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Soccer players up to age of
about eight or
nine tend to be self-centered.
That's not to say they're selfish
- they just lack the ability to see the pitch in 3D and
find it hard to see spaces and team-mates to pass to, unless they're
virtually standing on their toes!
But as your youngsters get older they begin to see
that there is
more to a soccer pitch than the patch of grass they're standing on.
That's when you can start thinking about teaching some
simple
combination play.
At it's most basic, combination play is simply passing
the ball. So
that's where you should begin: practising passing between groups of
players as they move up and down the pitch.
It's easy to do. Split your squad into two groups of
four or five (if
you have more than ten players divide them into three groups and have
one group play a game of keepaway while they're waiting).
Then put a group of players at each end of a 30yd x
40yd grid.
Ask the groups to spread out so that they make a
diamond shape. If you have four in a group it's one
back, two wide and one up front. If you are playing with five it's one
back, three in the middle (two wide and one in the middle) and one up
front.
Ask your players why they should always try to
keep this shape while they're playing (clue: it gives them passing
options and provides cover if one player loses the ball to the
opposition).
One group has a ball.
Ask the group with the ball to move it quickly from one
player to
another and from one end of the playing area to the other while
they maintain their positions and the diamond shape.
Then they leave the ball for the other group to do the
same
exercise.
Make it competitive by timing each group and give them
objectives such
as 'every player must touch the ball twice before you get to the other
end' or 'make two short passes followed by a long pass' etc.
When they have mastered this, start each group off at
the same time so
that they play through each other. Again, make it competitive - who
can get to the other end first - without making a mistake?
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