Looking for a simple drill to train your central midfielders to drop off and get depth when receiving a pass, while also getting several opportunities to practice receiving the ball across their body and quickly moving it to the opposite side? This central midfielder drill will do the trick.

In the clip below Brandon Koons, Otterbein University Head Women’s Soccer Coach; 2010 NCAA D-III Final Four; 8x Ohio Athletic Conference regular-season and 5x OAC Tournament Champions; 5x OAC Coach of the Year, demonstrates his central midfielder drill.  This drill is just a sample from his midfielder training video. In his DVD, Coach Koons shows how he trains the technical application of individual skills for midfielders to dominate the center of the field. You will learn how important it is to have the correct body shape, timing of runs, proper decision making, and the right attitude to excel. For more information about that DVD click the link Individual Skills for Central Midfielders

This Central Midfielder Drill begins with players in a line about 10-12 meters apart. The player in the middle is the midfielder and the players on the outside are are going to feed the midfielder a pass. The midfielder’s task is take the ball across their body and then move it quickly and efficiently to the opposite side. Key teaching points include the following:

• Midfielder should drop off to create a better angle so that the ball would be moving away from an attacking defender
• Open their body to see the field
• Take the ball across their body. Turn and quickly pass to the opposite side
• The ball should not be stopped. It should be slowed down, controlled and then passed quickly to the other side
• Use only two touches to slow the ball and pass.

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site. Note that some schools block access to YouTube.

This article was provided by Coaches Network

Coaching can be very time-consuming, leaving few opportunities to stand back and reflect on how things are going. Yet, this self-reflection is essential if you want to become better at what you do. Try to set aside time every season to ask yourself some important questions about what type of coach you are and want to become.

When you do have an opportunity to do some reflecting and self-evaluation, there are some specific strategies that will help identify where you might need to improve. In Joe Ehrmann’s book Inside Out Coaching, How Sports Can Transform Lives, Ehrmann lists four essential questions that coaches should ask themselves. These include:

1. Why do I coach?
2. Why do I coach the way that I do?
3. How does it feel to be coached by me?
4. How do I define success?

Start by answering these questions on your own. Write your answers down, read them over, and keep them in mind throughout the season. Some of these questions are difficult to answer, but that’s because they are meant to challenge you and help you develop your coaching identity.

“I have always believed that the most challenging of these questions is to answer how it feels to be coached by me,” writes Matt Percival in an article the Inside Out Coaching website. “First, it causes all of us to really examine the impact we have had on each athlete throughout the course of the season and secondly, it challenges us to come up with a way to really get honest feedback.”

In order to get this honest feedback, you will need to pose the question “How does it feel to be coached by me?” to those around you. Ask your fellow coaches and athletes to answer this question so that you can truly understand how others perceive your coaching style. You may have your own idea of what it’s like to be coached by you, but others may have a different perspective, and it’s essential that you hear their side.

This can be difficult, and you may not always like what you hear, but if you are going to become a better coach you will need to be able to accept the criticism of your athletes and coaches. Once you have heard what others have to say, the next step is to put this feedback into action. Identify any areas of weakness and develop a plan for strengthening them.

“Great coaches take the time to not only ask for feedback from a variety of sources, but they then put together an effective action plan to address the areas in greatest need of improvement,” writes Percival. “More important than the method is what each coach does with the feedback they receive. Specific action plans with measurable goals and objectives have proven to be very beneficial to many successful coaches.”

Percival suggests using a variety of methods in order to improve. These range from surveys, one-on-one meetings, small group discussions, exit interviews, and reviewing video of yourself during practices and games. He also recommends asking for feedback from sources outside of your program, such as game officials, athletic trainers, opposing coaches, coaches from other sports, athletic administrators, and parents. There is no single formula that works for everybody, but if you try these different methods you will find what works best for you.

Click here to read the full article.

Improve the individual skills of your players and you will be one your way to having a better team. In this post see three moves that will make your players more effective an help you win matches.

In the clip below Rick Moss, Director of Coerver, instructs players during a Movement drill, which is part of his Covering Performance demonstration at a recent Glazier Soccer Clinic.  Coach Moss is from England and has multiple years of coaching experience with club and youth soccer players.

This drill is set up with four lines of players set up across from each other in a 10 – 15 yard grid.  Coach Moss demonstrates a move and then the players have to practice it in the grid.  Each line is going at the same time with players rotating to the back of the line they are dribbling towards.

