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Wow ... Firstly welcome to the first ever issue of ‘Student Of

The Game’.

With 2012 being a big year, with the Olympics/Paralympics,

Euro’s and the birth of my first baby in July, I was inspired to

do something different.

With loads of elite football media out there in the world, I

was wondering just how appropriate some of those

resources are for Grassroots coaches.

Therefore, Student Of The Game is all about Grassroots

Football and is put together by grassroots and experienced

coaches who understand the needs of the grassroots game.

England? Are we ready? Euro 2012?

I wanted to share a few thoughts on England, the

appointment of Hodgson and the European Championships.

Firstly I’m really excited because I haven't heard anyone say that England are going to be

crowned champions of Europe, not yet anyway! Secondly, I think Hodgson is the right man and I

have always been impressed with his management of teams in the English Premier League,

however this time I personally think he should have bit the bullet and taken a younger, less

experienced side. Thirdly, Germany to win!

Finally I hope you enjoy the magazine.

Dan Slaughter (Editor)

http://img.thesun.co.uk/

Features

Six Goal Game U10 Pg4 @SmiffyDee

Dribbling U8 Pg 5 @Nickwadsworth

Passing & Possession Pg 6 @DannyTHFC98

Four Goal Game Pg 7 @GK_Samba_Bis

Wingers V Counter Attackers Pg 8 @Soccer20_Hodga

Arry’s Airport U10 Pg 9 @DanSlaughter12

Cover Story: Lessons from La Masia Pg 10

Carousel Pg 12 @BenBarts

Performance Pg 15

Goal Keeping Coach Pg 16 @Simmsy76

Skills Coach Pg 18 @Karlsharman

Psychology Coach Pg 20 @DanAbrahams77

Strength & Conditioning Coach Pg 21 @GRSportStrength

Person Fitness Instructor Pg 22 @NWPersonalTrain

The Physio Pg 22 @GlennMorriss

Coach: Damien Smith

Club: Gosport Borough FC

Twitter: @SmiffyDEE

Topic: Team Attack/Defend.

Theme: Team Play

Age Group: 10+

Set up:

- 45x20 yard area

- 1 ball

- 4v4, 5v5, 6v6

- 6x 6 foot wide goals

Description: No keepers, first to 10 goals wins

Progression1: Attacking team must have 1

player in each section for goal to count.

Progression2: Every player on the attacking

team must touch the ball in build up.

Progression3: Move to 1 or 2 touch and first

time shooting.

Consider:

- Defensive balance

- Pressure

- Combination play

Benefits:

- Receiving

- Support

- Vision

- Defending

- Communication

This is a great game for encouraging playing as

a team. Increase pitch size depending on team

sizes. Good for larger groups. Encourage

players to play with their heads up. Take

defenders on to create space for teammates.

Coach: Nick Wadsworth

Club: Waterloo AFC, Manchester County FA

Twitter: @Nick_Wadsworth

Topic: Dribbling

Theme: 1v1 Domination

Age Group: U8

Warm Up: Cops and Robbers Players (robbers) have a ball each and start on one side of the area

The players in the middle (cops) don’t have a ball and are positioned in the middle of the area. They can’t come over the centre line.

The robbers must dribble their ball past the cops, to the other side of the area

If the cops knock the ball out of the area, the robber must go to jail

If a robber is successful then there is a “jailbreak” and all robbers are released.

Technical 1v1 Defender passes the ball to the attacker, who tries to dribble past the defender and through one of the blue gates

Coaching Points: -Positive first touch -Close ball control -Head Up -Execution of dribble -Acceleration after beating defender

Progression: 2v2 Players off the ball encouraged to create space to receive the ball to pull one of the defenders away from the other attacker and create a 1v1 situation.

