Activity 1 (10 min): School of Fish
Activity 2 (15 min): Elephant Soccer
Activity 3 (15 min): Get Outta There
Activity 4 (15 min): Small-Sided Games 4v4
Activity 1 (10 min): School of Fish
Setup: Full game field. All players have a soccer ball. Four parents act as lighthouses on each corner of the field.
Instructions: The players must swim (dribble) up to a lighthouse that has the light on (parents raise hand to turn on light). Players tag the parent before the light goes off (parent lowers hand). If the lighthouse is off, players must find the lighthouse that is on by dribbling and changing directions.
1. Play 1 minute then ask questions: How do you know which lighthouse to swim too? What happens if the light goes off? How many lighthouses can you get?
2. Add two fishermen (coaches) so that the fish can swim away and not get caught.
Coaching Points: Keep the ball close while changing speeds. Change directions.
Water Break (2-3 min)
Activity 2 (15 min): Elephant Soccer
Setup: Within game field. All players start with their soccer ball.
Instructions: Coach tells players that he is a Big Elephant. His arm is really a trunk and he can scoop up soccer balls and roll them away.
1. Coach scoops up balls and then rolls them various distances away so the players can return them.
2. Ask players to help bring the balls back. Let them be creative on how they return the balls.
3. Coach calls out different animals that the players must return their ball back by pretending to be.
4. Coach assigns how he wants players to return balls, ex. with feet, with elbows, with knees, etc.
Coaching points: Use guided discovery questions and encourage the kids to use their imagination.
Water Break (2-3 min
Activity 3 (15 min): Get Outta There
Setup: Within game field. Two small goals on each end. Divide players up to form 2 teams and assign a goal and direction for their team. Play 1v1.
Instructions: The coach has all soccer balls on the half line on the side. Players are on each side of the coach ready to play. To begin, the coach will pass a soccer ball into the field and call number 1. Only the first player in line on each team will go onto the field and play. 1v1. After a goal or out of bounds, the coach yells “Get Outta There!”, and the players return to their team at the back of the line.
1. Continuous play. Always keep a group playing 1v1. Players must be ready to play.
2. Play several minutes, then have multiple 1v1 groups playing. Each group of 1v1 has their own ball.
Coaching points: Have fun and try to keep the kids on the lines ready to play when it is there turn. Play quickly but give them time to rest between turns. Encourage the players to control their ball.
Water Break (2-3 min)
Activity 4 (15 min): Small-Sided Games 4v4
Setup: Entire soccer field, divide players up to form teams of 4.
Instructions: Coach tells players which direction the are going and which goal they are trying to score on. Play 4v4 soccer. No goal keepers, no throw-ins, no keeping score. Keep the ball in play with quick restarts. Limit instruction to players but always give lots of praise for good attempts to dribble and control the ball.
Coaching Points: Let the kids PLAY and have FUN!