Annual training plan · U9–U13

Week 50: Competitions – Passing & Dribbling

2 complete training sessions with 8 drills – created by licensed coaches. Open every drill in the easy2coach web app with one click.

This week’s focus

To make technique training as efficient and useful as possible, it should always include practices with pressure. Because applying techniques under pressure is even harder when opponents or time pressure are added. This forces the player to execute the technique as quickly as possible or to keep an eye on the game at the same time.

However, the current coronavirus situation does not allow direct duels. So other solutions are needed to create pressure when doing the technique practices. Direct pressure from opponents is not possible, but relay or individual competitions create the necessary pressure.

Doing practices in competition formats has more positive effects than just creating pressure. The players are motivated and want to win the competition. This ensures high intensity and means that the techniques are applied at match-realistic speed and under competitive conditions.

This week and next, the basic techniques, as well as speed and coordination practices, are trained in competitions. Among other things, players will compete in passing, dribbling, heading, receiving the ball and finishing.

All with the aim of making technique training as match-realistic and effective as possible despite the coronavirus situation.

Author Luis Österlein

Session 1

4 drills

Today's session mainly practises passing in competition formats. This means the players have to play the balls on the move and with a lot of pace on the pass. However, the accuracy of the passing must not suffer as a result if the competition is to be won. So an ideal balance between speed and accuracy is needed. As the players become more confident, the pace of the passes can still be increased.

In drills in which the ball also has to be controlled, however, it is not enough simply to pass the ball particularly hard to a team-mate. The right pace of pass has to be found. The ball should not be underhit, but the team-mate should not receive a ball that arrives at waist height and is more like a shot either. Nevertheless, the receiver may be challenged when controlling the ball. On the one hand to win the competition, and on the other to practise the first touch.

Besides the right pace of pass, the passer should also play the ball to the team-mate in such a way that play can continue as quickly as possible. The following questions can help:

  • Which of my team-mate's feet do I pass to?
  • Can I pass the ball into my team-mate's path, or do I have to play it to feet?
  • Can I help the receiver with a call?
Coaching points for this session
  • Find the right balance between pace on the pass and accuracy
  • Play team-mates in on the front foot or into their path to speed up the continuation of play
  • Give a call with the pass
  • Make sure the ball reaches the team-mate along the ground (lean the upper body over the ball and strike the ball in the middle)
Drill 1

Passing (in a Square)

10 min7 x 7 metres per square
  • Player 1 plays the ball with the right foot to Player 2.
  • Player 2 opens up and plays the ball with the right foot towards Player 3.
  • Player 3 opens up, steers the ball slightly towards Player 4 and passes to Player 4; the drill then runs on continuously in this way.
  • Every player follows the pass.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Four cones each form a square.

Equipment: 4 cones per square and one ball per square.

Players: Five players per square; the starting position has two players.

Coaching points
  • Play the ball to the team-mate's front foot.
  • Take the ball with the outside foot and play it on.
  • Play the balls with sufficient pace.
  • Always play the balls past the outside of the cone.
Drill 2

Coordination Relay

20 min
  • On a start signal from the coach, the first players of both groups run through the course.
  • They then receive a pass from the feeder and play the ball into the mini goal with a maximum of two touches before the line of cones.
  • Runner and feeder then swap tasks.
  • The winner is the team that is first to score ten goals.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: A course of cones, tall cones, poles and hurdles; behind it a line of cones marks the passing zone in front of two mini goals.

Equipment: 2 mini goals, cones, tall cones, poles, hurdles and several balls.

Players: Two groups, each with a runner A and a feeder B.

Coaching points
  • Perform the drills cleanly despite the competition.
  • Look up from the ball.
Drill 3

One-Touch Passing Competition

20 minAbout 10 metres from the feeder cone to the cone goal
  • The first player in the line sets off towards the feeder.
  • The feeder plays the ball in.
  • The ball is passed back to the feeder first time.
  • The next player in the line then sets off and carries out the drill in the same way.
  • After each pass, the players join their line again.
  • The winning team is the one that first plays 15 clean passes; the losing group does five stretch jumps, press-ups or sit-ups.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Two identical lanes are set up next to each other. In each lane, one cone marks the position of the feeder and two more mark the opposite waiting position of the group.

Equipment: 6 cones and one ball per group.

Players: One feeder per group with a ball at the cone; the remaining players of the group line up opposite.

Coaching points
  • Pay attention to the quality of the passes.
  • Look up from the ball.
  • Train with both feet.
Drill 4

Finishing Competition

20 minHalf a pitch

Variation 1:

  • Player 1 plays the ball in to Player 2.
  • Player 2 lays the ball off.
  • The ball is played forward to Player 3.
  • Player 3 turns and finishes.

Variation 2:

  • Player 3 is played in directly with a forward pass.
  • Player 3 lays the ball off to Player 2.
  • Player 2 carries the ball forwards and finishes.

Variations: Play it as a finishing competition — which team scores more goals in a given time and passing sequence?

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark the positions: two next to each other on the edge of the penalty area, two further back and one at the centre circle as the starting position. At the end there is a goal with a goalkeeper.

