Mini Soccer Sample Curriculum

Session Six
PASSING AND DRIBBLING

Overview
Part A – Warm Up 10-15 minutes
Part B – Speed Dribbling with Passing 10-15 minutes
Part C – Line Drill 10-15 minutes
Scrimmage-Mini-Soccer 15-20 minutes

Part A
Dribbling with Calisthenics

Players dribbles in an area outlined by the coach and performs a series of exercises upon the coaches command.
• Once the coach calls out the command the player must immediately stop the ball and perform the movement.

Key Teaching Points

- When dribbling the player must keep head up and keep the ball close.
- Emphasize quick reaction to the command and movement of the ball.

Progression

Add commands that involve moves of the games like the Cryuff, Scissors and cuts.

Part B
The wall pass

Set up 2 teams. The first player of the team with the ball is approximately 5 meters directly away from the other team. The group without the ball is the wall. Each player passes to the wall . when it comes back he stops it, and then goes to the end of the line. All players must go through the rotation of the team of becoming the wall and the passer

Key Teaching Points

- Player moves towards the ball
- Player must try to get their body behind the ball when receiving the ball.
- Good first touch away from feet
- Make contact with the middle part of the ball when passing with the inside of the foot.
- Emphasize accurate passing and control
- Follow through upon contact
- Use the inside of the foot to cradle the ball while turning.
- Spin out quickly to get to the back of the line once the ball has been passed.

Progression

Individual wall pass, one individual is the wall and the rest are passers.

Part C
1V 1 Numbers Game

Develop player’s ability to react to the ball and using dribbling skills to attack in trying to score. Divide the team into 2 groups on a mini field. Each group is numbered for example from 1-4. The coach is at the center of the field.

• Coach calls out the numbers of players of the groups. Whichever player’s numbers is called goes directly to the ball in hope to arrive at the ball first and tries to dribble around the other player to score.

Key Teaching Points

- Protect the ball by keeping it close
- Use feints and moves of lower and upper body to deceive the defending player
- Quick change of direction and speed to pass defender

Progression

Have more than 2 groups
Call 2 or 3 players at a time

Play a scrimmage (Mini-Soccer) to conclude the session. Ideally, the coach will permit the players to engage in continuous play while observing the dribbling, passing and turning skills being practiced. Try to focus any interruptions of play on teachable moments for dribbling and passing and not on other aspects of the game. Close the session with a debriefing about the skills used.

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