Introduction
We all realize that having possession of the ball is
better than not having it. Our kids have more fun when they have the ball
then when they do not. But what do we do in our practices to specifically
work on the skills necessary to maintain possession?
This section concerns basic possession of the ball; You
have it. How do you keep it?
Many of the drills described herein were demonstrated
by Coach Frank Schmidt of Sachem High School at the 1999 LIJSL Convention.
Frank’s high school team is defending (2 years running) NYS Class A
champions. He used an Under 9 team, that he had never worked with before,
to demonstrate.
Basic Possession – Shielding
Shielding Warm Up
Start with a brief warm up tied to the 10-10-10 practice regime shown
elsewhere in this manual. The break the players into two groups about 15
yards apart. Players each have a ball and face each other. Each player
picks out a shadow partner.
Each pair of players then dribbles the ball to the center of the field.
As the players approach they prepare to shield the ball from the on coming
player. At first start with a simple swivel of the hips so that as the
players pass each other, the body of the player shields the ball from the
body of the opponent. When they pass each other they swivel back the other
way and complete their run to the far end of the field.
In essence you have 2, 90o swivels and the players pass each
other back to back.
The next progression is the to use a spin move as they approach. The
first spin move is to make a 360o turn using four (4) small
chopping steps with the inside of the foot. Make sure both players turn
the same way and use the same foot or there will be collisions.
After several runs like this progress to an outside of the foot turn
again using four (4) very light touches on the ball to make the move.
Shielding Fundamentals
Start with two (2) players; a shielder and a person trying to get the
ball. Player #1 is the shielder. The shielding player has the ball to the
outside of their body. A common mistake is to have the ball between their
legs. You want the entire body between the defender and the ball.
The shielder gets LOW, almost as if they were sitting in
a chair. A common mistake is to stand almost straight up. The problem with
this is very easy to demonstrate. Have a player stand straight up with a
ball at their outside leg. A defender trying to steal the ball is allowed
to get a s close to the ball carrier as they want and try to poke the ball
away. They should be able to easily reach the ball. Now have the attacker
"sit in their chair". Again have the defender get as
close as they want to and try to poke the ball away. You’ll see that
they can’t do it. By sitting in the chair, i.e. getting low, the
attacker has created their own space denying it to the defender.
After proper stance has been demonstrated you need to show them how to
hold their arms. Players must play with their arms up and away from
their bodies. There must be a space between the arm and the body of the
player.
What is described above is a perfectly legal play. You can shield with
your arms as long as you do not push your opponent away with them. That is
the common mistake that players make and refs call.
Now put the ball aside for a moment and just have two players assume
the roles of shielder and defender. Have the defender try to encroach on
the shielder's space by leaning into their shield arm. In a proper stance
and with proper arm placement, a 60 pound 8 year old can hold off a 190
adult! (Coach Schmidt demonstrated this at the 1999 LIJSL convention)
Have the players switch positions with each other and let them go at it
for a while. They’ll have a lot of fun with this. It teaches
aggressiveness (within the rules) and breeds confidence.
Shielding Fundamentals – Progression #1
The next step is to introduce the ball. Set the players up as described
above but this time let the shielder hold the defender off by moving the
ball around with the outside of their foot (if the player tries to cut in
front) and the inside of the foot, (if the player tries to come from
behind). Do not let the ball handler move from their spot on the field.
This isn’t a drill to see who can out run the other. Switch positions
after every ‘win". Stress stance and arm position.
Shielding Fundamentals – Progression #2
The purpose of this next progression is to instill the concept of "the
ball is mine." In order to do that we are going to let the
defender play outside the rules by first allowing them to push the
attacker with both hands to try to dislodge them from the ball. After that
let them try to pull the player off the ball with both hands and finally
let them do what ever they have to do, short of dangerous behavior, to try
and get the ball.
Let us stress here that we aren’t trying to teach the players to
cheat. We are trying to instill aggressiveness and confidence in our ball
handlers.
Shielding Drill with
a Support Player
The next progression is to add a support player for the ball handler.
Start with the same set-up, i.e. a player shielding the ball and a
defender trying to take it away. Shielder holds off defender as long as
she can and then plays the ball to the support player.
