1v1 To Goal

Today we are discussing a drill/technique for youth soccer players to prevent an opponent from getting ball before the goal post. This drill is known as 1v1  to Goal. The picture below is showing players positions and below the picture, the method is discussed to show how this drill should be practiced.

Rules:

• B1 passes to R1, B1 tries to prevent R1 from scoring in the small goal
• Players will switch roles after each round.

After a set period of time, defenders start from opposite corner. Given the young age of the players, it is recommended coaches use a small ball.

After each attacking sequence, the attacker becomes the goalkeeper, the goalkeeper becomes the defender, the defender becomes the attacker.

Coaching Points:

• Defender runs quickly out to meet the attacker
• As defender gets closer to the attacker, they must start to slow down
• 
  

1v1 Preventing an Opponent from Turning(14+)

Today we are discussing a drill/technique for youth soccer players to prevent an opponent from turning. This drill is known as 1v1 Preventing an Opponent from Turning. The picture below is showing players positions and below the picture, the method is discussed to show how this drill should be practiced.

Organization:

R3 passes to R2 and B2 prevents them from turning and scoring at the small goal. If R2 is successful they keep the ball and pass into R3 as B3 defends. If B2 wins possession game continues and B2 tries to score by dribbling or passing through the goal where R3 is standing. The game continues with B1 passing into B4. Progress by alternating between attacker and defender.

Coaching Points:

• Touch tight to the attacker – should be able to extend your arm and touch the attacker
• Defenders moves with the player to maintain the same distance
• Do not allow the attacking player to turn and face up the defender
• Time to make the tackle is when the attacking player is half turned and not protecting the ball with their body

1v1 Preventing an Opponent from Turning(10-13)

Today we are discussing a drill/technique for youth soccer players to prevent an opponent from turning. This drill is known as 1v1 Preventing an Opponent from Turning. The picture below is showing players positions and below the picture, the method is discussed to show how this drill should be practiced.

Organization:
R3 passes to R2 and B2 prevents them from turning and scoring at the small goal. If R2 is successful they keep the ball and pass into R3 as B3 defends. If B2 wins possession game continues and B2 tries to score by dribbling or passing through the goal where R3 is standing. The game continues with B1 passing into B4. Progress by alternating between attacker and defender.

Coaching Points:

• Touch tight to the attacker – should be able to extend your arm and touch the attacker
• Defenders moves with the player to maintain the same distance
• Do not allow the attacking player to turn and face up the defender
• Time to make the tackle is when the attacking player is half turned and not protecting the ball with their body.

1v1 Preventing an Opponent from Turning(6-9)

Today we are discussing a drill/technique for youth soccer players to prevent an opponent from turning. This drill is known as 1v1 Preventing an Opponent from Turning. The picture below is showing players positions and below the method is discussed to show how this drill should pe practiced.

Organization:
R3 passes to R2 and B2 prevents them from turning and scoring at the small goal. If R2 is successful they keep the ball and pass into R3 as B3 defends. If B2 wins possession game continues and B2 tries to score by dribbling or passing through the goal where R3 is standing. The game continues with B1 passing into B4. Progress by alternating between attacker and defender.

Coaching Points:

• Touch tight to the attacker – should be able to extend your arm and touch the attacker.
• Defenders moves with the player to maintain the same distance.
• Do not allow the attacking player to turn and face up the defender.
• Time to make the tackle is when the attacking player is half turned and not protecting the ball with their body.

1v1 Defending(14+)

Today we are discussing a defending drill/technique for youth soccer players. This is known as 1v1 defending. The picture below is showing players positions and below the method is discussed to show how 1v1 defending is done.

Rules:

• S1 serves the ball to S3 who controls and attacks the small goal
• Goals can be scored by dribbling or passing through the small goal
• As S1 passes to S3, D1 quickly comes out to defend the small goal
• If D1 wins possession then play to S4 and sequence starts again

Coaching Points:

• D1 moves quickly to close down S3 (can D1 meet S3 in their defending half?)
• D1 bends their run to push S3 away from goal
• D1 tackles when the opportunity arises

Progress by changing the goal to the opposite side of the field so players practice bending their run in each direction.

