Having discussed and spoken to colleagues and coaches on social media, about my previous blog post. I thought I would share and explain a coaching session plan that I have both used and designed using pedagogical principles. My sessions are always focused and centred around a topic or a technical/tactical outcome in accordance to a curriculum or syllabus designed and set by the club I am working for. This session was for foundation phase age group 9-12 year olds for a 90 minute session with the focus of ‘attacking and playing forward’.
Warm up – Ball Mastery – 20 minutes
Each player starts with a ball and invited to complete dribbles and touches however they wish to do so, freedom to do their own skills, turns and methods to get touches. After 2-3 minutes, I asked “Can you now show me touches which involve all 4 parts of the foot ( inside, outside, laces and sole) and can you then try them on both feet?”. Again after 2-3 minutes “Can you now add in inside/out cuts on both feet and roll overs/ins?” This continued for another 6-8 minutes where I continued to ask for different skills to be added such as: Cruyff’s, reverse Rabona’s, flip flaps, step overs and scissors. The next set of 8-10 minutes within the ball mastery is around the players executing the skills and turns to master control at different speeds, directions and using different movements. The players are asked to start on the outer section of the area and dribble into the middle area ‘Chaos Zone’, where they complete skills or turns to then exit out of the area to the outer area. Once they exit into the outer area, and reach a side of the outer area, skills and turns are executed to change direction again. I set the players challenges such as: Can you complete a combination of 2 or 3 skills/turns together? Can you complete a skill or turn which involves both feet and additionally using 1 foot?
Pedagogical principles used: scaffolding of detail, scaffolding of challenges, constructivism (using their own knowledge of detail and scenarios/situations into a new situation with new detail being added.
Coaching style/s used: Guided discovery, Question and answer and Trial and Error
Technical- Passing and Receiving – 16 minutes
2 yellow players on the inside of the area will be working for 90 seconds before swapping with 2 players on the outside. Each yellow player will receive a ball from a blue player on the outside turn and play the ball out to the player without a ball. This practice has be designed to support players to create an angle, to receive in a position where they can play forward and out through back foot receiving position and passing out. The coaching points really emphasis the importance of ‘Scanning’ and Spatial awareness. The players highlighted when asked what they are scanning for, they answered with: Space to receive in, where the player without the ball is, who they can receive the next ball from. Additionally, when asked what is the best way to position yourself to play forward? Players responded with open body shape, to receive back footed so they could play forward and play quickly. Upon completion of all 3 pairs 90 seconds blocks, the practice developed into the 2 players working together to receive the ball and combine to then play the ball out to a different player on the outside. This had now become about playing together to receive and play forward, teamwork was used to communicate different positions and angles to play to different players on the outside.
Pedagogical principles used: scaffolding of detail, scaffolding of challenges, constructivism (using their own knowledge of detail and scenarios/situations into a new situation with new detail being added.
Coaching style/s used: Guided discovery, Question and answer and Command
Game 3v3’s – unconditioned – 10 minutes
Through Trial and Error, I have found using games early in the session, creates a great opportunity for players to use details and information provided within the warm up and technical practice to be implemented with a game-related environment. Together combined allows for high repetition in a minimal interference setting followed by a game setting with more interference and decision-making.
Technical- Passing shapes – 12 minutes
Introducing and providing players with 3 different passing patterns which can be used to play forward and focus on variety of passes with receiving skills to play forward. Each pattern will be worked on for 4 minutes ( 2 x 2 minutes – clockwise and anti-clockwise). The Passing patterns take different shapes, however the movement pattern of the players will always remain the same (bottom cone, to inside cone, to outside cone and then back of the line). I have found adding in ball striking, adds additional component of ball striking into the session ( I have previously added in a defender after the player shoots to create a 1v1 situation to score).
Pedagogical principles used: Scaffolding of coaching detail, social constructvism
Coaching style/s used: Guided discovery, Question and answer and Command
Conditioned Games 4 x 8 games – 32 Minutes
To put into practice what the players have learnt during the practices and session, I allocated time for 4 conditioned games which the players can pick which conditions they would like to use for each game using ‘The Coaching Lab’ Match cards. I selected 4 different conditions which directly impact and focus on playing forward and additionally added 4 different conditions which would impact the game overall. I have found using these match cards really impacts the intensity and players desire to play to the rules, the cards have helped create a fun competitive environment for the players to challenge themselves and each other as teammates.
This has been one of my attempts to use pedagogical principles and theories to influence my session design to help create a session where the focus is centred around the players and their learning. I hope you find these helpful and supportive towards your coaching. If you have any feedback or thoughts about the session, feel free to contact me.
Sempre Avanti Coach 