The defender then has to break off away from the shielder. In order to
ensure this step you may want to make a rule that after the pass is made
the defender has to run to a cone, touch it and come back.
The support player must immediately play the ball back to the original
ball handler and the shielding drill starts over again.
After several passes switch everyone up.
Shielding Drill with a Support
Player – Progression #1
Continue this drill by adding a second shielder and a second defender.
The support player now has to "service" two (2) sets of players.
Shielders now have to hold the defender off longer, make decisions on when
to pass and when not to. The support player has to hustle more and make
decisions on who to support and how.
Again the defender has to break off once the pass is made and come back
to defend once the ball is returned to the original ball carrier.
Basic Possession – 50/50 Ball
The following is a simple drill that continues the concept of teaching
aggressiveness and "The Ball is Mine."
Put two (2) players shoulder to shoulder. Then place a ball in front of
them. Start this drill at about half-speed. Player on the left gently taps
the ball in front with their inside leg and then goes for
it. Player on the right steps across the player on the left with their
inside leg shielding the ball from their "partner".
Note the player doing the shielding has to use their whole leg to step
across and shield. They are not going for the ball in this part of the
drill. Switch places often.
Basic Possession – 50/50 Ball
– Progression #1
Same initial set up. One player taps ball out in front. Both players go
for the ball. The player who did not tap the ball:
Drops his shoulder
Gets low
Moves across in front of his partner
Gets the ball and returns to the start point with an inside of the
foot turn.
Players then switch places and run again. Make sure that they also
switch sides so that they are dropping both shoulders. Look for weak
points and work extra time on them. For example if a player favors their
right shoulder, make them work harder on their left.
Basic Possession – 50/50 Ball
– Progression # 2
The following is a two man drill that teaches "cushioning"
and turning away from pressure. Set it up as shown below:
Both players race for the ball. The player that gets there first must
now control their speed by taking short choppy steps as they approach the
ball. They then cut in front of their partner and "cushion" them
with their backside preventing them from getting to the ball.
You can make this drill even by either giving one player an advantage
so that they reach the ball first or by simply telling them that the
player on the right is the "cushioner" and the player on the
left is the "cushionee."
Switch sides often so that each player does both and they do it from
both sides.
Basic Possession – 50/50 Ball – Progression # 3
The basic progression of the drill above is to not only get to the ball
but to control it and turn it away from pressure.
Have the player reaching the ball do a pre-arranged turn away from
pressure. I.E. have them turn right outside with the outside of their
foot. In this case, where the turn is pre-arranged, make sure that the
cushionee is trying to get the ball by coming from the opposite side.
Coaching Points:
Get low
Short Choppy Steps
Cushion the player
Turn outside
After several turns at this progression let the players work at it
freeform. That is do not pre-arrange the turn, let the player with the
ball react to the pressure that they feel on their back and make a
decision.
Praise good decision making even if the defender dispossess the ball.
50/50 Ball and a Fair Charge
As we continue this section, it is time to introduce the concept of a
"fair charge". For this section, I have excerpted some notes
sent to the soccer-coach-l mailing list from Bob Christensen of the Mandan
(ND) Soccer Club.
A fair charge is defined as a shoulder to shoulder hit. Referees, in
general will look at the player carrying the ball as if they were standing
at the center of a clock face. The player is facing 12 o’clock. Opposing
players coming at the ball handler from 9 o’clock to 12 o’clock and 12
o’clock to 3 o’clock are generally not going to be called for an
illegal charge unless you literally just run the player over. At 3 and 9
exactly you are essentially shoulder to shoulder. A ref will start to look
closely if you approach at 8 and 4, and generally, if contact is made
between 4 and 8 it will be a foul.
One of the ways to help teach aggressiveness using the tactic of a
shoulder charge is to gather the group for a team run. Give 3-4 players
balls, and tell them that the runners without the ball are to shoulder
charge to gain the ball. No tackling of the ball is allowed.
They MUST stay in a tight group. This stresses close ball control in
traffic while being bumped (sometimes HARD).
Coaching Points
You will find that there are some players who will not ever
challenge hard for the ball. Designate a more aggressive player to get
the ball with a shoulder charge, and pass it to the meek player.
