Technical Training at Home
The grassroots course is a games-based methodology. Play-practice-play is used to expose players to the game, and to learn about the experience of playing. When they play the game, they learn to make decisions based on the demands of the moment - when to pass, when to dribble, on a simple level. On a more complex level, reading the game and making decisions like where to move to or to anticipate where the ball is going to go.
The question that is raised from the grassroots courses is how to technically train the players?
How do they learn to pass the ‘right way’?
Is there a right way? There is definitely a ‘better’ way - inside of the foot is more accurate. But the toes get the ball to its target also…
This is why experience is key for the players. If you pass back and forth without context, then successful transfer to the game is unlikely
You can take a beat in practice and show a good way to pass based on the moment that the player just experienced, but:
Watch a video of a young child being taught how to pass without context. They’re square on to the ball, but open up their hips like some crazy golf swing of the legs. Completely unrealistic, but it is the ‘right way’ to pass…
Also, time. If you only have 1 hour for practice, two sessions of one hour, that’s not enough time to prepare players to play the game.
So, take some things and send them home for ‘homework’ or ‘team building challenges’.
Juggling is a favorite.
Monthly/bi-monthly/weekly juggling score updates.
Every player should easily see improvement. 1-10 juggles is significant for development, and provides rapid rewards.
Ball and a wall
Quick touches
Quick passes
Exploring different ways of manipulating the ball
Social media
Go onto Instagram or YouTube and search soccer training. You'll find all sorts.
Here are some clips from me that were used as supplemental homework from COVID. They are quick skill challenges you can incorporate into weekly homework.
Remember ‘managing the performance environment’ - parents. Explain WHY this is important to parents and ask them to play with their kid.
This should not be a chore for players to play at home. It should be fun.
Once the players and families become families with ball work at home, you need to add some ‘reality’.
Speed
Can they do it faster?
Can do they complete it as if a defender were chasing them? (imagery)
Can they turn quicker? Finish quicker? Pass quicker?
Can they play 'uncomfortably fast'?
Competition
Siblings are a wonderful training partner.
A big brother or sister tells them exactly how it is, but a younger sibling is also a player they can help to shape and educate - you know the saying that you understand something when you can teach someone else...
Digital competition with team mates.
Time trials. 90% accuracy. Personal records.
More Touches
Enhance movement and 'drills' with more touches - not just kick back and forth, but drag the ball across the body before passing.
Roll the ball back, turn and then shoot.
Touch, turn, touch, touch touch, lay off, score. Adding touches add familiarity, adds competence and confidence to the player.
But be sure to encourage them to play relative to how they would play in a game.
Changes of Direction
Much like touches, changes direction gives a player confidence.
Keep control in tight spaces, to break pressure, and to keep the ball.
Confidence comes after finding space somewhere else. It also encourages them to act before they receive the ball - the idea is that they see the space,
Play off the wall, check to the ball, receive and go with the ball in a different direction, as an example.
Side note, and result of at home training during COVID:
In a second virtual team training, the players were challenged to create their own mini training session. They were told to create it based on what they would do in a game. 2nd graders to U14 players were asked the same question and produced some incredible training ideas. They would ‘show and tell on paper’, then go show on the video. The magic happens in stage two. They are asked over the remainder of the session to layer in speed, competition, touches, changes of direction. A simple pass back and forth with the wall has become an all out phase within a game - all 'created' by the player with some guided questions and recommendations if the player gets stuck. One finished his pattern with a flick up (which he just learned) and then kicked it into the basketball net. Beat that!