grant Smith, Director of Coaching, Arlington Travel Soccer Club
When you are running your session for players younger
than U8-U11 make sure you have all of them doing things
with a ball.
All exercises, whether you are doing a technical
drill or a simple warm-up each player should be moving
with a ball at their feet. The development of their
coordination and their ability to change direction and
speed can be enhanced with their ability to handle a
ball while in motion.
 Dribbling
is an excellent way to warm players up as they get
multiple touches on the ball. You can limit the area in
which they can handle the ball to improve their ball
handling skills and start to get them to get their heads
up frequently to avoid running into players.
If you want to do this with pressure after the
warm-up and stretch, you can create restrictions. For
example:
- Half the players with a ball and half without. The
players without the ball try to win it and push the
ball out of the grid.
- Half the players with a ball, and half without.
Players with the ball must dribble and control the
ball and hand tag players without. Players without
have to walk.
- Create teams to make it competitive.
Reward their hard work with a game at the end of
practice. Focus your coaching instruction on whatever
skill you warmed up with and did in the technical part
of your session. Try not to move straight to a game, but
develop proper technique for whatever skill you are
focusing on for that day.
Have fun and don’t forget to be creative when you are
encouraging them. Nicknames and other fun things help
them really look forward to training!
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