Our first practice last week got cut short by rain, but in some ways that turned out to be helpful. It gave us a chance to watch the group and get a better feel for where everyone is at right now.
Tuesday’s normal practice has been cancelled due to the temperature. Thursday will be much nicer so we are holding a makeup practice at Quivira Glen Park.
- 13388 W 51st St, Shawnee, KS 66216
- 5:30-6:30
For this week’s session, we’ll focus on passing, attacking defenders, and playing with awareness. We’ll also bring back one of the drills from last practice that worked really well.
Practice will run about 60 minutes.
Please RSVP on the app so we know who will be there.
Passing Challenge
Next we’ll work on passing. Players can partner up and compete for how many times they can pass the ball back in forth.
We’ll run a few different rounds:
- Two-touch passing
- One-touch passing
- Pass and move
Warm Up – Freestyle Dribbling
We’ll start with a ball at each player’s feet and let them move freely in the grid.
The focus here is simple:
- Change speed
- Change direction
- Use your favorite move
- Dribble into open space
Players will get a lot of touches on the ball and work on staying comfortable while moving around other players.
1v1 Battles
After that we’ll move into 1v1 battles.
Players will compete in small fields with a goal on each end. One player attacks while the other defends. If the defender wins the ball, they immediately try to score on the opposite goal.
This is one of the best ways for players to develop confidence on the ball.
Players will be encouraged to:
- Attack quickly
- Use moves
- Protect the ball
- Chase down attackers when defending
Multi-Directional Possession Battle
We’ll bring back the Multi-Directional Possession Battle, which worked really well for the first practice.
Two teams will play inside a grid while using outside target players. Teams try to keep possession and connect passes with the target players around the field.
This game encourages:
- Moving without the ball
- Quick passing decisions
- Finding open space
Everyone stays active and involved, which makes it a great learning game.
Final Scrimmage – Four Goal Game
To finish practice we’ll run a scrimmage using four small goals.
There will be two goals on each end of the field, which means teams can attack either side. This setup encourages players to look up, switch the field, and find open space.
We’ll try to keep coaching interruptions minimal here so the players can just play and make decisions.
Focus for the Week
The main things we want players thinking about this week are:
- Dribble into open space
- Keep your head up to see the field
- Make quick passes when pressure comes
- Be confident attacking defenders
Looking forward to a great practice.
Please remember to RSVP in the app so we can plan teams and drills accordingly. ⚽