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Learning goals
- Focus on low intensity to high intensity
- Ensure you mentally and physically warming up the players focusing on dynamic movements
- Support, challenge and improve players agility, balance, coordination and speed (ABCS)
- Introduce technical or skill coaching points from main session on dribbling
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Setup
Each player begins the game with a ball and dribbles around in the area changing direction, speed and type of touches.
On coaches command, players stop the ball and place the part of the body on the ball that the coach calls out – foot, knee, hand, head and any other body part they feel relevant.
This activity can be started without a ball if the coach feels that players need to develop their fundamental movements before the introduction of a ball, using commands that instruct players to balance on single or multiple specific body parts.
Consider a SMILES delivery approach.
Development - Warm-up
Use these progressions to manage the activity.
Progression 1
Increase the tempo of information to challenge players. Start to be specific in regards side of the body, adding left and right to commands. The coach can encourage players to use different parts of their feet to move the ball around in the area, getting as many touches on the ball as they can.
Progression 2
When the coach calls out ball they must stop their football, leave their football, touch the outside of the square and return to another ball in the area. The coach can add in opposition to challenge the player dribbling technique. These defenders can be either passive or active.
Steps
Use these ideas to progress and change the activity.
Space
- Adjust the size of the overall area
- Encourage players to explore space
- Develop zones on the pitch as safe areas
Task
- Adjust the number of touches before changing direction
- Players to use less dominant foot only
- First player to react
Equipment
- Make changes to the size of the ball
- Coned areas for thinking time
- Remove football if there needs to be a focus on balance and coordination
People
- Add players in as defenders or taggers
- Play the activity in pairs or teams
Speed
- Change the space size(s) to increase the intensity
- Set time limits to score or possession changes over
Your turn
What do you think of this activity?
What skills do you think this activity develops?
Thinking about STEPS, how would you adapt this activity?
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