Theme: Introduction to basic body and manipulative control
Physical Literacy: Collision Avoidance, Object Manipulation – Feet

pdf of Practice #11: 11 Active Start EPIC Player Development

Introduction : Attention Span SHORT. Be brief but deliberate.

Purpose: To begin the process of them listening (players and partners) to your voice. Introduce the practice space.

Yard (“This is our Yard”)

When we leave our yard at home what do we do, we look both ways then go out. We will play in our yard today but we will leave our yard to get drinks or have a rest.

“This is your yard. WHEN I SAY GO, go explore your yard with your partner.”

Warm-up : Moving inside of the area.
Purpose: Learning To Listen for STOP and FREEZE commands. To get players smiling , sweating and to introduce dribbling with different parts of the foot.

“REHEARSE ‘STOP’ AND ‘FREEZE’

When your teacher/instructor says ‘STOP’ what do we do….When your teacher/instructor says ‘FREEZE’ what do we do …. DEMONSTRATE”

1. Dribble/Gallop
2. “Can anyone show me a way that we have dribbled?” Can anyone show us a type of turn we have used?”
3. Stop = Foot on top of ball (“great balance”)
4. Gallop around ball to right / to left (touching with little toe)
5. Gallop on both feet

REVIEW: Step over turn (run over ball with feet on either side, turn and then come back), WHOOP! Turn and SLIDE

CHALLENGE (Perform twice): Can anyone show me how many turns you can do in 30 seconds as fast as you can? (Demonstrate mixing up turns before and in between the two Challenges). 30 seconds of activity, 30 seconds of recovery as you demonstrate, then 30 seconds of activity.

SQUIRRELS AND NUTS (10 min)
Purpose: General Movement and Dribbling FUN (with Music where possible)

– Divide players (the squirrels) into four equal groups (using coloured vests or by the colours of their shorts or socks or hats, no hats).

– Each group is to stand in one corner of half a soccer field (the nest).

– Soccer balls (the nuts) are placed in the middle of the area.

– On the coach’s command squirrels scamper around the area.

– When coach calls, “Feeding time!” squirrels try to collect all nuts and bring them back to their nest (by dribbling one ball at a time).

– Squirrels can also steal nuts from other nests but are not allowed to stop other squirrels from taking the nuts.

TRIANGLE TAG – Groups of Four (Two pair) (5 min).
Purpose: To provide a fun cooperative game.

– Groups of four: one tagger and the other three players join hands to form a triangle,

– Tagger tries to tag a designated player within the triangle (cannot go through the triangle, must go around),

– The triangle can move and spin around to avoid the player but must keep the cone on the ground in the middle of the triangle,

– Give everyone a chance to be the tagger twice (30 second periods as the tagger).

Variations:

– All players can hop on one foot

– Progress to player dribbling a ball while players in a triangle must hop on one foot.

PRE DRINK CHALLENGES

1. Ball in hands – toss to yourself and catch. Drop-bounce-catch.

2. Ball in hands – put the ball on your shoulder-let it fall behind you-turn and catch after it bounces.

CRAB SOCCER (10 min)
Purpose: Soccer-specific ball and body awareness

– Within the 15×15 area, the older Partner is in Crab position (all fours with belt-buckle facing the sky).

– Player dribbles the soccer ball and attempts to avoid their Partner and the other Partners

– The crab (Partner) attempts to capture the ball using their hands or feet.

– When the ball is captured they can switch roles.

GOALS FOR EVERYONE (8-10 min)

Place small goals around the field. With all players, and partners where needed moving around the field, the players attempt to score on any of the goals.

– They cannot score on the neighbouring goal that they just scored on

– If a player is comfortable going around the field on their own then their Partner can play in a goal and pretend to be a goalkeeper

Wrap Up

Thank players for being great listeners and have them give their Partners a round of applause as helpers.

Ask them what ‘Stop’ and ‘Freeze’ mean and how are they different.

Have them high five 5 people or more before leaving and say ‘Good Practice Today’.