HSC Corrective Games U6 & U7—FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL & THE BALL

1. CHAIN TAG [10’]

a. Create a 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m) that all players must stay within.

b. Create two teams of two players and put them in pinnies. i. The team is a chain and must stay linked via arms

(elbow link). ii. Teams are competing to create the biggest chain.

c. All other players should space themselves within the area. d. When signaled, the two teams try to tag the individual

players. i. If an individual player is tagged, s/he joins the chain

that tagged him/her. ii. Chains cannot tag one another.

e. The team with the biggest chain wins, and any individuals who did not get tagged within 1’ also win.

• What are some strategies you used to avoid the chain? 1. What worked or did not work and why?

• What are some strategies you used to tag individuals? 1. What worked or did not work and why?

• How is chain tag like soccer?

*Use questions to allow players to learn for themselves.

2. FETCH [10-15’]

a. Players take a ball (their ball?) from the magic circle and hand to the coach with two hands.

b. The coach tosses the ball and asks the players to bring it back however they want, but they must pick the ball up and hand it, with two hands, to the coach.

i. Prevent collisions by choosing where to throw. ii. Try not to throw the balls too far

c. Progress the fetch game to utilize various body parts. i. Players must bring the ball back using one hand holding their ball to their head, etc. ii. Eventually progress the game to using feet to bring the ball back (the body part for soccer), but players

must pick up and hand the ball to the coach with two hands. iii. Players must bring the ball back using exactly 5 touches (this begins to introduce the concept of weight on

the ball), or 3, etc.

• Which was the easiest way to fetch the ball? • What was easy/hard about bring the ball back using exactly a specific number of touches?

3. HOME BASE [10‘]

a. Create a 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m) that all players must stay within.

b. Each player chooses a “home” base near a cone (players should spread out around the grid and should not be along one line—unlike my silly graphic).

i. Players should leave the ball at their base to start.

ii. Players should move freely through the space, avoiding collisions and “freeze” when told.

c. The coach directs the players to complete a variety of tasks to introduce and develop mind and body awareness: i. Have the players skip and then freeze, clap in front and behind and then freeze, etc. ii. Allow players to make a few choices.

d. Players should retrieve their ball. e. The coach directs the players to complete a variety of tasks to introduce and develop mind and body awareness:

i. Have the players throw the ball in the air, catch it and then freeze, throw the ball in the air, clap, and then catch the ball…and then freeze, etc.

ii. Allow players to make a few choices.

• Why is it important for soccer players to be able to use their body in a variety of ways? • Why is it important for soccer players to be aware of when and where the ball is near their body?

4. DEMOLITION DERBY, CONES, & CHAOS

[10+’]

a. Create a 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m) that all players must stay within.

b. Each player should have a ball c. When signaled, players try to score a point by “smashing”

their ball into another player’s ball. i. If players smash their balls into each other at the

same time, they each get a point. ii. Encourage players to make car and smash sounds

as they play. iii. Play for 30” to 1’ and players should keep points.

d. Provide them several opportunities to try new strategies and better their score.

i. Point out shields, pull-backs, quick turns, etc. that players are doing. e. If time allows (or another session), add taller cones to the space and play “Demolition Cones”.

i. When signaled, players “pass” the ball to knock down a cone. ii. Encourage players to make car and smash sounds as they play. iii. Provide them several opportunities to try new strategies and better their score. iv. Mix the “Demolition Derby” and “Demolition Cones” to create “Demolition Chaos”

• What are some strategies you used to avoid the balls of other players? 1. What worked or did not work and why?

• What are some strategies you used to smash other balls/cones? 1. What worked or did not work and why?

*Use questions to allow players to learn for themselves.

5. DRAGON’S KEEP [10-15’]

a. Create a 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m).

b. Players (heroes) should each have a ball and space themselves along one side of the grid.

c. Place 2-3 cones for each “hero” just outside the opposite side of the grid.

d. Choose 1-2 players to be the dragons. i. The dragon(s) do not need a ball. ii. The dragon(s) are trying to prevent the heroes from

stealing their treasure. e. When signaled, the heroes try to elude the dragons to retrieve a

piece of treasure. i. If the dragon(s) tag a hero (optional use of noodle to prevent smacking), the hero has to go back to the

starting line and try again. ii. Once a hero has obtained a piece of treasure, they cannot be tagged on the way back. iii. Heroes are only allowed to loot one piece of treasure at a time.

f. Will the heroes loot the dragon’s den in 1’, or will the dragon be able to protect his/her treasure? g. Provide them several opportunities to try new strategies.

i. Point out shields, pull-backs, quick turns, etc. that players are doing.

• What did you do to avoid the dragon(s)? • What did you do to try to catch the heroes? • How could you have worked together as a team?