Player Rotation
S1 changes with S3
S3 changes with D1
D1 changes with S1

1v1 Defending(10-13)

Today we are discussing a defending technique for youth soccer players. This is known as 1v1 defending. The picture below is showing players positions and below the method is discussed to show how 1v1 defending is done. 

Rules:

• S1 serves the ball to S3 who controls and attacks the small goal
• Goals can be scored by dribbling or passing through the small goal
• As S1 passes to S3, D1 quickly comes out to defend the small goal
• If D1 wins possession then play to S4 and sequence starts again

Coaching Points:

• D1 moves quickly to close down S3 (can D1 meet S3 in their defending half?)
• D1 bends their run to push S3 away from goal
• D1 tackles when the opportunity arises

Progress by changing the goal to the opposite side of the field so players practice bending their run in each direction.

Player Rotation
S1 changes with S3
S3 changes with D1
D1 changes with S1

1v1 Defending(6-9)

Today we are discussing a defending technique for youth soccer players. This is known as 1v1 defending. The picture below is showing players positions and below the method is discussed to show how 1v1 defending is done. 

Rules:

• S1 serves the ball to S3 who controls and attacks the small goal
• Goals can be scored by dribbling or passing through the small goal
• As S1 passes to S3, D1 quickly comes out to defend the small goal
• If D1 wins possession then play to S4 and sequence starts again

Coaching Points:

• D1 moves quickly to close down S3 (can D1 meet S3 in their defending half?)
• D1 bends their run to push S3 away from goal
• D1 tackles when the opportunity arises

Progress by changing the goal to the opposite side of the field so players practice bending their run in each direction.

Player Rotation

S1 changes with S3

S3 changes with D1

D1 changes with S1

Defending Warm-up (6-9)

Today we are discussing how to warm up for defending... This is a great way to warm up for defenders before going to play and perform in the field. Following is a way showed how to do the defending warm up.

Organization:
In pairs, players pass back and forth. When one player within the pair puts the sole of their foot on the ball they must react and quickly move to close them down. After two seconds the defending player moves back to their original position and the sequence starts again.


Progress:
Rather than stopping the ball with their foot, one player allows the ball to pass between their legs. The player who passed the ball moves quickly to close them down. This simulates defending against a player with their back to the goal. Allow the players to stop the ball with the sole of their foot or let it go between their legs; it is their decision.

Coaching Points:

• React quickly to the actions of your partner
• Long strides to start and as you get closer to your partner shorten steps
• Touch tight
• Knees bent and feet staggered, not flat or ball can be put between your legs
• Weight toward your toes, on the balls of your feet
• Pressure the ball quickly and get back to your original position quickly.

8 Mistakes that New Youth Soccer Coaches make

For many youth coaches, improving the soccer skills of their players fast, motivating them the right way and making training more fun and interesting can be a really nightmare. But that nightmare doesn't have to happen, especially when you know, first hand, the most common mistakes new youth soccer coaches make. This article will help you avoid those mistakes by laying out the most typical youth soccer coaching missteps.

1. Not Knowing How To Keep Player’s Interest, Focus And Attention In Practice

Children who are enthusiastic during a game can become moody and restless when they have to do drills, especially if they aren't much fun. This can lead to loss of interest and indiscipline during training sessions. The best way to keep your practice sessions interesting is to have a plan. That means you need to make your drills as fun and creative as possible.

Make things a little competitive as well - pitting small teams against each other in passing or dribbling drills makes the kids encourage each other and work as a team. A reward system can also do wonders in kindling interest in soccer practice. A good incentive for most children is to promise them some game time at the end of each practice session.

2. Lack Of Motivation

Motivation can have a major impact on the performance of your players. You need to strike the balance so that your team players work towards a common team goal by making their individual contributions. You have to find ways to motivate them and build their self-confidence so that they actually believe they can succeed.

