U8 Week 4

Passing Gates

  • ✅TECHNIQUE

    See Rules & Instructions for technique

    ✅FIRM PASS

    Not too hard, not too soft!

    ✅ANTICIPATE

    Move to the ball and stay balanced when receiving

  • ✅ Players in pairs - 1 x ⚽ per pair

    ✅ Cone gates (2 cones) for each pair

    ✅ 1 x player 3 yds on either side of cone (you can use a cone as a marker or guide)

    ✅Each rep lasts 90 seconds

  • 10 minutes warm up should be spent on the basic technique of passing back and forth with a teammate.

    ✅ PASSING TECHNIQUE

    1. Balanced, with body facing the player receiving the pass

    2. Standing foot by the side of the ball, and keep eye on the ball

    3. Use the inside of the foot with a firm ankle (no floppy foot!) and strike center of the ball

    4. Follow through toward target.

    ✅ RECEIVING TECHNIQUE

    1. Anticipate where the ball is going and move to it

    2. Stay balanced

    3. As the ball approaches the foot, touch the ball gently with the inside of the foot, cushioning it (imagine the foot as a cushion and not a brick wall) - with this, the ball should softly ‘pop’ half a yard in front of the player, ready for them to pass again.

    ✅Break every 2 minutes to review and ask guided questions:

    ❓‘why do we use the inside of the foot? - for accuracy - it’s the largest area’

    ❓‘why do we keep our eye on the ball when kicking? - to ensure we kick it in the correct area’

    🏆LEVEL 2 - Points

    After the first couple of rounds of 2 minutes - add a points tally. Players can keep score of consecutive passes that stay within the cone gates.

    💡TIP - Try and match players of similar ability. This way you can work with the players that need help more. As a coach, you can go up and down the line of players and see which players need help. ENCOURAGE!

  • ✅Make the gates wider or smaller

    ✅Alternate passing foot (left and right)

    ✅Every 10 consecutive passes, both players in a pair take 1 step back

  • 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.

    Even though the above is the case, it is still good to practice the fundamental skill in an unopposed environment before they move on to more dynamic, opposed and team-based passing.

Gates Passing

  • ✅TECHNIQUE

    Focus on the technique of the pass

    ✅AWARENESS

    Dribble with head up to find the next gate and know where the teammate is

    ✅COMMUNICATION

    Both on and off the ball so you know where your teammate is going to be

  • ✅20 x 25yards - plenty of space for players to make mistakes with passing and have room to dribble

    ✅ Players in pairs - each pair has 1 x ⚽

    ✅ 2 cones 2 yards apart - ideally, 2 or 3 more gates than pairs

  • In pairs, with a ball between them, one player in the pair dribbles to a cone gate and pass between the gate. The other player then dribbles to another gate and continues the process.

    🏆LEVEL 1 - Using hands - 2.5 mins

    1 minute - players run with the ball in their hand and throw it across to each other. For a successful pass, they must catch the ball. The focus is on passing, moving, and communicating.

    The pairs see if they can beat their previous score of passes.

    🏆LEVEL 2 - Pass & Move - 7 mins

    90 seconds each rep - Players now dribble with the ball and pass to a teammate through a gate. They take turns to pass and dribble between gates.

    Choose a different partner after 90 seconds.

    🏆LEVEL 3 - Defenders! - 3 mins

    Choose 2 defenders to try and kick the ball away using a poke tackle.

    Change the defender after 1 minute

    💡TIP - Encourage players to go to different gates and have awareness and communication to look for open gates (no other pairs). Correct technique should be used but encourage the players to have fun and explore the concept of passing and moving.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Clean Your Yard

  • ✅TECHNIQUE

    Focus on the technique and strength of the pass

    ✅AWARENESS

    Dribble with head up to find the next gate and know where the teammate is

    ✅COMPOSURE

    Stay calm so you can keep your passes accurate

  • ✅20 x 25yd field per 10-15 players

    ✅Two equal teams

    ✅Field split into 2 halves by cones or flat markers

    ✅1 x ⚽ per player AT LEAST - the more balls, the more fun and chaos

  • Players must keep the ball out of their own yard and into the other team's yard by passing the ball when it comes across into their area. The team with the least balls in their ‘yard’ at the end is the winner.

    Play for 2 minutes and have a break - ask questions in between and switch up the teams half way through.

    ✅Players cannot cross into the other team's yard.

    ✅The team with the least balls in their yard wins the game.

    ✅The ball must be in the opponent’s yard for it to count at the end.

    💡TIP - The game is fun and chaotic, so allow the players to express themselves and have fun with not too much importance on technique

    💡TIP - Look out for passing strength - must make sure their kick is just the right speed and power - too hard and it will go out of the opponent's area, too soft and it won't get into the area.

    💡TIP - Get the players to encourage their teammates!

  • ✅Make the playing zone smaller so passing has to be more accurate

    ✅Every ball outside the zone on the opposite side of an area is a minus to the team that kicks it out

    ✅Players can't retrieve the ball if it goes outside the zone

    ✅2/3 max touches per player

  • Though it is quite different from the game of soccer, teamwork, competition, and composure are developed.

    Clean your yard helps players with keeping calm under pressure, with a lot going on, helping the physical development and working together as a team. It also helps with the technique of passing and receiving.

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.