Passing Curriculum for 9 and 10 Year Old Soccer Players
Tuesday’s warm up starts with players in groups of two running throughout the grid. The players are instructed to stay within a specified number of feet of each other. This forces the players to have spatial awareness that is needed to find players to pass the ball to. We then go through a list of additional conditions before adding a ball. Each pair now shares a ball by passing back and forth with going through the same progression. We then break into groups by age and ability.
Pass- Move to Open Space
Groups of three are formed and placed in a 7 yard by 7 yard grid. Each player stands in a corner. The player with the ball passes to one of the other players and runs to the open cone. Activity continues. Players are asked to play two touch. No patterns are allowed. Front foot passes are encouraged.
Hit Moving Target
Each player has a ball and is encouraged to use front foot pass to hit other player’s soccer ball.
Short-Short-Long
Two players start with a ball twenty five yards away from remaining player in the group. One of these players plays a long pass and follows the pass. The player receiving the pass plays a short pass back to the player who made the long pass. This player then makes a short pass back to the player that just passed the ball. The activity continues in the opposite direction.
3v2 Possession
Groups of three attempt to possess the ball against two opponents in a ten yard by 15 yard grid. When the ball is lost the opponents attempt to dribble the ball out of the grid.
3v3 Possession
In a slightly larger grid we move to even numbers opposition. When transition occurs the team winning possession attempts to maintain possession.
4v4 Directional to Targets
Two groups of six are formed. Each group places two targets on the end line they are facing. The four remaining players on each team play against each other. The object is to pass the ball to a target player. Once a target player receives a pass; they pass the ball back to the team that played them the ball. This team then attempts to go in the opposite direction and pass the ball to a target player on the other end line.
6v6
We end with a 6v6 game.