I am collecting ideas for variations of the final game or scrimmage .... that is what you do with the kids at the very end of a trainings session. If you practise twice a weak it can me more attractive to use some variations here. I´ve already found nice, funny and some strange things you can change. Maybe you have got additional ideas concerning - the goals and their positions (2 goals each) - special kicking rules (goals only allowed with your weal food) - counting rules - numbers of players - special rules - balls - time frames or whatever you know? To state this crystal clear: I use different variations maybe for 5-10 minutes, the remaining time is a normal game with normal rules. The variation I like best so far is that you have to call the name of the player you are going to pass the ball to (before they pass!). The kids have to look up to do this and to scan their surroundings.
I'd be real careful with this idea. Patience on the ball and control are important. This could lead to anxiety on the ball for u-littles, poor choices and bad habits. I understand the concept, but this is not how I would execute it. Just my two-cents.
I think there will be no danger if you do this for about 5 minutes and maybe then something else with the oppisite effect (maybe you have to hold the ball for 30 sec. in your opponents half before you are allowed to score?) Another variation I like very much for all ages (u6+) is the rule that you can only win by scoring as many goals as are in your team (e.g. four). There is only one tiny little thing you have to regard, the four goals have to be shot by four differnt players of your own team ^^). This is fun for everyone, especially for the weaker players who are needed to win as much as the star of your team ^^. Your star will try to bring the weaker player into a good scoring position.
I really like this one! I've been trying to think of a way to get our less aggressive players more involved in the end of practice scrimmage, thank you! One thing I do sometimes is the mini-World Cup 2v2 tournament for the last 20 minutes of practice instead of scrimmage. I mentioned this one as a practice activity in another thread, but the kids do have fun with it. You simply split players into teams of 2 and set-up several small fields with cones for goals. Then you can have each game go to say 3 points or a certain amount of time (either one has seemed to work fine). If you have an odd number of teams, then just have one team off to the side practicing on something else. Kids love this activity and it's difficult for the less aggressive players to hide.
I don't what age group we're talking about here. I, and most coaches, want to have the players play a possession game. So, I'll do things like you have to complete 10 passes before crossing half line. Or, setup up cones on the sides of the half line that they can only go through to cross half line. This makes them focus on switching the field. Something I started recently was an offense versus defense game. The offense plays with a full goal to score on. Whereas, the defense has 2 Pugg goals close to each side on the half line. This forces the defense to attack the sides and/or switch sides. The offense has to work on defending after a turnover.
I got this idea from another coach because I was looking for ideas to teach Penetration. It really got them to; make faster decisions (mind you not careless ones), be more efficient (instead of dribbling, hemming and hawing about whether to make a particular pass), and play into space (which they weren't doing yet, every pass was to feet). You're right, to do this prematurely would be counter productive. But I have players who are comfortable on the ball at U10, but so comfortable in fact that every soccer problem was solved with their 1v1/dribbling skills. I was just introducing how they could play faster and cover more ground (ball travels faster than people), because you'll never get a shot on goal in 5 seconds if you're dribbling
If you want to emphasize dribbling to possess, instead of goals have "end zones" at the goal lines. To score a point, one must possess the ball in the end zone. If you want to emphasize dribbling to penetrate, instead of goals, award a point if a player dribbles across the other team's goal line (I call this the "German" game by the way, because that's the way it was introduced to me). If you want to emphasize shooting, play with a field where the goal lines are longer than the touch lines, and put multiple goals up on the goal lines. This has the effect of providing more (and easier) shooting opportunities. For U6's, sometimes I'll scrimmage 5v5 or 6v6 (instead of 3v3) and use a second ball; it's good for encouraging kids to make decisions. And I like your idea about everybody scoring.
Another variation is to divide the field into quadrants. Line cones along midfield and vertically running through he center of the pitch. Team in possession can't play their first ball within the quadrant they are in or into the quadrant directly "north" of them. So they have to go sideways or diagonal first (they can go backwards if the option exists, of course). After that first ball, they can play normal. The objective of this is to get them to switch the play immediately and show them the good things that can happen when you move the play away from pressure right away and how that changest the game.
