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Monday 19 June 2017

U13 Week 8


Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged which has been great to see! I have also seen many great ideas that you have come up with in how to keep your teams engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

Boys teams, lets try and stay away form playing lightning. I know the boys love it, and that it keeps them engaged, but there are many more drills and games that are beneficial and will keep them engaged. If you have questions, let me know. You are the coach. If you say they can't do something, they should listen to you. If they don't, let me know :)

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!


I will be coming around with Evaluation Forms for your team for you to fill out. This will help us with next year's team selection and to also help track development of our club.

U10 Week 8


Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged which has been great to see! I have also seen many great ideas that you have come up with in how to keep your teams engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!


Also, I will be coming around with Evaluation Forms for your team for you to fill out. This will help us with next year's team selection and to also help track development of our club.

U8 Week 8


Hey Coaches! Its week 8 already! Can you believe it?

Thanks for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making everything run smoothly.

This week the Girls will replay their games from the week that the Thunderstorm hit (Blue vs. Orange, Green vs. White). I will bring the nets out, but will need you to set them up (or get some parents to set them up). Feel free to make the games a little shorter and do some of your girls' favourite drills with them. Try and keep them engaged and working hard :)


Boys, I said that I will come do a Head Coach Technical Session with you. With it being the last week, I do not want to take the entire session away from you. So I will come and do a 30 minute session with your teams, and then for the last 30 minutes you can do whatever drills/games/ideas you have with your team. Try and keep them engaged and working hard :)


If you need any extra equipment for your session, let me know.


I will also be coming around with some evaluation forms for your teams. This will help us with team selection next year, as well as keep track of development of a club from year to year.

U6 Week 8

Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!

U5 Week 8

Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!

U4 Week 8

Hey Coaches!

Can you believe it!? We are in our last week of the season!

Thank-you all for helping out with the Wind-Up on Saturday and for making it a success. It was a beautiful day, and everything ran smoothly.


One large part of my role as Head Coach is to help empower you as the coach to coach your team. From the beginning of the season up until now I have seen great growth in all of you in your confidence and ideas. Many of you have been following the blog, and keeping the players engaged.

For this last week we have with our teams, I want you to decide what to do. You know your players, and you know what they have liked over the weeks. So look back at the previous 7 weeks, and choose some of their favourite drills. Feel free to adapt them, or to even come up with your own. I had session plans prepared, but I know that you all have the understanding and confidence as a coach to do it yourself.

If you want some ideas, let me know and I will gladly help out.

Also, if you need any extra equipment for your drills, let me know as well.

My goal is to support you and train our coaches. As great as the blog is, I know that you have great ideas as well and I want to see you to use those ideas!

Sunday 11 June 2017

U13 Week 7

Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work!

All Information for the Wrap-up will come out ASAP.

Do your regular warm up with the 2 lines. It has been great to see everyone doing this. Warming up is vital to being a good soccer player, and helps prevent injuries. It is also a time to help them focus on what they are there for.


Once you have done your warm up, have them pair up and get in groups of 3 and try to keep the ball in the air while juggling. See who can do it the longest. This is also something you can get them to do while they arrive.


This week we will be working on defending. I’ve noticed that all  the teams are aggressive, but the technique behind defender is missing a little. There was lots of just running at the ball and lots of collisions. Hopefully these drills/games will help with defending awareness.
Defending coaching points. Here are some points for you as a coach to remember about defending, as well as a youtube clip that talks about Block Tackling. Remember, we DO NOT slide tackle at this age, and all slide tackles will be called by the ref and could result in your player being asked to sit on the sidelines during a game. This is simply about safety as most players at this age are unable to slide tackle safely.
Ensure you spend time demonstrating proper defending stance and positioning. Encourage good defending skills and correct when needed.
Defender's stance:
Defender's feet should be about a shoulder width apart, boxers stance
- legs should be slightly bent
- stay on toes so you can react to any sudden changes of direction by the attacker.
-quick close down. You want to get to the attacker quick, but in the last few feet slow your run down so you can close down the space and react to their movements.
-delay/give space - don't commit- jockey (wait for them to take a bad touch or make the first move).
-watch ball not player. You want to be watching the ball, not the player's body or feet. Their feet and body can confuse you, but the ball can only go in the direction it will go.
-make the attacker make the mistake
Defender positioning:
- defender is goal side (closer to net than attacker)
- direct attacker into area where there is support or try to force them out wide.
How to block tackle:

1. Ball warm up:
Keep Away - 20 X 30 m grid. All players except for two are dribbling within a grid. Those without balls try to win ball from other players and then continue to dribble with grid. When coach stops play the two players without balls must do a challenge.