You should try to make your training sessions interesting and fun, set goals in advance (both short term and long term), show a positive attitude, and always be supportive. Also don’t forget to show confidence in your players, encourage them often and talk to each one individually and regularly.

3. Teaching Players At Different Skill Levels On The Same Team

You have a mixed bag of skill sets. The first thing you need to do as a coach is watch the practice sessions carefully. It's important to recognize the potential in each and every player and to ensure that no one feels they are better or stronger than the rest. Don't single out the stronger players for simple coaching tasks or
make an example of them.

Don't assign the same drill to all of them with varying degrees of difficulty, as this can also cultivate a feeling of inferiority among players. Having them all work on different drills will make it clear that different players are good at different things. Make it clear to your players that they need to work together, as a team. No player is better or worse than the other - each player has his own strengths.

4. Not Making Training FUN!

If your players have fun playing and feel a sense of achievement while practicing, they will look forward to coming back. The fun aspect needs to be built in. A way to keep training fun and avoid boredom is to ensure that players get adequate possession of the ball.

You can do that by simply keeping fewer players to a side and keep your fields small. This ensures that the ball is shared between fewer players and everyone stays involved. Also find ways of making your players warm up without making it sound like a military drill. Maybe you could have short dribbling sessions around the cones or make them play a light game of catch instead.

5. Not building Teamwork and playing as a Team

Have a team meeting before practice and get everyone to comment on previous activities. Before the first ever practice of the season, spend some time setting goals that can be achieved by your team. These goals must be constantly monitored and discussed by the group. For every mini goal that is accomplished, don’t forget to reward your players. It will tell them that you care about how well they are doing.

A short trip at the end of your season can be something to really look forward to. The togetherness promotes team spirit. When you go on these camping trips, it can be great if you can organize a friendly soccer match with a local team. This keeps your players busy and builds their self-confidence and friendship.

6. Not Developing Passing Skills

Passing is a fundamental skill in soccer and you must come up with a variety of drills in your training sessions to make sure every player in your team becomes expert at passing. Passing also involves the creation of space to receive the ball.

The player must put himself in a position to make the pass while keeping an eye on the target. The right passing technique must be used, by approaching the ball from the right angle and the ball must then be kicked with the appropriate part of the foot.

7. Difficulty in Understanding and teaching the Drills

Another big problem that coaches face is making drills simple so that the players understand it easily. For example, in order to make things much easier, you have to explain every drill with simple step-by-step instructions, diagrams and key points.

A good exercise is to imagine that all the kids are playing soccer for the first time, so you need to teach the drills in a way that they can understand the different procedures easily.

8. Poor Finishing Skills

Do you remember any games where everything goes right all the way up to the final shot from 15 yards into a goal with just the goalkeeper in sight? Chances are if the players haven’t been taught right, this is the point where it all comes apart. Your ace takes a shot, the goalie intercepts, by the time the attacker is able to do anything to the ball a second time, the entire team is in the box and there is a melee.

Sounds familiar? The important thing to be taught to your players is that the first or the second shot is not important, it is the shot that is converted into a goal that is important and till the whistle blows, your players have got to keep attacking.

Sidestep the problems

These 8 mistakes are pretty common among new youth soccer coaches. Avoiding the pitfalls will take you through the youth soccer coaching success path faster, and you will come out on the other side a much better coach.

How to stop the ball like Ronaldo

You've watched soccer for years, but nobody has mastered that trick of stopping ball like Cristiano Ronaldo. His power, his skill, his intellect, the ultra thin material within his boots as well as the technology of the modern day soccer balls all make him able to stop the ball in an amazing manner.

Below is a video tutorial of 30 seconds that describes his ability and skills of stopping the ball in a brilliant manner.

Keep practicing this beautiful trick and learn to make fool of defenders and improve your skills.