SSG 4v4 To score players must dribble the ball past a defender and stop the ball in the end zone

-Play directional -Team that scores retains the ball

Progression- Add nets for an end product

Coach: Danny Lee

Clubs: Collier Row, Barkingside

Twitter: @DannyTHFC98

Topic: Passing and possession Theme: Attacking Play Age Group: U12’s upwards

Player numbers: 10 upwards

Set up: 30 x 40 pitch, position five (more if needed) 1 yard squares around the pitch with 1 player inside each, remaining players with a ball around large pitch

1st set up Players dribble ball around trying to play a pass into players inside box, once they play a pass, player in-side box brings ball out , player who made pass fills up box, continue until good rhythm is maintained.

Progression 1 If pass is made though side of box ‘A’ for example, can we exit box via sides B,C or D, is our body shape good enough to allow us to exit quickly with ball un-der control?

Progression 2 All players now outside of boxes, can we now, using good communication (visual and vocal) play a pass with good weight into the boxes for a player on the run into the box, trying to time the runs so we enter at the same time as the ball, regardless of the different directions we might be travelling in. Can we keep our runs going around all boxes at good tempo?

S.S.G Pitch set up is now still with 30x40 but with two 2 yard side zones along long edge split at halfway point and 2 mini goals at each end. 1 player in stationed inside side zones on attacking side of the pitch i.e. as 2 wingers per team, leaving a 3v3 (depending on numbers, will work with 4v4 or 5v5 just as well) inside main area, to score a goal, the ball must be played though at least 1 of the wingers, the wingers have 2 touches either to cross or bring it back into play, at which point whichever player made the pass fills the side zone. We can play in and out of zone as many times as we need to.

Progression. Can we play into side zones and per-form a overlapping run? Can we get the first player back into play after laying if off as quickly as possible, this can then encourage him to make 3rd man runs as session develops.

Coach: Samuel Bensley

Clubs: Morecambe FC, Preston NE WFC

Twitter: @GK_Sambo_Bis

Topic: Dribbling and Shooting

Theme: Shooting 1vs1 vs GK & Close Control

Age Group: U8s

Setup: 30 x 30 yd area with 4 goals, one on each

side of the square. Obstacle course of cones in the

centre of the square. 3x teams of 4.

Objective: Players on the outside start with a

collection of balls. An inside player approaches an

outside player, completes a 1-2 and switches places.

The outside player is now released to dribble through

the middle zone and shoot in any of the four goals.

He/she then looks to make a 1-2 with another outside

player to release them in to the game. Rotate teams

every x minutes.

Progressions/Rules: Players have to complete x

number of a certain skill to be released in to the

game.

Players could be encouraged to complete their

favourite skill through the obstacle course.

Outside players could work in pairs when released,

combining in the obstacle course to create a shooting

chance.

Part Two: Blues now play Oranges in this example.

Games are 2vs2. Coach plays ball in and a pair from

each team plays. Coach calls a number that

corresponds to a certain goal (1, 2, 3, 4) that players

try to score in.

Progressions/Rules: Players get a 'bonus' goal for a

successful dribbling trick.

Coach: Chris Hodgson

Club: S20App.com

Twitter: @Soccer20_Hodga

Set up and Rules Pitch Size: 40x30(5 yard zones for

the wingers)

Players: 10+

Match Length: 4x5 minutes Wingers on right side must

cross ball with RIGHT FOOT, on left side with LEFT

FOOT

Wingers: To score, player No.2 in the central zone must

pass the ball out wide to player No.4 the winger (or

player No.5), wingers hold onto the ball and player No.2

who passed it must overlap player No.4 and receive a

pass still in the zone for him to cross the ball. Player

No.4 who was the winger then joins play in the central

zone, all players must be in the oppositions half for the

goal to count. Goals only count if they were scored from

a cross. So whenever the ball is passed to the winger

the player that passed MUST OVERLAP then cross the

ball and becomes the new winger.

Note: The zone that the wingers play in is a safe zone

and the counter attacking team cannot enter the wingers

zone

Set up for Counter Attackers

Counter Attackers: Two Forward players must always

stay in the oppositions half, not allowed into their own

half, When the defender No.3 wins the ball they must

play the ball to one of the forwards or build up the play to

eventually find one of the forwards. The Forwards can

not score, but must set up any one of the 3 players(No.2

in Picture) running into the oppositions half to score.

