u/w0cyru01

It’s that time of year for us.

Every year we do it I just try to think of new ideas. This year I’m thinking a 5 minute match of parents vs parents with the kids on the sidelines acting like they do. Dunno if it might cause hurt feelings though.

I always do more than just play a match parents v kids

In the past I’ve done

Tic tac toe

Head shoulders knees ball

Passing accuracy competition (parents / kids team up and alternate passing into a goal, gradually backing up. )

Penalty kicks

I think I did a relay race one year.

What do you coaches get your team manager as a gift?

He’s been my manager for the last two years and with the age change his daughter is staying down and I’m moving up.

Only 2 practices this week due to the 3 games over the weekend and the late away game on Sunday.

We did a good job over the weekend of getting into the last third, just couldn’t finish so that was the point of practice this week. Also at a point of the year of just trying to do things faster and more accurately.

Week 7 Practice 1 - Started with a little chaos finishing. Goals at normal spot and top of the D, originally was going to do this 3v3 but as the girls were showing up more kept jumping in so they were playing 7v6 and I just let them keep going. Challenged them a little on how bad they want to score a goal, to push and fight through to get in there to score one.Even if it’s just a toe on the ball.

Then brought the goal back to have a double box and did 4v4 + 2 neutral wings with goalies. Trying to work on cutbacks from the wing to the middle.

Went into switching the field possession game. Entire width of the field about 40 yards long, played 7v6 so the team of 6 in our normal shape, team of 7 with just one additional player. Could score by either dribbling through gates on the wings or by playing to a pug goal in the middle to simulate playing a through ball down the middle or playing wide and a wing dribbling forward.

Finished with 6v3 to big goal - combining using the pivot to switch the field or getting balls into the box to get a finish.

Week 7 Practice 2 -

4v2 wave attack - double box - 2 players wide 2 players central and they would attack 4v2 to one goal, once the attack was complete the attack would then come from the other side.

Then we did same 4v4 + 2 neutral wings again - encouraging wings to take positive touches forward to get into a dangerous space for either a shot, cross or cutback.

Played 4v2 to goal - this time I had the resting team around the parameter each on a different colored cone - I would call the color of the cone and they would feed a ball to the attacking team.

Finished with 6v4 to big goal - same as last practice just added another defender to make it harder.

Tournament over the weekend we went 2-1 - lost the first game to a really good team - defensively we were a little lax and a little slow to move to space and they took advantage of it. Only down 1-0 at half time, then second half we did some dumb things to give them goals and we couldn’t sustain or build an attack.

Second game that afternoon was much better - won 4-2 switched the field numerous times and score 3 of our 4 goals on “chaos” finishes. Two from corner kicks and some tap ins.

Third game won 2-1 - We were already eliminated from the championship so played some girls in new positions. We had opportunities to pull away but instead of shooting anywhere else in the goal we kicked it straight at the goalie in the middle.