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Week 4: pass or dribble

Rec practice for Wednesday, September 30. Building from 1v1 to 3v1 to 3v2: seeing space, and knowing when to pass or dribble past a defender. Reminder: Saturday's games will have 4 goals on the field.

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  1. Warm-up and skill workSame moves, now finish with a pass.
  2. From 1v1 to 3v1Two fields. Add attackers one at a time.
  3. Sharks and minnows: 3v1 twiceThree zones, one defender in each of two.
  4. 4v2 to goal in 3 zonesSame grid. Score with passing, not dribbling.
  5. 3v1 three timesDefenders stay in their zones.
  6. 4 goals: score on any3v3. Coach keeps a ball in play.
1

Warm-up and skill work

Focus again on touches that help players get around defenders, but start adding passing options.

PlayersCoach or defenderConePlayer runsPass, throw, or shot
12
Dribble at the cone
  • 2 or more players
  • 0 to 2 goals
  1. Dribble at a cone and make a move around it.
  2. Then dribble to the back of the other line, or pass to the next player.
  3. The pattern repeats.

No pressure here. This is about the move itself, done cleanly and at pace.

This week's easy change: after going around the cone, pass to the next line instead of dribbling to the back of it.

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SHOOTING LINEAD
Attacker takes on the defender
  • 1 pugg or gate goal
  • Shooting line 5+ yards out
  1. Mark a shooting line 5 or more yards out from a pugg (or gate) goal.
  2. The attacker goes around the defender.
  3. They must shoot before they reach the line.

Shooting from 8 or 9 yards out simulates a pass to a forward.

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2

From 1v1 to 3v1

In a 3v1, use the space and pass around the defender — there should always be a passing lane open. In a 2v1, read the defender: if they give you an easy pass, make it. If they take it away, dribble past them.

Pick a field

  • 3 to 8 players
  • 2 to 3 goals
21D
Player 2 passes in to player 1

Field 1: build from 1v1 to 3v2

  1. Player 2 passes to player 1.
  2. Player 1 dribbles into the attacking half and plays 1v1 against the defender.
  3. The defender must stay in that half.
  4. To encourage passing, player 2 joins the attack: now it's 2v1.

Build it up

Start with 1v1, move to 2v1, and slowly build to 3v1 and 3v2.

Rotating

Either rotate positions each round, or have two teams: one attacks, one defends, and after a few minutes the groups switch roles.

3

Sharks and minnows: 3v1 twice

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Three attackers start in zone 1
  • 8 or more players
  • 1 to 3 goals
  • Field split into 3 zones
  1. Divide the field into 3 equal rectangles, with 1 to 3 goals on one endline.
  2. Put a single defender in zone 2 (middle) and zone 3 (the one with the goals). They must stay in their zones.
  3. Three lines of attackers use passing and dribbling to move from one zone to the next and beat the defenders.

Possible rule

Attackers must play 2 touch in zones 1 and 3. This forces passing in zone 1 and quick finishing in zone 3.

Rotate

Rotate defenders after 2 to 3 minutes, or have them rotate naturally if they steal the ball.

When to pass versus dribble. Balance and support in attack: a triangle shape, with depth and width.

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4

4v2 to goal in 3 zones

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1 in back, 2v1 in the middle, 1v1 up front
  • Same grid as sharks and minnows
  • Extra players on the side

Play 4v2 in the same grid as sharks and minnows.

Start

  1. 1 player in the defending zone (no defender).
  2. 2 attackers against 1 defender in the mid zone.
  3. 1 attacker against 1 defender in the attacking zone.

Play

  1. Attackers move the ball from the defending zone to the mid zone to the attacking zone.
  2. As the ball moves forward, the attacking players go with it. Defenders must stay in their zones.
  3. The attacking team tries to score with passing, not dribbling.

Have extra players on the side, ready to start the next game as quickly as possible.

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5

3v1 three times

Three zones, and defenders stay in theirs
  • 6 players minimum
  • 2 goals
  • Field split into 3 zones
  1. Play 3v3 across 3 zones — or 3v1, three times.
  2. Defenders must stay in their zone.
  3. Attacking players work the ball through each zone to score.
  4. If they score, they get a new ball and play the opposite direction.

Restrict each zone to suit your topic

  • Two touch in the defensive and midfield zones, unlimited in the attacking zone.
  • Goals must be one touch.
  • Every player must touch the ball in each zone before scoring.

Roles switch when

The attackers kick the ball out of bounds (side or endline), or a defender wins the ball and completes a pass to a teammate in a different zone.

Another transition option

Depending on numbers: when the ball is out or turned over, play stops, the three defenders move to the middle zone and become the attackers, and three new players join as defenders. The attacking team tries to stay on the field as long as possible.

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6

4 goals: score on any

C
3v3 with a goal on every side
  • 6 players
  • 4 goals
  • Coach with spare balls
  1. Play 3v3 with a goal on each sideline.
  2. Teams can score on any goal.
  3. When a ball goes out of play or into a goal, the coach puts a new ball in play, so the game never stops.

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