Again like the wingers all players must be in oppositions

half for the goal to count. Player No.3who passed the

ball to Forward No.5 must follow their pass and replace

Forward No.5 to become the new Forward and player

No.5 resumes play with player No.1 and 2. So whenever

a player passes the ball to a forward player, they follow

their pass to replace them.

Coach: Dan Slaughter

Club: Whetstone Wanderers YFC (London), Middlesex County FA

Twitter: @DanSlaughter12

Topic: Dribbling Theme: 1v1 Domination Age Group: U7-10’s Set Up: 15x15 with 4 3x3 boxes and 4 gates of 5x0. Ball Ratio of 1:1 Description: Each player starts by dribbling around the full area (15x15). Challenge 1: ‘Get Your Passport Stamped’ Who can be the first to dribble through each zone and then choose a gate. Challenge 2: Who can be the first to do a skill in each box and get through a gate. Skills Session Inside/Inside Dribble Inside/Outside Dribble Shimmy Feint Shimmy/Shimmy Feint Shimmy/Step Over Double Step Over Ronaldo Step Over (1, 2, 3) Challenge 3: Can you pass and receive the ball to the target player (passport controller) in each box and be the first through a gate. Challenge 4: ‘Beat the security guard’ How many times can you get through the gates being defended by airport security?

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What can the English Grassroots game learn from La Masia and FCB?

So in the past few years, Barcelona have been something of a phenomenon

and I have to confess I am no different I definitely have the ‘Barca Bug’, but the

question I ask is have we really looked at how the values of Barca can effect our

grassroots game?

Lets be honest were at an end of an era of the long ball game, the EPL has become a hotbed of

counter attacking teams. However, look at any grassroots pitch on a Sunday morning and we still

see the long ball game in the attempt to beat our opponents.

In my opinion, we should be looking at Barca and looking to develop our technical game, can we

encourage our young GR footballers to pass and move the ball more effectively, could we work

with our player more in a one to one situation, developing our players on the ball.

Could we encourage 1v1 domination and as cited by Soriano and Lleo “a philosophy of technical

and attractive play”.

Can we bring ourselves to consider Relate Age Effect (RAE) and look at smaller more technical,

thinking footballers as explain by La Masia Director, Carles Folguera.

Can we teach our player the values, hunger and desire required to play attractive football?

By teaching our players the importance of enjoyment over financial gains or more relevant,

competition, surely we are then in the business of developing better prepared footballers.

Soriano and Lleo also explain the importance of togetherness and how “on the field, players must

adapt to the club’s philosophy of technical and attractive play. They have to understand the start-

ing team’s system, so they will be able to integrate quickly when the time comes”.

They continue to detail our in the academy each player is given the same amount of playing time

to allow players to mature successfully and develop mental and physical toughness.

At a meeting with students from ESADE, Folguera highlighted the four key elements that form the

clubs essence: Talent, Physical Strength, Personal Qualities and the Professional Environment.

Folguera continues to explain the importance of doing each player right. Barcelona know “that

among 50 and 60% of boys will not manage to succeed in their professional careers, and the

expectations created can lead to frustration at a very early age, compared to other professions.”

As discussed by Folguera Barcelona “are the only European club that today has the most youth

players between 18 and 19 years old studying university courses. In contrast to other clubs we

back more hours spent studying than in the gym.”

As cited by Soriana and Lleo, “La Masía has managed to make personal development and

athletic performance inseparable. The players’ education is based on three dimensions: physical/

athletic, intellectual and moral. The goal of the club is to develop outstanding individuals who are

academically responsible, have healthy habits and who are happy with the lifestyle they have

chosen”.

Our grassroots clubs can learn an awful lot from La Masia and the social, psychological side of

the game can and should become more valued than the tactical and physical elements.

As clubs we should be considering player pathways that we can create for our players, by

adopting the opinion that football is the vehicle for developing key life skills and putting safe

challenges in front of our children.

One last thought, I also find it amazing how the Barca academy make all players applaud the

parents and spectators at the end of each game. Respect and morals are clearly high up on the

agenda.