How to do Top Spin in Soccer

As you can see, this is a common question from many of the football fans, especially player to know about how to the top spin shoot or make a top spin with soccer ball. It is also not easy to pull off. It is easier to understand from seeing than reading about. So take a look at the following video, focus it , learn from it and apply with your keen interest.

So here we go now to show you your easy way to learn and do top spin with soccer ball.

I hope it will help you learn easily to doing the top spin in soccer.

Muscle actions during Soccer Skills

Soccer practitioners require many attributes to become successful players. These include cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, endurance, flexibility, agility, coordination, skill and tactical knowledge. Few players possess ‘natural ability’ in all areas, indeed the vast majority of players undergo training programmes, in some or all attributes, to improve their ability on the field.

Following are muscle actions which are part of soccer and which are important to be analyzed for physical fitness and strength for soccer.

1. Running

Running is an integral part of soccer. Indeed soccer players may cover approximately 10 km during a single game. The running action may be divided into two stages, swing and support. Support begins at the point when the foot makes contact with the ground (foot strike) and ends at the point when the foot leaves contact with the ground (toe-off). The swing phase begins at toe-off and ends at foot strike.
   At toe-off the swing leg is in a position of extension of the hip, extension of the knee and plantar-flexion of the ankle. The gluteals and hamstrings are still acting to extend the hip and the gastrocnemius to plantar-flex the ankle giving a good push off. The actions of psoas and iliacus flex the hip, the hamstrings flex the knee and the anterior tibials dorsi-flex the ankle. The hip continues to flex and the ankle to dorsi-flex to bring the leg forwards in front of the support leg; the adductors act to prevent the thigh from swinging outwards. The quadriceps then begin to extend the knee in preparation for foot strike.

When foot strike occurs the hip is in flexion, the knee is in slight flexion and the ankle is normally dorsi-flexed and slightly inverted. At this point the weight of the body must be controlled as it hits the ground. The gluteals contract to extend the hip, the quadriceps and hamstrings contract to stabilize the knee joint and the adductors to stabilize the hip. The anterior tibials work eccentrically and the gastrocnemius concentrically to control the foot as it strikes the ground. The momentum of the body carries it forwards over the ankle joint which acts as a rocker as the foot becomes flat to the ground and then toe-off occurs.

As the speed of running increases longer strides are taken. In this instance the swing phase involves greater knee flexion and hip extension (the heel almost touching the buttock) and greater hip flexion in the later part of the phase.
   When running with a ball much shorter strides are taken as the player must be ready to change direction and speed. At the toe-off phase the leg may not be as extended. Heel strike may not be as pronounced, instead the foot may land in a more neutral position or be plantar flexed.
   The muscles of the arms and trunk also play an important role during running. They act to maintain balance and to counterbalance the rotation of the body when the pelvis rotates.

2. Kicking a ball
There are many different types of kick in soccer, e.g. running kick, volley and push pass (Pronk, 1991). Skilled players can also impose spin on the ball and cause it to dip quickly in flight. In such cases the kicking action is quite complex. For the purposes of this text the kick is simplified into that of movement in one plane. This action may also be divided into four phases: phase one, priming the thigh and leg during back-swing; phase two, rotation of the thigh and leg laterally and flexion of the hip; phase three, deceleration of the thigh and acceleration of the leg; and finally stage four, the follow through.

During phase one the hip of the kicking leg is rapidly extended by the action of the gluteals and the pelvis is rotated backwards. The knee is flexed by the hamstrings and the anterior tibials dorsi-flex the ankle. These actions are limited by the hip flexors and the adductors which often become overstretched in many players. The harder the subsequent kick the further the stretch on these muscles. During phase two the psoas and iliacus contract and the hip flexes to move the thigh and leg forwards and the pelvis rotates forwards. Phase three involves the hamstrings acting to decelerate the thigh and the quadriceps rapidly extend the knee joint. The position of the ankle joint during ball strike is dependent upon the type of kick performed. In addition, the adductors will contract to pull the leg towards the body. This is especially relevant during a side kick or push pass. Phase four begins after the ball has lost contact with the foot, the leg and thigh will follow through due to the momentum of the thigh, leg and foot. This causes a stretch on the muscles opposing these actions, especially the hamstrings as they pass over two joints (De Proft et al., 1988).

