Running a Successful Practice
- develop a plan for the practice beforehand
- arrive early
- set up practice areas beforehand to minimize set-up time during practice
- theme should be skill focused
- example themes would be passing, dribbling, controlling the ball, shooting, defensive positioning, turning with the ball, shielding, throw-ins, receiving the ball, goalkeeping skills, etc.
- will have less structure than drills
- important to warm-up large muscle groups, and burn-off some initial energy and excitement
- introduce skill
- describe how and when the skill would be used during a game
- have three very simple key points or good habits that you can repeat during a game situation that will communicate the proper technique
- demonstrate proper technique
- repeat the key points/good habits
- allow everyone to practice the skills
- praise success!
- spend individual time refining the technique
- praise success!
- "we practice to remember our successes”
- drills should reinforce the key points of the skill being taught
- waiting time should be at a minimum
- continue to praise and refine technique
- prepare a series of conditioned games that bring application of the skill into a game situation
- start simple with few players and increase into a more realistic game situation
Conditioned Game
o a game that places restrictions on the play to focus in on a specific skill
o typical restrictions would be 2 players vs. 2 players within a 10 meter square grid, only two touches of the ball before shooting, etc.
- bring the practice into a full scrimmage game
- focus on the theme skill
- praise success!
- conditions can be placed on the game, but keep it simple and fun
- simple, brief reinforcement of the lessons learned, i.e. group repetition of the good habits
- team building exercises
o dragon tag
o team of three tag
o progressive partner lifts