References:

Soriano. C, P. & Lleo, B. (2011) Barca’s La Masia: Developing Homegrown Talent.

Folguera, C. (2011) ESADE Conference.

Recommend Read:

Barca: The Making of the greatest team in the world.

An amazing insight into the appointment of Pep Guardiola and the rise of

Barcelona as a dominant force within world football.

A whole chapter on the famous napkin and discovery of the greatest

footballer of all time, Lionel Messi.

Well worth a read. 5/5.

Available from Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

Coach: Ben Bartlett

Club: FA Regional Coach Development Manager - East England

Twitter: @BenBarts

Topic: 4 Practices - Rotate your players around. Theme: Variety

Age Group: Mixed

Passing Practice

1. Yellows – look for split passes

2. Reds – Play 1 touch or more than 2 touch

3. Blues – play around outside of circle – look for through passes across circle and to play overlaps on the outside of the circle

4. Swap roles

In The Game

1. 6 vs.5 including GK’s

2. Yellows score one point by turning through midfield and playing end to end

Red’s attack both goals – try to get ball to either forward to turn and score in the goal

Receiving to Shoot Practice

1. 2 x pitches – 1 vs. 1 on pitch 1. Yellow plays on to team-mate. Red can move from line as yellow takes 1st touch

2. 2 vs. 2 on other pitch. Try to combine to score a goal.

3. Swap servers and then rotate the groups so they all get to attack on each pitch and defend

Challenges Relating to the Practices Other Challenges that may

suit Individuals

1. Try to let the ball run across your body 1. Try to recognise when to follow an op-ponent short and when to hold your posi-tion

2. Try to face forward before you receive the ball 2. Try to identify when to mark space and when to mark players

3. Try to leave the ball playable for the next player 3a. Try to lend it to someone else and get it back (1-2’s)

3. Try to recognise when to press and when to drop

4. Try to recognise when to risk it and when to keep it

4. Try to mark ball-side

5. Try to play forward (pass, run with) 5a. Try to pass between opponents 5b. Try to bypass as many opponents as you can

5. Look for opportunities to switch play

6. Try to recognise when to support behind the ball and when to support in front of the ball 6a. Try to recognise when to join the attack and when not to

6. GK – when to push defence up 6b. GK – when to play short and when to play long

7. Try to look for passes into the forwards feet 7b. Try to link up passes from midfield

7. When to use skills and tricks to beat an opponent

Distribution Practice

1. 5 vs. 5 (or whatever numbers you have) with 1 player in each box

2. 1 point if playing across pitch, 2 points if play-ing forward and 3 points if playing diagonally

3. Upon scoring, receive back and scoring proc-ess continues from where ball is fed in from

4. If red’s regain, play in the same way

Notes for Coaches

1. Try to use the challenges to help the players to decide the best thing to do for the situation.

2. Try to select challenges that fit the area of work

3. Try to recognise which player(s) needs a new/different challenge (recognise when to stop the whole group and when you can speak to an individual

4. Allow players to choose their own challenges (even if it doesn’t link directly to the theme (so it’s their own syllabus)

Contact: Studentofthegame@live.com

Coach: Paul Simms

Club: Torfaen Rep Squad (Wales)

