A new look for 2024

Welcome to the refreshed version of our weekly newsletter. We'd like to thank you for continuing your subscription and the positive comments that we've received. Each week, we'll include a session plan with theme, a practice activity with a video link and details, and some thoughts on coaching education and player development. We hope that our content provides support for your personal coaching journey.

Session plan - defending in final third

Our session this week focuses on the challenge of defending in the final third.

Physical movements in a sprint-focused block starting with a side shuffle. Relate this to the game with backs and midfielders working to recover from balls played over the top or in behind.
A 1v1 starting from a diagonal. Instruct the players to isolate the ball carrier, taking away one of the target goals.
A 4v2 rondo - note the positioning and communication between the 2 central players as they shift between 1st and 2nd defender roles.
A small-sided game with zone locked defenders.
A full-team activity - shown as 3-5-2, the game can be adjusted for 7v7 or 9v9.

Click the image below to access the full plan and videos

3v3 4 gates 2 goals

This activity is a great small-sided game to develop awareness, communication, anticipation, and combinations of play. Adjusting the location, direction, and size of the gates can increase or simplify the challenge for the players. Click the image below to view the video and activity notes.

Understanding your Why

As part of a group activity in a coaching education class I attended a few years ago, we were asked by the tutor to explain our "Why". A lot of our experience as coaches involves learning What activities to work on with players, How to perform them, and When (within a training session, during the duration of a season, spanning the player's development program) to perform them. Answering the Why question spans a broad range of thoughts - your values as a person and coach and your beliefs about the importance of outcomes. Underlying the question is a willingness to reflect on oneself - our experiences, both positive and negative. It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and within the choreography of individual training sessions. Having a clear understanding of Why can help guide us as we decide on the What, How, and When of our training methodology. Reflecting on outcomes can help us refine and improve future sessions. Taking the time to reflect can be a challenge but will provide rewards in both the short- and long-term.

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