This camp is sponsored by Chinqually and will be at Rainier Vista field 4. Sam Hales is a head coach with the following assistant coaches divided into their coaching teams:
- Ashley & Makayla (older age group)
- Lizzy & Alex J (older age group)
- Tori & Sebastian (younger age group)
- Trinitee and Bryan (younger age group)
Coaching Overview
We will divide the players into two age groups. Each age group will then consist of two teams. The two teams of each age group will practice and play on one 7v7 field. Each team will be approximately 7-8 players. Each team will have two coaches. Players and coaches will stay with their teams the entire camp.
All coaches will learn their players names and use the players names often. We focus our coaching on lifting players up through supportive words and approaches. Additionally, we challenge them as soccer players with thoughtful questions and we guide them to self discovery through our questioning and demonstrations. We will focus on coaching the players through their eyes and less through their ears. This means that we demonstrate to the players what we want them to learn. We give an explanation, but the real coaching comes through demonstrating the skills and tactics we want them to learn. We want them to see what we want them to learn. Let their subconscious brain learn the lesson we are trying to teach them by having them watch and then try. Use words to focus their subconscious brain and to convince the analytical brain not to interfere with the subconscious' brain's learning.
We are a values based organization. We will exemplify the values of respect, hard work, and learning. As coaches we model these behaviors and we hold our players accountable for practicing these values. You are the coaches. You are responsible for everything your players do and don't do.
Equipment
Sam will bring
- first aid kit
- water cooler with ice
- ice chest with ice and rags
- size 4 soccer balls (25+)
- corner flags (8+)
- short cones
- Red, blue, green and other color pinnies
League will provide:
- snacks
- pugs
Safety
We will have water and a first aid kit on site. Keep an eye on the players for signs of heat injuries. We will have ice and cold packets on hand for injuries needing cooling. In regards to COVID we will practice physical distancing with the players. That means when we pull them together we will make sure that they maintain distance. Additionally, players will keep their individual penny through practice and Sam will wash them between practices. Sam will wear a mask. Coaches and players are welcome to wear a mask if they wish, but due to their running around they are not required.
10 August
Daily Focus:
Technical:
Dribbling (speed and protected)
Tactical:
When to dribble
Overview:
As this is the first day of camp as players arrive we will break them into two age groups. U9 and below will go into the younger group (~17 players) and U10-U13 (~13 players) will be in the older group. All will play with a size 4 ball. Coaches will greet the players and learn their names and pass around until we are ready to start. We will then play 3v3 games to get the kids into practice and get them lots of touches on the ball. We will then run some dribbling drills. We will do both speed dribbling and protected dribbling to include shielding. When the dribbling drills are done we will play two 7v7 games with goalies. For the first half of playing a coach will play with each team to help manage the play on the field and facilitate our training focus of dribbling.
Timeline:
5:00 pm - coaches arrive and set-up field and prepare for practice
5:30 pm - players arrive 3v3 games
5:45 pm - speed dribbling drill. Cross the width of the field as fast as possible and come back. Demonstrate with coaches. Divide into two groups. Practice once. Discuss how the ball felt on their foot while running. Compete and discuss. Repeat.
6:00 pm - protected dribbling drill. Dribble through the cones. Demonstrate with coaches asking the players to notice where the player touches the ball on her foot. Stay in two groups. Practice once. Discuss how the ball felt on their foot while running. Compete and discuss. Repeat.
6:15 pm - shielding the ball. Have the coaches demonstrate shielding and ask the players to focus on how the coaches keep their body between the ball and the other player and how they keep the ball close. Have the players pair up and practice. Switch and repeat.
6:25 pm - water break
6:30 pm - each team on a half a 7v7 field play sharks and minnows. Start with two sharks. Each time a player loses the ball they become a shark. After each iteration talk with players about the three different types of dribbling and what they learned. Repeat.
6:45 pm - 7v7 scrimmage with coaches. Focus on the skill development of dribbling. Before playing discuss and demonstrate how the players off the ball can help the player with the ball dribble. Demonstrate how the player off the ball can pull defenders away and open space for the dribbler. During play stop and demonstrate and highlight successful examples of this in play.
7:00 pm - water break
7:05 pm - continue scrimmage with coaches
7:15 pm - scrimmage without coaches
7:25 - all gather. Review what we learned. Remind them to drink water. Demonstrate homework which is to roll over the ball twenty times with both left and right foot. If good, do it with their eyes closed.
11 August
Daily Focus:
Technical:
Passing (near and far)
Tactical:
Spread out
Overview:
As the players arrive the coaches greet them by name and have them dribble around the field to warm up. Set up a line of cones to have them dribble through to reinforce what was learned the day before and then get them playing 3v3 as soon as possible. Start getting them to focus on passing. After 3v3, we will do three passing drills. Then we will take a water break followed by keep away. After keep away we will scrimmage for the remainder of practice.
Timeline:
5:00 pm - coaches arrive and set-up field and prepare for practice
5:30 pm - players arrive 3v3 games
5:45 pm - Push pass/ wall pass game. Demonstrate. Highlight plant foot direction and where on the foot the players kick the ball. Each team will have their players pair up with a coach filling in the odd player out. Practice iteration. Discuss focusing on how it feels when it feels right. Compete team versus team. Discuss and repeat.