Twitter: @Simmsy76

Topic : Low Diving

Theme: Foot Work

Age Group: Mixed

Equipment : 18 Cones, 1 fitness ladder, 1 ball per player

Warm up - 6 reps followed by series of stretches

Technical Development - Instructions and Key Coaching

Points

Technique for collapse, aim for knee to touch the ground

followed by hips then place ball down to break fall with

body weight to follow and landing on your side. Aim to

guide ball down for comfortable landing

Start on knees falling left and right stopping rolled ball

Start on knee falling left and right catching thrown ball

Progression to setting on one knee

Step into dive catching low ball thrown

Progress to standing in seated position

Collapse dive left and right catching thrown ball

Drill 1 - Instructions and Key Coaching Points

Keeper starts at cone 1

Alternate between running and cross over steps to move

around square with cones 8 yards apart

On passing each cone the server should be ready to

throw a low ball for the keeper to make a low diving catch

Keeper must immediately get up and move towards the

next cone

Keeper will make 4 saves on each circuit

Each keeper work 3 sets clockwise and 3 anti clockwise

Build reps depending on experience

Drill 2 - Instructions and Key Coaching Points

Keeper starts in the centre of goal

Keeper must rush to near post and make smother save

from servers low shot

Keeper to get up immediately and adjust body shape and

position to take low shot from 2nd server

Work on speed and reaction for 2nd save

Aim to be square to shooter

Step forward into dive

Power to ball with near leg and drive following knee

Follow coaching points above

Coach: Karl Sharman

Twitter: @Karlsharman

Student of the Games Skills Zone Knowledge of skills and mastery of the ball is important, such as basic turns. A collection of coaches including myself worry about demonstrating these complex skills however, just an understanding of the skill is needed. In some cases players of higher expertise will be able to show the surrounding players how a skill is done. Despite this, coaches should always be prepared to demonstrate so practise of the skills is important no matter what level or age you coach.

Another important part of this is small sided plays such as 1vs1 or 2vs2, as this will happen regularly in a game. It is very important to keep the sessions as game focused as possible for the development and enjoyment of the players. Repetitive practise is so important for development and will make better players for the future. Below shows two sessions I use on a regular basis to highlight ball mastery and skills.

Session 1 – Technique of Turning Aims: To practise technique of turning Setup: Areas depending on age & ability. Each player has a ball. Session: Players dribble to top cone & perform a turn and dribble back. Coaching Factors: Dribbling Slow down (approach) Technique of turns Get away (acceleration) Turn (Repeat) Progressions: Make it competition between partners first back with foot on the ball.

Session 2 – Turning into a 1 on 1 (skill) Aims: To be able to receive the ball & turn and pass to other team mate (possession) Session: End players pass the ball to same colour bibbed player, they attempt to turn and then get past defender to pass to player the other side of grid for 1 goal. Coaching Factors: Receiving Body shape Protection of ball Decision making Turn & possibility of trying to get past player, Pass into player. Progressions: Swap players over every 2-3 attempts & allow the player to pass back to his opponent to find more space

Skill of the Month Learning Skills as a coach is important to teach the young players with a demonstration is even better. In this section we will show the coaches a skill they can easily learn and perform. This Month’s skill, since the sessions were based on turning, is one of the easiest turns to master the Drag back. Step 1 – Foot on the ball. Step 2 – Keep in contact with the ball roll the ball back behind allowing the player to turn the same shoulder that foot rolled the ball backwards. Step 3 - Accelerate if possible into space (decision making).

Coach: Dan Abrahams

Club: www.danabrahams.com

Twitter: @DanAbrahams77

Teaching a young player to use imagery

When I was a professional golfer struggling to make a living on the mini tours around Europe one of the challenges I felt held me back was my seeming inability to see (picture) the outcomes I wanted. Whether it was winning a trophy, shooting a great score or hitting a supreme shot the clarity of my images were less than crystal clear - quite fuzzy in fact. I firmly believe that champions from any sport or discipline are able to construct simple but lucid inner images that direct their brain toward what they want to achieve. I also believe that, having studied psychology and brain science for over a decade, picturing what you want is a skill that can be improved. I know this to be true because developmental psychologists have demonstrated that our formal way of thinking is through pictures. Over time we learn to attach words to those pictures and because words become our primary means of information processing our ability to summon up inner images declines. But it doesn’t disappear altogether and through practice it can improve. Developing a catalogue of inner pictures is crucial for a young footballer if she wants to play with confidence and certainty. You can help this by using this short process in training. Use the 5 minutes before and after training to help your young footballers develop their pictures. Before training ask them 2 questions: 1. What do you want to achieve in training today?” 2. What will it look and feel like if you do this really well?” After training ask them 2 questions: 1. “What went really well today?” 2. “What would it look and feel like if you did this really well in a match?”