Equipment: 1 to 2 goals, 5 to 10 cones and several balls.

Players: The three Players 1, 2 and 3 at the positions; the balls are with the starting player. Plus a goalkeeper.

Coaching points
  • Pass with pace.
  • Show for the ball further forward in a half-open body position.
  • Play first time or with a maximum of two touches.
The complete session as a ready-made training plan – with animated drills in the web app. Go to the web app

Session 2

4 drills

In the 2nd session of this training week, the players compete with each other in their dribbling skills. Carrying the ball is one of the most fundamental techniques in football, or even the most fundamental. Especially at U8/U9 and U10/U11 level, dribbling is almost always preferred to passing, because the players still lack the awareness and understanding of the game to solve match situations. Nor is it necessary to stop this often seemingly one-sided approach of younger players too early. Passing should still be part of training. However, it is enough for the players to be encouraged gradually, only from U11 or U12, to solve match situations by letting the ball do the work.

When dribbling in a match, the players face very different demands. If there is a lot of pressure from opponents, possibly from several sides, the ball has to be kept close to the foot. This allows a quick reaction to what the opponents do and a quick dribble or pass out of the crowded space.

If, on the other hand, a player has more space ahead, close control matters less. Quite the opposite. In such situations the ball should even be pushed as far ahead as possible, in order to cover a lot of ground as quickly as possible. However, the player should keep an eye on what is happening in the game and on the opponents. This avoids pushing the ball so far ahead that the opponent ends up closer to it or that it goes out of play.

If an opponent stands in the way of the player on the ball on the way to goal, the last form of dribbling comes into play – dribbling to beat an opponent. This requires several dribbling skills at once. The player has to dribble at the opponent, which requires good ball control. Now the opponent has to be beaten. For this, the player should be able to build feints into their dribbling. If the skill move has worked, the player only has to make a change of direction and an explosive change of pace.

Coaching points for this session
  • Close ball control
  • Dribbling with both feet
  • Look up from the ball
  • Have the players use varied ways of carrying the ball (sole, inside of the foot, outside of the foot, instep)
Drill 1

Dribbling and Passing

20 min
  • Group 1: The cones are dribbled through in a slalom.
  • Group 2: The cones are played around with one-twos.
  • Group 3: The ball is played against the first bench. The returning ball is controlled and taken towards the next bench. This one is played against as well, and the returning ball is again taken into the dribble.

Variations:

  • Group 1: dribbling with the left foot only, with the right foot only, with the sole or alternating left and right.
  • Group 2: the ball has to be released with the second touch at the latest, one player always has to pass first time.
  • Group 3: take the ball straight into the movement, take the ball with a change of pace, or play the bench in such a way that the ball comes back into the path of the run.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Set up a separate station for each group: a row of cones for the slalom, a row of cones for the one-twos and two benches as rebound surfaces.

Equipment: Cones, 2 benches, balls.

Players: The players are divided into three groups.

Coaching points

Have the variations carried out:

  • Group 1: dribbling with the left foot only, the right foot only, the sole, alternating left and right
  • Group 2: the ball has to be released with the 2nd touch at the latest, 1 player always has to pass first time
  • Group 3: the ball is taken straight into the movement, the ball is taken with a change of pace, the bench is played in such a way that the ball comes back into the path of the run
Drill 2

Dribbling Relay

20 min6 metres dribbling distance
  • The teams compete against each other in a relay race.
  • On a signal every player dribbles the distance there and back.
  • Meanwhile the next players get ready at the start.
  • The winner receives one point each.

Variations: As a proper relay race — on a signal every player dribbles the distance there and back and tags the next starter. Which team is the fastest?

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Cones mark the dribbling line and a cone goal.

Equipment: Cones and one ball per group.

Players: Groups of equal size.

Coaching points
  • Do not push the ball too far through the cone goal.
  • Cut sharply.
  • Push the ball straight in the opposite direction while cutting instead of only stopping it.
Drill 3

Dribbling in a Competition

20 min
  • Two players dribble through the course and then finish on the mini goal.
  • Whoever scores first wins.

Variations:

  • Run the drill as a competition.
  • The dribbling may only be done with the left or only with the right foot.
Equipment & set-up

Pitch: A cone course with two mini goals at the end.

Equipment: 2 mini goals, cones and several balls.

Players: Two players start at the same time.

Coaching points
  • Pay attention to close ball control.
  • Look up from the ball.
Drill 4

Shot with Slalom and One-Two

25 min

Player A sets off through the slalom with the ball and plays a one-two with Player B at the end. Player A then pushes the ball forward so that Player B can finish first time. After that Player A takes over the position of Player B.

Variations: Run the format as a relay competition: which team scores 10 goals first? The next player starts as soon as the finish has been taken.

Equipment & set-up

Pitch: Set-up as shown in the graphic. The slalom leads from position A towards position B.

Equipment: 5 cones for the slalom, 2 tall cones for positions A and B, 1 goal, several balls.

Players: The players spread out across positions A and B, the goal is occupied by a goalkeeper.

Coaching points
  • Run through the slalom tightly and at high speed.
  • Play the one-two firmly and first time.
  • Push the ball for the finish so that Player B can take it first time.
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