There are three moves that are demonstrated and discussed during this session:

    1. Hop & Hesitation

This move, sometimes referred to as the high wave, involves a player bring their foot over the ball while dribbling.  This hop and hesitation is meant to slow the defender down and get them off balance.  After this move is done, players must quickly change speeds and dribble away fast to create separation and space

      2. Step Kick

The step kick is done by a player stepping on the ball with one foot and then bringing it down while kicking through the ball with the opposite foot.  This move is meant to keep defenders guessing and hopefully get them thinking you are stopping or maybe changing directions when stepping on top of the ball.  This move also requires a change of speed at the end in order to be successful.

   3.  Step On / Step Over

This is a combination of two moves done at the same time.  A players steps on the ball while dribbling to stop it and change directions.  Instead of going the opposite way, a step over is then done to go back in the original direction.  The speed and quickness of both moves will determine how much space and separation a player can get on the field.

 

This drill is just a part of Coach Moss’s presentation. For information about how to gain access to his entire presentation, as well as access to other great clinic presentations, click the link Glazier Soccer Clinics

The YouTube video below has audio, so please make sure that your sound is turned on and that you have access to the site. Some schools block access to YouTube. If you are having trouble viewing from school, contact your network administrator.

https://youtu.be/fnydXd78z5c

 

Charlie Cooke, Director of Coerver Coaching USA, instructs players on a Larger Scale Shooting drill during his Creating and Converting Goal Chances demonstration at a recent Glazier Soccer Clinic.  This drill is set up with four small goals (two on each end) in a 30 x 30 grid.  There are two teams with the groups split up on each side of the field, as well as one player or coach that is responsible for passing the balls out to start the drill.  

The first activity is 1 v 1 with each player having to sprint around one of their defensive goals before coming out in the middle of the grid.  The player that receives the ball is required to pass the ball one touch to their opponent for the 1 v 1 to begin.  Both players are trying to score in one of their offensive small goals.  Once a goal is scored or the ball goes out of bounds, the next set of players begin.  The game then progresses to 2 v 2 and 3 v 3 on the field with wall passers on each end.  The ball must be passed into a wall passer and received back before a shot can be taken on goal.

There are several important areas to focus on with this drill:

1. Everyone defends

It’s important that every player understands that they must defend on the field.  Even your forwards need to understand how to properly play defense and learn how to stop or slow down attacking players.

     2. Quick counter attacking

The transition from offense to defense and defense to offense happens constantly during a soccer game.  It’s good experience for players to learn how quickly the transition must happen in order to be effective and successful.

      3.Wall passer as forward

The wall passers are simulating forwards and players need to understand that in this drill.  During a game, the possession should be focused on trying to get the ball into the forwards and then supporting these players to attack in numbers.

The Youtube video below is just a small portion of Coach Cooke’s clinic presentation. For information about gaining access to his entire presentation, as well as hundreds of other great clinic presentation click the link Glazier Soccer Clinics.

The clip has sound so please make sure your volume is turned up. Please note that some schools block access to YouTube. If you are having trouble viewing from school, please contact your network administrator.

https://youtu.be/bSVK5eKpG-8

Drills that simulate game action will help you to build the correct habits in your players. In the video clip below Rick Moss, Director of Coerver, instructs players in a game-like drill that will teach players how to attack and defend in various situations.

The clip is just part of his Covering Performance demonstration at a recent Glazier Soccer Clinic. Coach Moss is from England and has multiple years of coaching experience with club and youth soccer players. For information about how to gain access to his entire presentation, as well as hundreds of other clinic presentation click the link Glazier Soccer Clinics

This drill is set up with four groups of players. One group is on the right sideline, one group is on the left sideline, and two groups are next to each goal post. A coach or extra player that is about 30 yards out from goal in the middle of the field starts the drill by passing a ball out to one of the sides. One of the players receives the ball and then starts attacking diagonally towards the goal. A player on the post comes out to play defense to create a 1 v 1 to goal. Once the shot is taken or the defender wins the ball, a new ball is played out to the opposite side to repeat the process. After multiple reps for each player, the drills progresses to a 2 v 1 to goal with the middle player overlapping the outside player after passing the ball.

This game-like drill is very realistic for players to practice because it can not only happen in games, but it can be very effective if players learn how to properly attack and defend these situations. The outside players in this drill are similar to outside midfielders or forwards. The key for these players is to attack with speed and be aggressive. Make sure these offensive players are not trying to do fancy moves or beat defenders multiple times. A simple move done properly and with a change of speed will always be more effective. The defenders need to practice getting out quickly to close the ball down and not diving in to try and win the ball. The focus should be on cutting down the shooting angle and trying to create the most difficult shot for the offensive player.

https://soccertoolbox.net/drills/game-like-drill