Author: Michael

OKEMOS - U12 BOYS— BASIC SKILLS #1 - DRIBBLING

TURNING (SKILLS TEST) This tests a player’s ability to dribble and turn quickly for thirty-seconds (30-seconds). Player must cross the barrier, turn in the opposite direction, dribble under control to the next barrier, and turn This drill tests a player’s ability to dribble with speed, slow down under control, change directions, and accelerate again.
Coaching Points: (1) speed dribble with the shoelaces; (2) attack the space, but under control; (3) soft final touch before turning; (4) toe up on the turn to better control the ball; (5) any turning technique can be used: start & stop, cut back, spin drag, whichever is most comfortable; (6) key is to keep the ball under control control

DRIBBLING & TURNING - Warm up dribbling activity to get as many touches on the ball as possible. First, player dribbles to first cone, slows down, makes a quick turn, and speed dribbles back to the starting point or makes a quick pass to next person in line. Switch to the second cone for the next turn before having each line zig-zag through the cones
Coaching Points: (1) speed dribble with the shoelaces; (2) attack the space, but under control; (3) soft final touch before turning; (4) toe up on the turn to better control the ball; (5) any turning technique can be used: start, stop, and run over the ball; cut back (inside/outside); spin drag, whichever is most comfortable; (6) key is to keep the ball under control

Coerver Dribbling - Making your Move
Remove all but the middle cones to set up a Coerver dribbling activity in which both players dribble hard at the other and make a move as they approach the middle cones and move to the right before speed dribbling to the other line or passing to the next person in the opposite line.
PROGRESSION: 1 v 1 that starts with a throw-in to the attacker
COACHING POINTS: (1) speed dribble with the shoelaces; (2) attack the space, but under control; (3) head watching the ball ahead of you as you approach the middle cones; (4) pull spin; step kick; scissors; step over; feint inside with hips, take outside with outside foot; drag back, etc.; (5) for this game warmup, work on the skill with which you’re most comfortable; (6) get low when making your move; (7) after you’ve made your move, explode out of it and attack the space; (8) slowing down after your move allows the defender to recover

1 v 1 to LINE (SKILLS TEST) Players play 1 v 1 to line to score one point. Play starts with defender passing to attacker. If defender wins ball, defender attacks line to score. Each round is 1:30 long.
Coaching Points: (1) first touch away from pressure; (2) first touch should set up your attack on the defender; (3) do not stop the ball, but keep ball moving as you attack; (4) size up your opponent and determine the best move to beat the defender. For example, a slow player you may need to use speed; (5) Moves: step over; start-and-stop; drag back; pull spin; (6) defender must close down quickly, sprinting to attacker and slowing down with short, choppy steps on approach, getting low, & side on attacker

OKEMOS - U12 BOYS— BASIC SKILLS #2 - PASSING

LONG-SHORT PASSING Player moves along, making long-short passes to the cone targets. Vary the weight of the pass depending upon the distance to be covered with the pass.
COACHING POINTS: (1) open hips to target; (2) plant foot pointed in direction of target, six inches away from ball; (3) lock ankle, strike the ball in the middle with toe slightly pointing up; (4) follow through with leg in the direction of the target; (5) topping the ball is when one hits the ball above the ball’s mid-point; (6) hitting the ball below the mid-point, placing toe under the ball, lifting up will propel the ball upward; (7) HIGH BALL: support leg behind ball, long follow through, lean backwards, hit ball below center point, hit under the ball; (8) LOW BALL: support leg is next to or slightly in front of ball, hit the ball hard, sharp, lean over ball to keep it down; (9) PASS QUALITY: accuracy, pace, angle, height, timing, disguise.

Triangle Passing (SKILLS TEST) Passing accuracy
Three (3) players on four cones arranged into two triangles. Two players start on one point of the triangle. Player #1 make a bending run and Player #2 makes a pass into the path of Player #1, who passes to the next cone and sprints to the next cone. Player #3 stops the ball and sprints to the next cone. Player #2 arrives to make a pass into the path of Player #3. Players keep track of their own completed passes, which a player can take in stride with one touch and move the ball to the next objectively cleanly.
COACHING POINTS: (1) passing with the proper weight; (2) balls on the ground into the path of the receiver; (3) lock ankle, push ball into path of receiver, pointing foot toward target on follow through, plant foot should be pointing in direction of target; (4) receiver should “show” for the ball, collecting it on the back foot, controlling with a touch to set up the next pass and deliver to the target; (5) passer should try to hit foot that the receiver is “showing” on the run

Dribble, Make Your Move, Pass
Dribble toward the middle, make a cut, and pass to the opposite player
PROGRESSION: 1 v 1 that starts with a throw-in to the attacker
COACHING POINTS: (1) passing with the proper weight; (2) balls on the ground into the path of the receiver; (3) lock ankle, push ball into path of receiver, pointing foot toward target on follow through, plant foot should be pointing in direction of target; (4) receiver should “show” for the ball, collecting it on the back foot, controlling with a touch to set up the next pass and deliver to the target; (5) passer should try to hit foot that the receiver is “showing” on the run

PEELING OFF - 2 Feet - OR - 2 Space Attacker vs. Defender; attacker looks to create space in which to receive the pass and play it to the other target player.
COACHING POINTS: (1) this is not just kick the ball and hope the attacker finds a way to win the ball; (2) passer and receiver must read and react to the defender and make the appropriate pass; (3) if defender is giving too much space, then we play the ball to feet; (4) if the defender is tight, then attacker peels off and we play the ball into space; (5) receiver must have inside position on the defender; (6) ball is played “side on” to the attacker; (7) if defender does not respond the attacker’s movement, play the ball “side on” to feet; (8) if defender follows attacker’s movement, then we play ball into space behind the defender; attack must peel off, shaking the defender and running into space; (9) passer must read receiver and defender to determine the best pass to make; (10) timing, weight of the pass is critical to successfully feeding the ball to attacker.