Category: Drills
Type: Drill
Venue: Indoor & Outdoor
U-18 WOMEN'S STRIKER TRAINING
2 zone game
U-18 Women's National Team
Training Environments
During the last U-18 Women's Camp held at the ARCO Olympic Training center in Chula Vista CA, the team had a week together with head coach Steve Swanson and assistant coach Jeff Pill, in preparation for their upcoming trip to Bulgaria.
As we played, several problems surfaced that needed to be addressed. They were:
1. The coordination of the defending action of the back four and midfield four.
2. The coordination of the defending action of the midfielders and strikers.
3. Being able to consistently play in to the strikers and creating opportunities off of those penetrating balls.
The following addresses the third need, playing in to the strikers. This activity was used during the course of the week as part of a bigger progression. It is the major teaching activity that was used to assist the players as they learned their roles within the team.
2 ZONE GAME:
We were finding it difficult play in to our strikers once we won the ball, and, if we did get it to them, we had difficulty creating opportunities to get to goal. This activity addressed that concern and improved their play. It is a good functional game for both sides of the ball because it also works on the 2 strikers defending play out of the back.
THE GAME:
1. The three light players in zone 'A' keep the ball away from the three dark players and try to pass the ball over the line to the two light players in zone 'B'.
2. The three dark players in zone 'B' must mark in good defending position...'goal side', 'ball side'.
3. If the dark team wins the ball, it is their turn to attack.
STAGES:
1. Light players play keep away from dark players. They may only pass the ball back and forth over the line. Everyone must stay in his or her zones.
2. Same game as above, but one player can 'move up' to support when ball played in. (e.g.: zone 'A' player can follow pass into zone 'B')
3. Same as above, but the two players in zone 'B' must combine before they may pass to a different player.
4. Play to goal. (Goalkeepers may be added at any time in this sequence. The game is free flowing, restarted properly if the ball goes out of bounds.
COACHING POINTS:
- Keep the ball by playing it back or sideways, but play it forward whenever possible.
- The best pass is always the longest pass as long as possession can be maintained.
- Anticipate 'windows of opportunity' in order to play the ball forward.
- Look for the 'second forward'
- Pace of passes must be appropriate.
- 'Checking forward' must read the defender. (Turn, hold, or combine.)
- Angle, distance and timing of support.
- Back players try to combine with 'strikers'.
- Forwards try to get behind defenders once they play the ball back. Always look to 'spin' after laying the ball back.
Submitted by: Jeff Pill
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