Have the meek player get the ball from a more aggressive player on
your signal.
Watch the more aggressive players, they can FLATTEN the smaller or
meeker players.
Progression of 50/50 – BANG
Set up a scrimmage in what we affectionately call the "pressure
cooker". This is a small field (really little more than 2 penalty
areas) with full-sized end. Play a "game" called Bang. This
"game" is just like a regular scrimmage, but with some important
and drastic restrictions.
First, when a player receives a ball, they cannot carry it. They have
to shield the ball until they can pass it to a teammate. The only way to
advance the ball is to pass it.
Only 1 defender can challenge for the ball, and the only way the ball
can be won is to push the ball holder off the ball with a shoulder
charge. This really becomes a physical game.
Teaching Aggressiveness –
Steal the Bacon
This is a good game to play at almost any age below U12. It is a simple
1 v 1 game where players are divided into two teams. Each player is given
a number. The coach calls out a number (or sometimes two) and then throws
a ball into the air that the players have to gain control of.
Since we are teaching aggressiveness and shoulder charging, use the
same restriction that we had above in BANG, i.e. no tackling. The player
must be relieved of the ball with a shoulder charge.
If you have a meek player that never challenges, handicap the better
player by either restricting her run at the ball so the meeker player gets
there first or by playing the air ball closer to the meeker player so the
more aggressive player has further to run.
Basic Possession – 1 v 1 Game
The following game incorporates the shielding, cushioning and change of
direction aspects of possession detailed above.
Start by making a field about 20 yards long and 15v wide. Goals are
placed at each end. Players are placed in each goal. These players cannot
leave the goal. Two players and one ball are on the field.
The object of the drill is for the field players to complete 2
successive passes to either goalkeeper. They need to shield
the ball from the defender and then cushion the defender away from the
area where the pass is coming from. If the defender beats the cushion and
enters the area they need to change direction quickly and head for the
other side of the field.
Two complete passes = 1 point and every additional pass beyond 2 in a
row is another point.
Basic Possession – Keep Away
The next game also incorporates all of the shielding,
cushioning and spin away moves described above. The field in this case is
short but very wide. This helps to teach the concept of width.
The game can either be played with four goals that the
players have to dribble through or can be played strictly as keep-away
where points are given for proper shielding and spin away moves.
Divide the field in half and play 3 on 3. Allow only 2 players from any
team within any half of the field. This discourages bunching up. Take the
ball away when they forget.
Coaching Points:
Defenders get low and stay low
Defenders do not dive in
Shield the ball, attacker is low and arms are away from the body.
Support player close but not right on top of the player.
Switch the field often
Discourage just kicking the ball away. If players do this
continually, penalize the team by having them perform an exercise like 5
pull back Vees before they can rejoin the play.
Shielding – 4 Corners –
Match Related
The following exercise was suggested by a coach, who remains nameless,
from the soccer-coach-l mailing list.
This exercise teaches shielding, checking back, blind side runs and
aggressiveness
Set up the field as shown with a player at each of the four corners.
One player at one corner has a ball. Two players are in the middle, one is
the attacker, one is the defender.
Playing Shielding Four Corners
Pass comes from the corner man to the attacker. The attacker has to
make a run, or a check to the ball to shake the defender. She then has to
control the ball, under pressure, and shield the ball from the defender.
The attacker then has to get the ball to another corner person. She is
not allowed to give the ball back to the original passer.
Count how many passes are made before the defender wins the ball. If
the defender wins, she passes the ball back to a corner player immediately
and the game restarts.
Switch players often. This is an exhausting drill.
Progression of 4 Corners
Put two balls at different corners. Again the player who gives the pass
may not receive it back, but now additionally the other player who has the
ball in the corner cannot receive a pass. The options are now down to 2
for passes from the center.
However the center offensive player, after they have passed the ball to
a corner now has two options to receive.
This creates more opportunities for a blind side run and encourages
creativity.
Provided to
DecaturSports.com through the courtesy of George M. Lasher.
George
is an "A" licensed soccer coach from Long Island, New York
and is a frequent contributor to the soccer-coach-l mailing list.
George can be reached by e-mail at glasher@SUFFOLK.LIB.NY.US
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