Soccer Skills: Individual development in a team environment
A high level of individual skill in each player is what every coach wants and is what it takes to play at the highest level.
Developing individual skills is often thought to take away from developing a team concept or working toward the team goal. Or maybe more to the point, we coaches tend to focus on team and let the individual fend for their self.
Combining both individual skill work in a team tactic settting takes thought, time and energy. - but it can be done.
Tactics are developed over time taking small steps toward the ultimate goal. Each step along the way may, and probably should, involve a certain set of drills and exercises that perfect a concept, such as a give and go drill or patterns. Within these drills it is essential that skill be emphasiszed at each station and at every opportunity. Don't let a bad trap go, don't let a bad pass be OK. Start it over and demand that the pass and trap be executed properly. It may take more time initially, but with consistency eventually players will know what is expected and will meet those expectations.
A great skill drill is the Ajax triangle passing drill. Explaned simply below it can become dynamic in it's process and benefits. Expanded the triangle can lead to a through pass and a cross to goal where an attacker is moving into position to finish.
In practices we often form two groups on either side of the field at the midline and run the triangle. By expanding the drill or adding an extra pass to the end of the drill, we add a through pass to the flag and the player on the end of the pass crosses the ball on goal. With good timing and thought, that same player who just took the through ball and hit a cross now moves into position to recieve the cross from the other side of the field (from the other group/triangle).
THe key is timing; watching the other group for the queue to start the first pass of the drill so as to be synchronized and have the two sides/triangles flow as one drill, while teaching timing/patience - when to run and when to fade so as not to crowd or close space too early - and ideally working on passing and recieving skills so vital to the game.
Ajax triangle:
Form a triangle, roughly 15 yards, players start at point A, and one each at points B and C. Player at point A passes to player at point B and follows his pass with expectation to get the ball back. Player at point B moves to ball to recieve and plays back to the A , preferably two touch, and moves to next space between B and C. B receives second pass from A, then plays to point C and finishes his run. Player at point C either receives to feet or through pass home to point A. Keep lines short or players tend to fall asleep. Passing using the right foot on counterclockwise, left foot on clockwise. Coaching points: receive on the far foot (the one away from hypothetical pressure) & pass with the other foot (right for counterclockwise, left for clockwise); weight and accuracy of the pass; speed of the run. So many variations....
Developing individual skills is often thought to take away from developing a team concept or working toward the team goal. Or maybe more to the point, we coaches tend to focus on team and let the individual fend for their self.
Combining both individual skill work in a team tactic settting takes thought, time and energy. - but it can be done.
Tactics are developed over time taking small steps toward the ultimate goal. Each step along the way may, and probably should, involve a certain set of drills and exercises that perfect a concept, such as a give and go drill or patterns. Within these drills it is essential that skill be emphasiszed at each station and at every opportunity. Don't let a bad trap go, don't let a bad pass be OK. Start it over and demand that the pass and trap be executed properly. It may take more time initially, but with consistency eventually players will know what is expected and will meet those expectations.
A great skill drill is the Ajax triangle passing drill. Explaned simply below it can become dynamic in it's process and benefits. Expanded the triangle can lead to a through pass and a cross to goal where an attacker is moving into position to finish.
In practices we often form two groups on either side of the field at the midline and run the triangle. By expanding the drill or adding an extra pass to the end of the drill, we add a through pass to the flag and the player on the end of the pass crosses the ball on goal. With good timing and thought, that same player who just took the through ball and hit a cross now moves into position to recieve the cross from the other side of the field (from the other group/triangle).
THe key is timing; watching the other group for the queue to start the first pass of the drill so as to be synchronized and have the two sides/triangles flow as one drill, while teaching timing/patience - when to run and when to fade so as not to crowd or close space too early - and ideally working on passing and recieving skills so vital to the game.
Ajax triangle:
Form a triangle, roughly 15 yards, players start at point A, and one each at points B and C. Player at point A passes to player at point B and follows his pass with expectation to get the ball back. Player at point B moves to ball to recieve and plays back to the A , preferably two touch, and moves to next space between B and C. B receives second pass from A, then plays to point C and finishes his run. Player at point C either receives to feet or through pass home to point A. Keep lines short or players tend to fall asleep. Passing using the right foot on counterclockwise, left foot on clockwise. Coaching points: receive on the far foot (the one away from hypothetical pressure) & pass with the other foot (right for counterclockwise, left for clockwise); weight and accuracy of the pass; speed of the run. So many variations....
This entry was posted by BrasilianFutebol, on
Sunday, April 6, 2008.
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