I won't have a full podcast for this week because I'm spending some down time with my family during the July 4th holiday weekend. I don't want to go a week without putting anything out there so here is a 1 v 1 exercise that we use toward the end of our 12-week Technical Training curriculum. I like this exercise because it incorporates passing, receiving, change of direction moves, 1 v 1 moves and shooting in a competitive environment that the players really … [Read more...]
#012 Training Possession Play with Increasing Pressure
Thanks! We continue to receive a lot of positive feedback on the podcast. A ‘Five Star’ review on iTunes from ‘Flying Dave’ says, "I'm thoroughly enjoying this podcast. I find it hard to talk soccer coaching with other coaches. My wife is tired of me bouncing ideas off of her. I'm super pleased to hear about coaching from other coaches. thanks!" Thanks for the review and rating Dave! Another ‘Five Star’ review is from Arima 19 says, "Have … [Read more...]
#011 Four Favorite Fun Warm-Ups
In this Episode I look at the warm-up phase of your training session. This is what sets the tone for your entire session to follow. Having the warm-up relate to the session is important. But maybe more importantly it must engage your players and get them as ready psychologically and emotionally just as much as it does physically and technically. I know your team will enjoy these warm-up activities and you'll find that when you start your sessions the way I … [Read more...]
#009 1 v 1 Training for Every Situation
In this episode I show you six practice environments that I use for 1v1 training. They focus on each of the key 1v1 situations that players will face in the game. Each of them gives you an opportunity to train both the attacker and defenders. They all allow the players to be very creative and free to try new skills. 1v1 situations are such an important part of the game that coaches at every level should be spending at least some of their valuable training … [Read more...]
#006 Better Ways to Play 5v2
We've continued to get some great feedback on the podcast. Thousands of coaches are listening every week and it’s great to hear that they’re enjoying the show. Some have been sharing the episodes with their friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks to @precisionfutbol for helping to spread the word on Twitter. We've also continued to receive some great ‘5 Star’ reviews and comments on iTunes: Adam McCracken (great username) said ‘If you are in … [Read more...]
#003 Exercises to Develop Creative Finishers
In this episode I want to share a set of exercises to improve your player’s shooting and finishing ability. They are progressive so they begin with basic movements that focus on the technical aspects of shooting and then begin to add pressure and complexity. The exercises are functional so they present problems that are similar to those that the players will face in the game. They are also scalable so you can use them with large groups of players and still … [Read more...]