TRAINING SESSIONS (2)

FOR CHILDREN BETWEEN 9-10 YEARS OLD

Control, running with the ball and passing

Warm-up

a) Ten passes

Four teams are formed and distributed over pitches of suitable dimensions. The objective is to make as many passes as possible. First the yellow team takes its turn and then the blue team. The passes are counted. Duration: approximately 1 minute each time.

b) Control of the ball

One ball per player: coordination exercises.

Match 1

2 v 2 + 4 external players

A 2 v 2 game is set up (yellows against blues) with four additional neutral players (in white) at the sides of the pitch. The number of passes is counted. When a team regains possession of the ball, the count starts again from zero. Two pitches can be formed. A variation is to use two or three neutral players.

Exercise

Control, running with the ball and passing

Groups of at least three players are formed. Player A slaloms the ball through the cones using his/her feet and then passes with the inside of the right foot to player B. Player A then runs to take the place of player B. Player B goes through the slalom and passes with the inside of the left foot to player C and runs to take player C’s place, and so on.

Match 2

7 v 7 (with goalkeeper)

Two teams of seven face each other on a seven-a-side pitch (with goalkeeper and substitutes). Free play; coach-educator keeps a low profi le. Objective: lots of passes. Moves built up through the centre or on the wings; attacking and defensive aspects.

To conclude

The centipede

The players are arranged in two or three rows. The last player takes the ball to the front of the row using his/her feet (the other players do not move). Once the player has arrived, he/she passes the ball to the last player who then brings the ball to the front of the row, and so on. The “centipede” that crosses the line first, wins. Make the rules of the game clear. Change of direction: change foot to return in the opposite direction.