2. 1 vs 1 defending.
Play kings court style or just let them play until the get tired.  Players stand 15 yards apart. Defender passes ball to attacker who tries to beat defender and dribble to end line and stop it. 2 minute games.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6-1No0rddBo  (as in video except multiple grids so no line ups.)
Progress to 2 vs 1 where defender is trying to prevent two attackers from getting to endline or to get a shot on net.
3. Shark
You Could play knock out version with two grids, continuous, with one person as the shark, they need to know everyone's ball out of grid, when knocked out, they go into second grid, coach designates a shark for that grid.  Switch sharks when clearly tired.  

4. Win ball Drill  
Two lines facing coach, coach passes a 50/50 ball, players need to try and win ball and either score on a small net or pass to a target (ball on cone or at the net) and work on defender's working to win the ball back and make strong second effort.
5. 1v1 to numbers game
Have two small goals on either end of a mini field.  Balls at centre on side of grid with coach, line up of players on either side of coach (two teams, one in pinnies), play a ball into middle of field, 1v1 until dead or score.  Can increase number of players going for ball to create different situations, 2v2, 3v3 etc...or numbers game:  Number players 1,2,3,4,5 etc. Call out a number. Coach rolls out ball at center line and numbered player on each team must try to win ball and then either defend their goal or attack the other goal. Progress to calling out more than one number and encourage players on same team to work together to score.
6. Game
Two teams. Regular rules except man on man marking only. Pair up forwards and defence, and midfielders and midfielders. Have one player on each team who can check anyone. Stress importance of knowing where your check is and to get goal side (between the attacker and your goal)  and defend against check when ball is lost. Place a ball on top of a cone at each end. This will act as the “goal.” To get a point the attacking team must knock the ball off of the cone.


U10 Week 7

Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work! You’ll notice that the format below is a little different. I am trying out a new resource that we are looking at implementing next season.

All information for the Wrap-up on Saturday will be coming out ASAP.

Do your regular warm up It has been great to see everyone doing this. Warming up is vital to being a good soccer player, and helps prevent injuries. It is also a time to help them focus on what they are there for.


Once you have done your warm up, have them pair up and get in groups of 3 and try to keep the ball in the air while juggling. See who can do it the longest. This is also something you can get them to do while they arrive.

  1. Asteroids
Have players line up on either side of grid, each with a ball. 2 players will run through the middle (almost as if it was a gauntlet) while the players on the edge try to use their balls to hit the running players balls. Players on the outside must only use the inside of the foot to kick the ball (to keep the ball from getting to high) and all kicks must be below the knee.


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Be creative with turns. Have your players demonstrate some turns. Biggest thing is to keep them moving, lots of little touches on the ball (keep it close) and to execute the turn quickly. Feel free to add light pressure by trying to defend them.


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U8 Week 7


Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work! You’ll notice that the format below is a little different. I am trying out a new resource that we are looking at implementing next season.

All information for the Wrap Up will be coming out ASAP.

Over the last few weeks I have been going around to each age group and doing a "Head Coach Technical Session" where I have coached all the teams at once. This gives myself a chance to interact with the players, as well as a chance for you to observe me and hopefully learn something :)

This week I will work with all the u8 GIRLS teams. As your players show up get them to pass with each other, and then we will start the session all together with a warm-up. We will need all of your balls and other equipment. I will also need your help in demonstrations and drills. We will work on the specific skill together, I'll demonstrate the drill, and then we will break in to our teams and do that drill.

Boys, you will play your games that were cancelled on Thursday due to the Thunderstorm. Check you schedule for who you are playing. I will bring the nets over to the field, but will need your help in setting them up :) Also note that you will not have referees (unless Rory is able to find some that may be interested) so one of the coaches will ref the game.


Next week (Our last week) I will work with the boys, and the girls can play the games that were missed from the thunderstorm.

U6 Week 7

Hey Coaches!

It’s crazy to think that we are almost done the season! We have this week, the Wrap-up on Saturday, and then our final week next week. Thank-you for all of your hard work! You’ll notice that the format below is a little different. I am trying out a new resource that we are looking at implementing next season.

Information on the Wrap-up for Saturday will be coming out ASAP. 
  
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* This is a good game to teach your players how to move. Obviously in soccer we don't use our hands, but the concept of moving and working as a team is difficult for younger ages. So playing Handball is great as when you have the ball you cannot move and are forced to work as a team.
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*Ball on top of cones inside the “castle” will work great as well

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*You can start with the balls in the middle as well. Make teams according the the number of players you have