6. ZIG-ZAG [15‘]

a. Create a 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m) that all players must stay within.

b. Each player needs a ball and all should start on the same side of the grid.

c. When signaled, players should dribble the ball to the opposite line, stop the ball on the line, and dribble back.

i. As players dribble across the space, signal the players to “change direction” and dribble towards the opposite line.

ii. Signal multiple turns and change of directions so that players zig-zag across the space. d. The coach directs the players to complete a variety of tasks to introduce weight and pace on the ball:

i. Can they make it to the other line in exactly 5 touches, stopping the ball with the 5th touch, and then take exactly 3 touches to return the ball to the starting line.

ii. Allow players to make a few choices. e. Split the group so that roughly equal numbers start from opposite lines and dribble in opposite directions.

i. Can they make it to the other line in exactly 3 touches, stopping the ball with the 3rd touch, and then take exactly 7 touches to return the ball to the starting line.

ii. Allow players to make a few choices. iii. Introduce hunters and rabbits with the ball?

• Why is it important for soccer players to be able to change the direction of their dribble? • Why is it important for soccer players to be aware of how much “weight” to put on the ball?

7. HOSPITAL TAG [10’]

a. Create a 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m) that all players must stay within.

i. establish a “hospital” near the magic ball circle with blue cones

b. Each player should have a ball c. Players should space themselves within the area. d. When signaled, players try to tag one another while maintaining

control of their ball. i. If player gets tagged on the shoulder, s/he holds the

shoulder but continues to dribble his/her ball and tag others.

ii. If player gets tagged a second time, s/he holds the tagged spot as well as the original spot, but continues to dribble his/her ball—at this point they are simply trying to avoid others.

iii. When a player gets tagged a third time, they have to go to the hospital; where they are magically healed and they re-enter the game.

e. Provide them several opportunities to try new strategies. i. Point out shields, pull-backs, quick turns, etc. that players are doing.

• What are some strategies you used to avoid being tagged by other players? 1. What worked or did not work and why?

• What are some strategies you used to tag other players? 1. What worked or did not work and why?

*Use questions to allow players to learn for themselves.

8. JUNKYARD [10’]

a. Create two 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m) that all players must stay within.

b. Each player needs a ball. c. Divide the players into two equal groups, and each group should

occupy a 20x20m grid. i. Each grid should have the same number of balls.

d. When signaled, players should pass the ball to the opposite grid, while trying to keep the other side’s balls from their grid.

i. Players must stay in their grid. ii. Players should try to keep the balls within the grids iii. Coaches should help keep errant balls in play. iv. Point out and compliment players who are on their toes (not flat footed), passing into open space rather

than crowded space, using the inside of their foot to strike the ball, planting their foot next to the ball, etc.

• Why is it important to pass into space rather than to opponents? • Why is it important for soccer players to be aware of how much “weight” to put on the ball?

9. SURVIVOR [10-15’]

a. Create a 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m). i. Place PUGG goals 1m from each corner along one side and the

opposite side b. Each player should have a ball. c. Give one player a pinnie (hunter)

i. That player tries to “steal” another player’s ball and score it in any of the 4 PUGG goals.

ii. If the hunter scores, then the player whose ball was stolen goes to a coach, gets a pinnie (any color), and becomes a hunter.

iii. If the hunter misses, then the player whose ball was stolen is still in the game and can retrieve his/her ball and keep dribbling (even if it goes out of the grid).

iv. The player whose ball was stolen should try to win it back as soon as possible and not wait for the hunter to try to score.

d. When signaled, the hunter “hunts” the balls until there is one lone survivor. e. Provide them several opportunities to try new strategies.

i. Point out shields, pull-backs, quick turns, etc. that players are doing.

• What did you do to avoid the hunter(s)? • What did you do to try to catch the prey? • How could you have worked together as a team?

10. LIGHTS: GREEN, RED, YELLOW, & DISCO [10-15’]

a. Create a 20x20m grid (the midfield of each Funiño field is 20x20m).

b. Each player should have a ball. c. The coach should have four pinnies of different colors.

i. If the “green” pinnie is held aloft, players dribble towards the opposite line.

ii. If the “red” pinnie is held aloft, players stop and put their foot on top of the ball.

iii. If the “yellow” pinnie is held aloft, players dribble in slow motion.

iv. If the “blue” pinnie is held aloft, players stop and dance. d. Progress into holding a pinnie aloft, but saying a different signal.

i. Example: hold the “green” pinnie aloft, but saying disco. ii. Players should learn to keep their heads up while dribbing and respond to the correct visual cues.

• What did you do to control the ball? • How can you see what the coach is holding while dribbling the ball?