SoW Week 2: Dribbling / Running with the Ball

Age/Level: U5-U10 average level Players: 8-16 Training Objectives: Improve observation while dribbling / When to use close control vs. running with the ball / Dribble with more confidence

Warm-up

Setup:

• 20×20m pitch (adjust based on player numbers), set up five 2m-wide square zones as shown
• All players run freely between the zones
• Try different running styles or movements between the zones
• Timed race: who can visit the most zones
• Add a tag game at the end (square zones are safe areas)

Coaching Points:

• Head up and scanning while running
• Dodging between zones
• Decision-making on where to go next
• Different speed changes with/without defenders or open space

Progressions:

• Going to a zone with no one scores the most points
• Give different commands to change speed, e.g. 1=walk / 2=jog / 3=sprint
• U6: add more coordination exercises, e.g. hopping or frog jumps / for the tag game, use "Spider-Man" (hit the player's body with a soft ball to tag)
• U8: encourage more creative movements; for the tag game, use body touch or grab a soft ball to touch the player's body to tag
• U10: add more body stretching movements, e.g. touch the ground or hold a balance pose in the zone; for the tag game, touch specific body parts (e.g. back, chest, knees)

Technique

Setup:

• 20×20m pitch (adjust based on player numbers), set up five 2m-wide square zones as shown
• All players dribble freely between the zones
• Try dribbling with different parts of the foot or at different speeds between zones
• Finish with a timed race: who can visit the most zones

Coaching Points:

• Combining head-up scanning with looking down at the ball while running
• Distance between the ball and your body
• Stability of the upper body while dribbling
• Changes of direction and dodging while dribbling between zones
• Decision-making on where to go next
• Different touch styles and speeds with/without defenders or open space

Progressions:

• Going to a zone with no one scores the most points
• Give different commands to change speed, e.g. 1=walk / 2=jog / 3=sprint
• U6: follow coach instructions to dribble with specific parts of the foot
• U8: mimic different animals while dribbling with different foot parts, e.g. penguin/crab/snake/elephant
• U10: increase the speed of execution and complete designated movements at each zone

Skill

Setup:

• 20×20m pitch (adjust based on player numbers), set up five 2m-wide square zones as shown
• Players are divided into groups; one group acts as defenders each round
• Defending players use soft balls to hit the footballs; other players dribble freely between zones
• Dribbling into a square zone is a safe area, defenders cannot attack
• If a dribbler's football is hit by a soft ball, their score resets to zero
• Finish with a timed race: who can visit the most zones

Coaching Points:

• Combining head-up scanning with looking down at the ball while running
• Distance between the ball and your body
• Maintaining a safe distance from defenders
• Close control and shielding when near defenders
• Running with the ball quickly when space opens up

Progressions:

• Maximum 3 seconds in the safe zone
• Maximum 2 people in the safe zone
• U6: add a story for the defenders, e.g. zookeeper/hunter/Spider-Man
• U8: each defender must switch to defending a different player after their target scores
• U10: try free defending

Conditioned Game

Setup:

• Two 20×20m pitches (adjust based on player numbers), each with a 4v4 game
• Dribble the ball into the opponent's end zone to score
• No corners; throw-ins are kicked, you may dribble or pass
• After each goal, the conceding team retreats to their own end zone

Coaching Points:

• Combining head-up scanning with looking down at the ball while running
• Distance between the ball and your body
• Maintaining a safe distance from defenders
• Close control and shielding when near defenders
• Running with the ball quickly when space opens up
• Positioning relative to teammates
• Choosing between dribbling and passing

Progressions:

• U6: set up more pitches with fewer players per pitch, or use two footballs at the same time
• U8: round-robin tournament
• U10: change the pitch to a rectangle