U14 Week 4
EnD ZONE
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✅ MOVEMENT
Sharp and quick is key to success! Get away from the defender
✅ BODY POSITION
Open body to face the play, or Shield the ball away from the defender
✅ COMMUNICATION
You can use your voice, hand or eye contact to let your partner know where you’re going
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10 x 15 yd areas
Groups of 3 - 1 QB, 1 WR, 1 DB - rotate every 1 minute
2 yd end zone
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✅QB is the Passer
✅WR is the Receiver
✅DB is the Defender
✅The WR & DB start on a center line, the WR must move to find space to receive a pass and go to the end zone to score
✅The defender gets 1 point for intercepting and dribbling to the QB line
🏆LEVEL 1 - 🕜60 sec per rep - 5 mins total
✅Hands-only! Just like in The NFL, the QB throws the ball for the WR to receive and go to the end zone
🏆LEVEL 2 - 🕜60 sec per rep 5 mins total
✅Use your feet! The same as LEVEL 1, but pass and receive with feet.
✅Rotate the positions after
💡TIP - Come to the ball - encourage players to receive the ball in the nearer half of the playing area, receive with an open body position and go 1v1
💡TIP - Double Movement - this is where a player fakes to go one way by taking a couple of steps in one direction and sharply moves to another to fake the defender out
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✅DB starts on the end zone line to give the WR more time
✅QB is allowed to receive a pass back to allow 1-2 wall passes and combinations
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Movement off the ball, and getting into space creates time and space on the ball. In the game, support from a teammate is important to get open for a pass for the team to have success moving the ball forward.
Sharp, game-like movement, like a double movement or starting behind a defender and coming close to receive all help and can be used in this exercise to develop passing and moving.
Big Square, Small Square
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✅ TECHNIQUE
Concentrate on correct passing and receiving technique
✅ AWARENESS
Be aware of the other players and think one step ahead - where are you going next?!
✅ COMMUNICATION
Ask for the ball and be confident with your communication
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✅ 20 x 20 yd square and a 7 x 7 yd square in the center of the large square
✅ Half the players on the inside square, half on the outside spread evenly
✅ 1 x ⚽ per player on the outside
✅Each rep lasts 90 seconds and then outside swaps with inside
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🏆LEVEL 1 - 60 seconds 🕜with 30 second break between reps
✅ Inside square player runs to a player on the outside, who passes it to the inside player. Inside player receives and passes back with two touches.
✅ Inside player runs back through the square repeating with another outside player
🏆LEVEL 1.2 - REPEAT with 1 TOUCH pass back to the outside
🏆LEVEL 1.3 - REPEAT with an inside-foot volley back to the outside (outside player gently tosses the ball to the player)
✅Swap inside & outside players at the end of the level
🏆LEVEL 2 - 90 seconds 🕜 30-second break
✅ Player on the inside square runs to a player on the outside, who passes it to the inside.
✅Inside player receives the ball, dribbles through the small square, and passes to another outside player
🏆LEVEL 2.2 - REPEAT with non-dominant foot pass to the outside (if right-footed, pass with left)
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✅ There are lots of variations the inside player can perform to increase difficulty:
Volley (left/right foot)
Chest or thigh control and back
Control from a high throw
✅ Repeat the variations again if players need help
✅ Add challenge by giving a passing number each player makes per rep
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Passing and receiving are a important fundamental skills a player needs in a game of soccer. Making it dynamic and adding awareness will increase the development and understanding in a game-like context.
Adding different ways the ball is served by the outside player is also important - high balls, fast and awkward balls happen in the game and adding these into the drill can increase the development further.
PASS & RECEIVE
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✅ TECHNIQUE
Remember the technique of passing and concentrate on that for success
✅ COMPOSURE
Take your time, take a breath and stay calm
✅ DETERMINATION
Keep on trying, if you miss, give it another go until you get it.
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✅ Players in pairs - 1 x ⚽ per pair
✅ 1 target ball resting on a cone
✅ Players opposite on a line 5 yards on either side of the target ball (coconut!)
✅Each rep lasts 90 seconds
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✅Players take turns to pass the ball and knock the coconut off the shy, focusing on the correct technique.
✅Rest a ball on a cone (or just have a ball in place and have players either side on a line 5 yards either side
You can split the games up into:
🏆Working together - how many times can they hit the ball as a pair in 90 seconds
🏆Individual competition - one player vs the other
🏆Teams - one side vs. the other. The team who knocks the most coconuts off wins
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✅Each time a player hits the ball, they go back a step - see how far back they can go
✅Practice with non-dominant foot
✅Ask players to take a maximum of 2 touches
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The correct technique of passing, using the inside of the foot is essential to the game of soccer. At the top level, passing is used to not only get the ball forward (the ball moves faster than the player), but to also disorganize and unbalance the defense).
At U6-U8, passing is not as important as teaching ball mastery, dribbling, and players having individual time on the ball. Also, the concept and understanding of teamwork are still new to them.
If the players want to win the game, they need to concentrate and be composed, the more practice will help them be more confident and skilled in a game.
GAME TIME!
What you need:
✅ 1 x⚽
✅ 2 teams (different colors)
✅ 2 goals
✅ All the rules of the game - throwins, goal-kicks, corners, kickoffs and fouls. So they can practice for the weekend!
TIME TO PLAY! ⚽ Allow the players to have fun, be competitive, and express themselves. At this age, don’t impose too much structure. Don’t force passing or stop the play. Encourage and give positive comments on the goal of the session (dribbling) and coach sporadically as the game goes on.