If you like fast playing, here is another one out of my collection (which you here pimped up to 40+ variations, THANK YOU). The speed game for U8+: Attention! The will have to shower afterwards. Normal setting, normal play, normal lines ... everything normal but some balls behind each goal and near the coach who functions as a referee. Only change to the rules: It is a foul, if a standard action takes too long: corner kick not fast enough, discussion before a free kick, slow running to the throw-in, goalkeeper celebrates "minute of silence for his dead hamster" ...... whatever it is, the coach interrupts the game with his whistle and the other team gets the ball immediately. Let`s call it German Speed Soccer ^^
Well, I can only tell you how we call them here: - normal goals - turned or inverted goals (180) - open goals (you can score from either side) - moving goals (two kids or parents run around with a pole) - line goals (you have to dribble through them or you have to pass for a touch-down by a team member) - multiple goals (from 2 to 12 with cones, thus they are called cone goals) - miniature goals (a ball on a cone you have to blast away to score)
Have 3 zones, (ie. defensive zone, midfield zone, offensive zone). All players can enter every zone. The restrictions are as follows: Defensive zone: the players only have 2 touches. Midfield zone: the players have free touches, but passes can ONLY be played forwards or sideways, NOT backwards. Offensive zone: the players have all the freedom to play and create scoring chances. This scrimmage format forces players to play simple defensively, speed up the game by playing forward in the midfield, and being free to take risks in the offensive zone.
I like this one for older players, too. There are some variations for the three zones game, but yours is the most convincing one. Thank you! One more for my list. THX
For older players, start the game with an uneven score. Short time limit. Say, 5 minutes, Team A starts with a 1-goal lead over Team B. How does it change the way you play? Team A needs to possess and defend, counter if they can. Team B needs to press, penetrate quickly, and take chances to score.
Here is a high level list of things you can do to change games that I have recently put together Space 1. Smaller or Larger Area 2. Wider or Narrower area 3. Target areas 4. Safe Zones 5. Shape of the pitch Task 1. Move the ball using the hands 2. Number of Touches 3. Left or Right Foot (Stronger/Weaker) 4. Communication or Silence 5. Directional or Multi-Directional 6. Number or Sequences of passes 7. Type of pass or shot Equipment 1. Ball Size 2. With or without Bibs 3. Cones or gates 4. Obstacles 5. Goals (Larger, smaller. Greater, fewer or style) People 1. Numbers 2. Neutral Players (inside or Outside) 3. Even or Overloaded groups
Thank you very much, coach Andy! My structure is quite the same, but I hve got "scoring", "soccer in a different way" and "forms of small tournaments" as additional categories. - scoring, e.g. a goal only counts if you score another one within the next 2 minutes - different goal set-ups: e.g. dribble across line goals - players: e.g: to win everyone of a team has to score his personal goal - balls: e.g. play with two balls - allowed passing and shooting: e.g. you have to call the receiver´s name before you pass - special rules: e.g. three corners lead to one penalty - forms of small tournaments: e.g. Brazilian Tournament - soccer in a different way: e.g. playing soccer whit a ball in everbybody´s hands, after a goal the team has five seconds to score more goals with their personal balls I intend to tructure my list afterwards and to provide recommendations for the appropriate age group and the skill you can develop using one of the variations.
The complete list or just these two items? - you can have the "3-rule" to make your game more interesting: 3 throw-ins => one corner, three coners => a penalty (or a free kick from a nice position ^^) We used to play this when I was young 30 years ago. - Brazilian tournament: this is a variation with three teams. The winner stays, the other teams is exchanged.
I think you need to be careful with the "3-rule" for example putting the ball out of play might be the right thing for the player to do. Would penalising them in circumstances when what they have done is correct, be the right thing to do?
You are half right here, Andy. But I have got a lof of players who clear the ball to the corner unneccessarily. A few minutes of this game ....... and they are at least aware of the danger ^^ And a throw-in can be very dangerous, too, because there are no offside-rules working at that very moment.
I don't see any harm at all. To be harmful you have to assume that the players will react "out of habit" during a match without thinking of the situation. (Won't a non-thinking player ignore the restrictions anyway?) Moreover you have to assume that the non-thinking player is in his defensive third instead of the attacking third. (Other places maintaining possession is desired.) So if its a "harm" at all it will give up more goals in matches in order to develop better skills under pressure during practice. Finally some kids are not going to be as good players as others. I don't believe in basing group training on the ability of the worst players.
I dont think you do have to make those assumptions. I just stated that you could be penalising a player for what could be the correct action. What lesson is the player learning from that? We wouldnt penalise them in any Academic learning for taking the right action would we? I agree with you about differentation in training. So why use a rule that could penalise everyone, when you are just trying to correct the actions of a few. Surely the answer there is not to use that rule on everybody, but just the players whose habit you wish to change.