slam!

an excellent youth soccer coaching game from bettersoccermorefun. Particularly useful when coaching indoors.

"My task as coach of Ajax was to teach them a professional approach."
Johan Cruyff

No single game can improve kicking skills faster then slam. It is simply the enjoyment level that makes this game so successful. Here two players have put a small goal in front of a wall. Each player has three lives. The blue player plays the football into the goal so that it rebounds out. The orange player must play the ball back into the goal before it stops and then the blue player does the same. They play until one misses the goal, lets the ball stop, can't play it first time or gets hit by his own rebound. That player loses a life. They play until one is out of lives. Variations, add a second touch, must use both feet or a different surface of the same foot, change the size or height of the goal, allow the ball to stop for young players, play three at a time in a rotation.

slam soccer

Technique. All kicking skills.

Insight. Each player must be aware of the position of the opponent. If he is far back, gently pass the ball so that he cannot get to it it time. If he is close to the goal slam it and make him chase. Read the angle that the ball will come out of the goal, get in position early.

Communication. In this game there is so much contact with the ball in a time restricted situation that the players will have to focus on concentrating and reading the opponents intentions.

Slam is not soccer. There is competition, offence and defence, soccer problems that have to be solved with TIC, a lot of repetitions with different angles, speeds and distances.