Play and refine! Utilize these rondos and game related activities in Primary & Secondary Defenders to teach your young players how to defend. Peel back the layers and challenge your players’ cognitive ability to recognize the appropriate moment to commit to winning the ball. Tracking the ball, managing an opponent and cutting off passing lanes are three important components covered in this complete session. Encourage discipline, controlled aggression and intelligent defending. Download Color PDF | Download B&W PDF | Session Planner Permalink Primary & Secondary Defenders 1. Setup ..read more

Three team rondo is a great transition activity for the younger ages 8-12, or simply use it as a warm up for the older ages, or perhaps the day before a match. Keep the action continuous, create a fun but competitive atmosphere for your players. Download Color PDF | Download B&W PDF | Session Planner Permalink Setup: 17 players, three teams of 5 plus two neutral players. Three 5X10 grids set up next to each other as shown. Instructions: The white team possesses the ball for five passes against two red defenders. The white team’s objective is to transfer possession to the green team at the ..read more

Small Sided Shooting Game is a great finishing activity to try with your players. This basic and effective shooting game encourages them to utilize their technical skills around the opponent’s box. Adjust the dimensions or number of players to adapt to your team and environment. Download Color PDF | Download B&W PDF | Session Planner Permalink Small Sided Shooting Game Setup: Basic shooting game that encourages technical skills around the opponent’s box. Pitch size is double penalty box. 5 v 5 + GK’s. Attacking team: 3 + GK (assisting with build out) v 2 (strikers defending) in their own ..read more

Is your system of play is a 3-2-1, 3-2-3, or 4-2-3-1? Do you want to build working relationships with different pairs of players within your system of play? Here is a great rondo to work on the defensive relationship of your two central midfielders, two central defenders or perhaps your two forwards in a 4-4-2. The focus is on all defensive principles in small group defending. Download Color PDF | Download B&W PDF | Session Planner Permalink Setup: 4V2 directional rondo with a screening defender. 10X10 yard grids, 12-18 field players, 2-3 identical set ups as shown. A coach at each end wit ..read more

Try these Attacking Patterns to Goal with your attacking players! Focus on the timing of runs, properly timed and weighted through balls, dealing with a recovering defender and finishing under pressure. These repetitions are good for working on principles of defending as well. Download Color PDF | Download B&W PDF | Session Planner Permalink Variation #1: Setup: Attacking pattern to goal variation #1 with the front 4. A back four vs. three forwards and the #10. Coach has a group of balls between half field and the bottom of the circle and dictates the point and frequency of the attack. An ..read more

This great session came from Othoniel “Junior” Gonzalez during his time with the Seattle Sounders FC as the S2 Assistant Coach.  Gonzalez is currently the Head Coach of LAFC2 and was previously an Assistant Coach with Chicago Fire FC, the Head Coach of LA Galaxy II, Head Coach of Rio Grande Valley FC and Director of Scouting and Assistant Coach for Chivas USA. He has also served as the U.S. Boys U-15 National Team Assistant Coach, as well as the Head Scout for the U-17 National Team for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile. The objective of this session is to encourage possession by play ..read more

Here is an attacking activity from Stuart Sharp, currently the Head Coach of the U.S. Paralympic National Soccer Team. Playing out of a 2-3-1 in attack and defending in a 4-2 block, this activity is a very economic way of utilizing his entire roster of 14 players. Paralympic soccer is 7-a-side format with no offside. Run through these eight patterns to goal focusing on trying to find ways to break down a very compact 4-2 defense. If they drop on top of their goal mouth, utilize shots from distance and service from wide areas. If they maintain a defensive line higher up the field, look to ..read more

Do you ever train your defenders to deal with a forward that is recovering from an offside position? Are they effective at watching the ball and recognizing the movements of a forward in an offside position? Can they become comfortable being in a uncomfortable game like scenario? Recovery Runner will force them to manage the ball as well as the lurking forward behind them. Plenty of reps for both your forwards and your defenders in this fast paced 2V1 and 3V2 activity! Download Color PDF | Download B&W PDF | Session Planner Permalink Recovery Runner 1. Setup: 16 field players and 2 GKs. Pe ..read more

Here is a great activity to economically train your eight defenders and work on the different principles of defending. This simple but demanding game will enable your players to learn how and when to apply pressure to the ball, force them to stay connected laterally as well as vertically, teach them to cut off passing lanes, and through communication, develop a cohesive working relationship. Give it a try!! Download Color PDF | Download B&W PDF | Session Planner Permalink Set up: Back four functional defending, 8 players, 44×25 yard field, six small goals. One coach standing behind the mid ..read more

If you prefer to play out of a 4-3-3 formation and you want your focus to be on the three central midfielders, then try this 7V7+3 possession activity. This simple activity forces your three central midfielders to think and react during transitional moments. Is their spacing realistic? Is there always cover in front of the back four transitioning from offense to defense? Is their speed of play realistic? Try this activity with your team and find out. Download Color PDF | Download B&W PDF | Session Planner Permalink Setup: 7V7+3 functional, position specific possession, 44X45 (top of the pe ..read more