Make sure your young footballers are using as many senses as possible – especially what they see, feel and hear. Allow them quiet time to build their library of pictures but don’t fear the odd prompt or two. Ask them about their movement, their tackling, passing and shooting – whatever you think is most pertinent to their game and to your training session. This process takes no time to do and there is nothing to set up. Benefits are multiple. The session

will create a blueprint on the minds of your young footballers before and after your training. Not

only will this improve your footballers’ ability to picture their performance but it will also be the per-

fect tonic for the plague of inconsistency. By directing their brain toward what they want to

achieve and what they have achieved during training you will be managing self-belief and confi-

dence levels.

Coach: Glen Reed

Club: www.sportandstrength.co.uk

Twitter: @GRSportStrength

Foam Rolling

Flexibility is an important aspect of many training programmes yet it is still over-looked by so many athletes. There are different types of flexibility training, however the professionals have the abil-ity to use a sports masseuse on a daily basis. However not many of us can afford to go and see a sports masseuse after a session to stretch out and feel lose like on a daily basis like the profes-sionals can. However there is a solution. Foam rolling in theory applies the same principles as massage.

Foam rolling is a form of self-myofasical release (SMR) technique that can be used to improve range of motion (ROM) in muscles. A foam roller can range from a tennis ball, to a rolling pin to a purchased specific roller such as the “Grid”. The way the foam roller works is that you apply external pressure over the range of the muscle. It stimulates receptors located throughout fascia, muscle and tissue of the human.

Foam rolling is a cost effective way to massage the muscles yourself and can be used on most areas of the body such as the Gastrocnemius/Soleus, Adductors, Gluteus Medius, Hamstring, IT Band, Quadriceps, Tensor Fascia Latae, Peroneals, Piriformus, Rhombiods and Latissimus Dosri to name a few.

It should be noted that Foam Rolling can be extremely hard work, I personally have seen grown men in tears on holding a position. Foam rollers can vary on density as well, so start off soft (Swimming pool noodle) and then progress to hard (Rolling pin). To Foam roll you gently roll the instrument being used slowly down the full length of the muscle, when you feel a tender point your aim is to hold the pressure on the tender point for approximately 30 seconds before moving further.

Foam rolling is a simple and effective tool to regain ROM, however it can be accompanied by other forms of stretching such as static, dynamic and PNF and can be used both pre-and post- workouts.

To see how foam rolling works including pictures and video of foam rolling please visit www.sportandstrength.co.uk

Coach: Glenn Morriss

Club: The Society Of Sports Therapist

Twitter: @GlennMorriss

I thought the best way to start this series of articles that will appear

over the forth coming months was to introduce myself and what we

are aiming to discuss. I’m Glenn Morriss a sports therapist who

graduated in 2008. I have gained experience since at different

sports clubs and have now progressed into a health care setting to

further my skills.

Throughout these articles in the future I will be discussing issues around grass root football from a sports therapy angle.

Topics we may look into are on first aid, injury management and injury prevention. This will hopefully develop your knowl-

edge which can be applied into practice where ever you are based. This information will be provided from my personal

experiences including data collected by others and studies that have been created so that you can make informed deci-

sions moving forward.

I think it’s important to consider briefly what is sports therapy and how can it effect the club environment you are part of.

Does therapy currently play an important part of your set up and should therapies be at the forefront of making a high

quality club considering that if you have injury free players this will ultimately help your team stay fit and perform at a

higher level for longer, well that’s the idea anyway.

I think my views will always be slightly biased towards a therapy standing due to my career background. I agree coaching

is the most important element to a club at any level but why can’t therapy play an important part as well.

Coach: Neill Walsh

Club: www.neill-walsh-pt.co.uk/

Twitter: @NWPersonalTrain

I am a qualified REPS registered Level 3 Personal Trainer with over three years experience working in the health and fitness industry.

As a member of the REPS register I am committed to continuing my own professional development and regularly attend workshops to enhance my skills as a Personal Trainer while learning new techniques to apply to my sessions in a safe and effective way.

I will be providing readers with sport specific

exercises that can be done at home or

outdoors with different training approaches to

help you gain maximum potential from your

coaching sessions and sports performances,

regular nutritional and lifestyle tips will also

feature.

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