Football coach exercices

As a coach you are responsible for your players developing a good physiology. This means that when developing your players' football technique, you also need to train them physically - what we call football fitness. This is important both for the quality of the football actions, but also to avoid and prevent injuries. In football fitness, we focus on five basic physiological qualities: coordination, speed, mobility, endurance and strength. These five qualities are needed, and co-operate in every single football action. Here we go through the five physiological qualities, and how to train them age-appropriately.

The main purpose of preparatory training, what we usually call warm-up, is to prepare for the focused content of the training, warm up the body and muscles in a versatile way, communicating and working together in the team to solve tasks and prepare for interactions in exercises. In this video, we go through all aspects to include in your warm-up, and how to incorporate physical exercises in training age-appropriately.

Plan a training session using the guide and template provided here below. First we start with three questions that will help us define the purpose of the training. WHAT? The purpose for the training: what does the team and/or the players need to practice? Example: The team needs to practice their understanding of the game, to provide the player in possession of the ball as many alternatives as possible. WHY? The underlying purpose of the training, why should we practice this? Example: Many players keep their eyes on the ball and tend to gather on a small part of the field in the game, where the ball is. We want to use the space on the field more efficiently to create more alternatives for the player in possession of the ball, by creating space for her to dribble herself, or alternatives to pass. HOW? Think about and write down the questions you as the coach can ask to guide the players' learning, to enable players to put their solutions into words, or to challenge the players to new solutions. Example: Practice through games in different ways. The coach/es positions themselves on the field to be able to talk with players directly in the game as situations take place, to give direct feedback. Questions to ask players: What can you do to get a pass in the next moment? What space is open? What space is closed? Once you have the ball, what can you do to get more time? Before you get the ball, what can you do to open space and give yourself more time? What options do you have now? / What do you choose? / How did it go? / Can you do it in any other way? / How? / Try! What works well? What works best? What doesn't work at all? Questions to ask the team: What works well? What do you want to change? How can you interact and collaborate to keep possession of the ball in the team? How can you clearly show where you want the pass? In what other ways can you help keep the ball in the team? What spaces do you want to use? How should you score goals?

Plan all parts of the training and determine exercises where the players are challenged according to the purpose of the training. Include a check in, warm-up, small sided games or skills training, a game exercise, a cool down activity and a check out. Write down what you have to remember to say to the players when you make a summary of the training's what, why and how. Write down the questions you ask the players so that they have the opportunity to reflect. 1. Check in Example: Check in with a feeling you have right now. 2. Theme Example: Understanding the game, specifically create space to receive the ball or create open space for a teammate to dribble. 3. Warm-up Example: Three dynamic mobility and strength training exercises. Dip the ball 3v3 with short stops to activate the body through dynamic mobility, fast feet and sprints. (15 mins) 4. Small sided games or skills training Example: Small sided games, played in two stations (15 mins) One station with games 4v4 with goalkeepers in small goals. Play 3 min, rest 1 min, 3 times. Area: half the training area. One station with 3vs1 + goalkeeper. Focus on how players without the ball move and on the cooperation between players in the team. Ask questions to players and teams to guide their learning. 5. Game of football Example: Playing football in three teams (25 mins) 6vs4 + goalkeeper. The team of six always starts with the ball through a throw in by the sixth player in the opposite team (4 + goalkeeper). The resting team plans its advantage. 6 matches of 4 minutes, one team rests. Change of teams quick to maintain intensity. Focus on how players without the ball move and cooperation between players in the team. Ask questions to players and teams to guide their learning. 6. Cool down activity Example: Relay: throw ball in line (5 min) Six players per team. Take extra note of what happens when someone misses a catch, are there unwanted behaviors to address and talk about prior to check out? 7. Summary Example: What have we focused on in practice today? What did you learn today? Praise a friend! 8. Check out Example: Check out: One word that defines a good teammate.

Now that you've planned your training in more detail, go ahead and add details around the organisation for each exercise: Make a sketch of the exercise, number of players, balls, goals, how to mark the training area, where coaches position themselves, how you will give feedback and allow space for conversation. Now, prepare your instructions for each exercise: Write down what you want to say, what information the players need to quickly get started with each exercise and how you develop the exercise further when needed to challenge the players' creativity.

Technical soccer drills for teaching core soccer skills (i.e. passing, shooting, defending, etc.). Coach attacking and defending phases of play within football. Coaching various lines of a team. Functional training exercises and soccer drills for specific units of a football team. Transition, attacking and defending organization training within a game model. Tactical training drills for football including attacking and defending organization. Soccer fitness drills and conditioning exercises age appropriate to the players and (Pro, College, Kids).

Session 1: Dribbling Focus: maintaining control under pressure. Session 2: Finishing Focus: Developing players' accuracy to finish on target. Session 3: Passing & Receiving Focus: Improve players' ability to receive the ball under pressure. Session 4: 1v1 Defending Focus: Developing players' ability at 1v1 defending. Session 5: Dribbling the Ball Focus: Dribbling the ball with both feet. Session 6: Receiving the Ball Focus: Receiving the ball in space. Session Plan 7: Dribbling the Ball How to keep the ball under close control. Session 8: Passing and Receiving How to pass with accuracy. Session 9: 1v1 attacking Using 1v1 to get past an opponent. Session 10: 1v1 defending Developing a players ability for 1v1 defending. Session 11: Dribbling the ball Developing a players ability when dribbling the ball. Session 12: Striking at Goal (U6-U8). Session 13: Striking at Goal (U9-U12).

Colour coordinate your cones when setting up. This makes it easier to see the different parts of your session and to explain to the players where to go. Placing bibs where you want players to start can help them visualise where to stand or the starting position for the game. It’s okay to reuse the same sessions. Players need repetition to learn. If you find a session that they enjoy that also enables you to coach a topic, then use it again and again. Have something for the players to do upon arrival. The best idea is to set up a small-sided pitch and have them play as soon as they arrive, 1v1, 2v1, 2v2, 3v2, 3v3 etc. It can take time for players to understand the rules of a new game or exercise, However, sometimes it might not click: SO-CHANGE-IT. On a windy day, to stop the footballs from being blown away, either place them in a heavy goal, or create a circle with cones to keep them inside. Aim to create an environment where mistakes are okay and recognised as being part of the learning process. Use visual demonstrations with the ball and player movement when you can. This helps players to understand what you are wanting them to do and can make the practice easier.