The muscles of the non-kicking leg act in a similar fashion to their behavior during the stance phase of running. However, they act mainly to stabilize the body to provide a stable platform on which the kicking leg may act. This leg is usually abducted and rotated. Again the muscles of the arms and trunk work to maintain poise and balance and to provide a counterbalance to the kicking leg, thus providing more control and speed.

3. Jumping and heading
Jumping to control the ball in the air is of major importance in soccer. Jumping can occur from a standing position or from a run-up. Take off from a standing jump is usually from both feet and from one leg when using a run up. When performing a standing jump the player will sink down into a position of flexion. The trunk, hips and knees will flex and the ankle will dorsi-flex under the action of body weight and gravity but controlled by the agonist to these movements acting eccentrically (erector spinae, gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and plantar flexors). The elbows will flex and the shoulders will be extended. In this position the body is almost spring-like; the prime movers of the jumping action are on a stretch, storing potential energy ready to be released at the appropriate moment. When the jump itself begins the prime movers act to launch the body weight up in the air. This is achieved by rapid and powerful contractions of the erector spinae, gluteals, hamstrings, quadriceps and plantar flexors to produce extension of the trunk, hips, knees and plantar flexion of the ankles. The arms are also moved rapidly forwards and upwards by flexion of the shoulders and extension of the elbows. When the spine becomes extended during the jumping action a severe stretch may be placed on the abdominal muscles and the hip flexors and injury to these muscles may occur.

Landing from a jump is just as important as the jump itself, as the weight of the body must be controlled as it hits the ground. Basically it is a reverse of the jumping action. However, this time the muscles of jumping act eccentrically to control joint movement and decelerate the action, thereby increasing shock absorption and decreasing the risk of injury.

The primary aim of most jumps in soccer is to head the ball, but heading may also occur from a standing position. As a player jumps the neck becomes extended partly from the effects of gravity and partly due to the action of the erector spinae muscles. As a player attempts to make contact with the ball they will aim their head at it. This may involve a combination of movements. Flexion of the neck is the most powerful action but this may be combined with rotation or lateral flexion to direct the ball.

4. Throwing a football

Throw-ins are usually taken from a short run-up and a two-footed stance. With both feet level the erector spinae, gluteals and the hamstrings contract to extend the spine and the hips. The dorsi flexors act eccentrically to allow the ankles to move into a small degree of plantar flexion without losing balance. The ball is held in both hands and the two arms are held up above the head. The shoulders are moved into full flexion and the elbows also are now fully flexed. This creates full stretch on the antagonist groups and potential energy is stored. As the throw begins these now become prime movers which contract from a stretched position. The elbows become extended, the shoulders become more extended. The contraction of the abdominal and psoas and iliacus causes the spine and hips to flex. Dorsi flexion of the ankles is controlled by the eccentric action of gastrocnemius and soleus.

Fatigue in Soccer

Fatigue can be defined as a decline in performance due to the necessity to continue performing. In soccer it is manifest in a deterioration in work-rate towards the end of a game. Studies which have compared work-rates between first and second halves of matches have provided evidence of the occurrence of fatigue.

   Belgian university players were found to cover on average a distance of 444 m more in the first half than in the second half (Van Gool et al., 1988). Bangsbo et al. (1991) reported that the distance covered in the first half was 5% greater than in the second. This decrement does not necessarily occur in all players. Reilly and Thomas (1976) noted an inverse relation between aerobic fitness (VO2max) and decrements in work-rate. The players with the higher VO2max values, those in midfield and full-back positions, did not exhibit a significant drop in distance covered in the second half. In contrast all the centre-backs and 86% of the strikers had higher figures for the first half, the difference between halves being significant. It does seem that the impact of a high aerobic fitness level is especially evident in the later parts of a match.

