Theme: Introduction to basic movement quality (effort), basic body control
Physical Literacy: Collision Avoidance, Object Manipulation – Feet

pdf of Session #7:  U5-U8 Player Development Sessions #7

Plastic Bag Tail Tag Game (10 min)
Purpose: To practice the skill of dodging (or feinting as it is called in soccer) and running, twisting, turning, stopping, starting.

– To perform Everyone tucks a plastic bag into the back of their pants that must hang out at least 1/2 way (a tail).
– On the coach’s command, all players try to pull out other players’ tails while protecting their own (cannot protect with hands).
When a player loses their tail, he/she must perform an activity (push-ups, jumping jacks, etc.) before re-entering the activity.
– When the tail is lost, the player should step outside the area and replace their tail.
– The area should be large enough that players are not bumping into each other but small enough that players have to work hard to not lose their tails.
– Collect all plastic bags at the end of the activity and return them for recycling.

Dribbling Practice (5 min)
Purpose: To reinforce the dribbling techniques learned during earlier practices.

Have the players dribble freely or skip with the ball for 30 seconds.

Demonstrate the Stop Turn / Whoop Turn ! and explain in 10 seconds.
– Have the players practice the Stop Turn / Whoop Turn ! as many times as possible in 20 seconds.

Demonstrate the Inside Hook and Outside Hook and explain in 10 seconds.
– Have the players practice the Inside Hook and Outside Hook as many times as possible in 20 seconds.

Demonstrate the Matthew’s Move and explain in 10 seconds.
– Have the players practice the Matthew’s Move as many times as possible in 20 seconds.

Demonstrate the Scissors Move and explain in 10 seconds.
– Have the players practice the Scissors Move as many times as possible in 20 seconds.

Demonstrate all of the previously used techniques in 10 seconds.
– Have the players practice all of the techniques as many times as possible in 30 seconds.

Break The Line Dribblers (3 min)
Purpose: To develop dribbling and introduce the phrase ‘break the line’.

– Coach has the players dribbling within an area.
– When the coach says ‘Break the Line Dribblers’ the players attempt to dribble through as many gates as possible breaking the imaginary line between the two cones.
– At the end of 30 seconds the coach says ‘Slow Down’ and the players as they dribble shout out how imaginary lines they were able to break.

SPEED RACER – Dribbling for younger players (8 min)
Purpose: To play a fun exercise and develop dribbling at speed.

– Create a large circle with cones.
– Players find and stand next to a cone.
– On coach’s whistle, the player race around the track and try to be the first one back to their cone.

Progression– tell players they can go in any direction. This will force them to keep their heads up and avoid collisions (Physical Literacy)

Scrimmage (30 min)