6:00 pm - Long pass race. Demonstrate. Highlight plant foot and where they hit the ball on their foot. Each team will divide into two. Practice iteration. Discuss focusing on how it feels when it feels right. Compete. Discuss and repeat.
6:15 pm - Around the square passing drill. Demonstrate. Highlight the position the player moves two regarding the cone and the direction they are facing and why. Divide teams into groups of three. Practice. Discuss what worked well. Then have the groups compete in a race to 10 times around. Discuss and repeat.
6:25 pm - water break
6:30 pm - each team on one half of a 7v7 field have them play keep away. We will demonstrate with the coaches. Have them play keep away from 1 and then 2 and possibly three players. Focus on spreading out and giving the passer options
6:45 pm - 7v7 scrimmage with coaches. Focus on the skill development of passing. Before playing discuss and demonstrate how the players off the ball can help the player with the passing by spreading out.
7:00 pm - water break
7:05 pm - continue scrimmage with coaches
7:15 pm - scrimmage without coaches
7:25 - all gather. Review what we learned. Remind them to drink water. Demonstrate homework which is the V move with a ball. Stand with the ball facing a cone. Push the ball forward to the right side of the cone with your right foot and then pull it back. Repeat the same with your left foot. That is one iteration. Do this twenty times.
12 August
Daily Focus:
Technical:
Trapping
Tactical:
Spread out
Overview:
As the players arrive the coaches greet them by name and get them playing 3v3 as soon as possible. Have them practice some passing as they warm up to play 3v3. Start getting them to focus on trapping. After 3v3, we will do three trapping drills. Then we will take a water break followed by keep away. After keep away we will scrimmage for the remainder of practice.
Timeline:
5:00 pm - coaches arrive and set-up field and prepare for practice
5:30 pm - players arrive 3v3 games
5:45 pm - Trapping circle left foot, right foot, chest/thigh. Demonstrate. Highlight body posture with arms out, knees bent and up on the balls of your feet. The player trapping the ball should focus on trapping the ball so he can immediately pass the ball. Have team form a circle with one player in the middle. The player calls for the ball and the player on the outside of the circle passes him the ball at his feet. They go for thirty seconds and then the coach puts a new player in the circle and repeat. Then they rotate through the players again with them only trapping with their left foot. After rotating through everyone the coach has the players on the outside of the circle under hand throw the ball to the player in the middle so she can trap it with her chest or thighs. No heading. He traps it and passes to a player without a ball. Discuss focusing on how it feels when it feels right.
6:15 pm - Trapping circle with defender. Demonstrate. Same as the trapping circle above except that there is a defender marking the player receiving the ball. The teams also want to make the circle bigger. Also place a cone in the center of the circle and the attacking player must go touch the cone before receiving a ball. Highlight the need for the receiving player to move towards the passer and shield the ball. Rotate all the players through the receiving and defending positions. Passes should be on the ground.
6:25 pm - water break
6:30 pm - Keep away. Have them play keep away from 1 and then 2 and possibly three players with a team on one half of a 7v7 field. Coaches should do the inbound passes when the ball goes out and they should all be in the air forcing players to trap a ball that is off the ground. Have them run through the ball while trapping when appropriate. Focus on spreading out and giving the passer options
6:45 pm - 7v7 scrimmage with coaches. Focus on the skill development of trapping. Before playing discuss and demonstrate how the players off the ball can help the player with the passing by spreading out.
7:00 pm - water break
7:05 pm - continue scrimmage with coaches
7:15 pm - scrimmage without coaches
7:25 - all gather. Review what we learned. Remind them to drink water. Demonstrate homework which is throw the ball up and trap it with their right thigh and then the left. Do this twenty times each thigh. Then try and see how many times they can juggle it with their thighs.
13 August
Daily Focus:
Technical:
Shooting
Tactical:
Creating scoring opportunities
Overview:
As the players arrive the coaches greet them by name and get them playing 3v3 as soon as possible. Start getting them to focus on passing. After 3v3, we will do three shooting drills. Then we will take a water break followed by 4v3 half field with two small con and one full goal. After this small sided game we will scrimmage for the remainder of practice.
Timeline:
5:00 pm - coaches arrive and set-up field and prepare for practice
5:30 pm - players arrive 3v3 games
5:45 pm - 1vG shooting. Demonstrate. Highlight where the shooter strikes the ball on his foot, positioning of her plant foot and bending of the plant leg knee. Arms should also be out. Players then line up about 15 yards away from the goal and one at a time dribble forward to a cone about 6 yards away from the goal and shoot. Repeat. Discuss with players when it goes well what does it feel like?
6:00 pm - 1v1+G shooting. Same drill as above, but there is now a goalie and a defender. Defender starts at the 6 yard cone.
6:15 pm - 2v1+G shooting. Demonstrate. Same as above, but now there are two attackers. Talk about the decision the player with the ball has to pass or shoot. If the defender closes on her and blocks the shot she should pass. If not, shoot.
6:25 pm - water break
6:30 pm - in the two different age groups play 4v2+G on half fields with two small goals and one big goal. Spread out, pass and shoot.
6:45 pm - 7v7 scrimmage with coaches. Focus on the skill development of shooting.
7:00 pm - water break
7:05 pm - continue scrimmage with coaches
7:15 pm - scrimmage without coaches
7:25 - all gather. Review what we learned over the entire camp and tell them we will see them in the fall! (next week)