  The amount of glycogen stored in the thigh muscles pre-match appears to have an important protective function against fatigue. Swedish club players with low glycogen content in the vastus lateralis muscle were found to cover 25% less overall distance than the other players (Saltin, 1973). A more marked effect was noted for running speed; those with low muscle glycogen stores pre-match covered 50% of the total distance walking and 15% at top speed compared to 27% walking and 24% sprinting for players who started with high muscle glycogen concentrations. Attention to diet and maintaining muscle glycogen stores by not training too severely are recommended in the immediate build-up for competition. These considerations would be most important in deciders where drawn matches are extended into 30 minutes extra time.
  Youth players of a professional club showed positive responses to consuming a maltodextrin solution during training. The subjective assessments of coaches of their players’ performance corroborated the judgments of the players (Miles et al., 1992). Dietary advice given to the senior professionals resulted in an alteration of nutritional support. The distribution of macro-nutrients in the diet of the players also improved (Reilly, 1994b). Manipulation of energy intake by provision of a high carbohydrate diet improved performance in a running test designed to interpret the activity profile of a soccer match (Bangsbo et al., 1992). Whilst goals may be scored at any time during a game, most are scored towards the end of a game.

This is exemplified by data from the Scottish League during an extended period of the 1991–92 season (Figure 5.3). A higher than average scoring rate occurred in the final 10 minutes of play. This cannot be explained simply by a fall in work-rate, as logically this would be balanced out between the two opposing teams. It might be accounted for by the more pronounced deterioration among defenders which gives an advantage to the attackers towards the end of a game. Alternatively it may be linked with ‘mental fatigue’, lapses in concentration as a consequence of sustained physical effort leading to tactical errors that open up goal-scoring chances. The phenomenon may be a factor inherent in the game, play becoming more urgent towards the end despite the fall in physical capabilities. Irrespective of the nature of the phenomenon, a team that is physiologically and tactically prepared to last 90 minutes of intense play is likely to be an effective unit.

   Environmental conditions may also impose a limit on the exercise intensity that can be maintained for the duration of a soccer game or hasten the onset of fatigue during it. Major soccer tournaments, for example the World Cup finals in Spain in 1982, in Italy in 1990 and in the USA in 1994, have been held in hot countries with ambient temperatures above 30 °C. The work-rate is adversely affected when hot conditions are combined with high humidity. Performance is influenced both by the rise in core temperature and dehydration, and sweat production will be ineffective for losing heat when relative humidity is 100%. Cognitive function, akin to the kind of decision making required during match-play, is better maintained during 90 minutes of continuous exercise when water is supplied intermittently to subjects compared to a control condition (Reilly and Lewis, 1985). Adequate hydration pre-exercise and during the intermissions is important when players have to play in the heat. The opportunity to acclimatize to heat prior to competing in tournaments in hot climates is an essential element in the systematic preparation for such events. This may be realized by astute location of training camps, a good physiological adaptation being realized within 10–14 days of the initial exposure in hot weather or regular and frequent exposures to heat in an environmental chamber.

  The major consequences of playing in cold conditions are likely to be associated with liability to injury. This would be pronounced when playing on icy pitches without facilities for underground heating. Muscle performance deteriorates as muscle temperature falls; therefore a good warm-up prior to playing in cold weather and use of appropriate sportswear to maintain warmth and avoid the deterioration in performance synonymous with fatigue would be important. It is also established that injury is more likely to occur in games players if the warm-up routine is inappropriate (Reilly and Stirling, 1993). Therefore, pre-match exercises should engage the muscle groups employed during the game, particularly in executing soccer skills.

   The interactions between environmental variables and soccer performer are covered more extensively elsewhere in this volume. A consensus statement of nutritional needs of the soccer player and guidelines for fluid replacement to offset work-rate deterioration are outlined by Ekblom and Williams (1994).

Reference:
Science and Soccer
by Thomas Reilly