Session 2.

Warm-Up

Free Play with Focus (2 minutes)

  • All players: Grab a ball and spend the next two minutes practicing whatever soccer skills you want to improve.

  • Age-Specific Suggestions:

    • Younger players: Try different ways to change direction while keeping the ball close to you. Can you stop quickly, turn, or dribble around cones?

    • Older players: Challenge yourself with juggling or advanced dribbling moves. How many juggles can you do in a row? Can you master a new dribbling trick?

Key Points:

  • The main goal is to let players have some fun and explore their skills.

  • The age-specific suggestions offer guidance but aren't mandatory.

  • If time allows, briefly demonstrate a few dribbling moves or juggling techniques before they start.

Game #1.

Doctor Doctor - 15/20 minutes

Set Up

  • Taggers: Choose a few students to be the "taggers." Give each tagger a pool noodle or another soft, safe tagging object.

  • Safety First: Emphasize that taggers must use self-control and avoid hitting the stomach, chest, and especially the head or face.

  • Doctors: Select a few students to be the "Doctors." Each Doctor holds a bib or pinnie. Their job is to "heal" tagged students.

How to Play (Without A Ball)

  • Start Without Balls: Begin the game without any balls so students can understand the rules.

  • Taggers Attack: The taggers try to tag other students with their pool noodles.

  • Frozen!: If a student gets tagged, they must freeze in place and shout, "Doctor! Doctor!"

  • Doctors to the Rescue!: A Doctor runs to the tagged student and touches them with the bib/pinnie to "heal" them.

  • Back in Action: Once healed, the student can continue playing.

  • Game Over: The game ends when all students are tagged or time runs out. (Doctors cannot be tagged.)

  • Switch Roles: After each round, let different students be the taggers and Doctors.

Add Balls

  • Give each student who is not a tagger or Doctor a ball.

  • They must dribble their ball while avoiding the taggers.

Introduce New Conditions

Doctor Power-Up (Variation)

  • Doctors can slow down taggers by tagging them with their bib/pinnie, sending them to the "hospital" (a designated area outside the main playing space).

  • To leave the hospital, a tagger must perform a soccer skill (e.g., 5 juggles, dribble around a cone).

  • Add a hoop or cone area (Safe-Zone) where the players cannot get whacked.

Remember:

  • Keep the game fun and safe!

  • Adjust the number of taggers and Doctors based on the group size and skill level.

  • Encourage teamwork and good sportsmanship.

Game #2.

Red Light, Green Light - 15/20 minutes

Set-up

  • Place cones in a line to mark the starting line.

  • Set the finish line about 40-50 yards away.

  • Place a cone on the finish line for students to try to knock over.

How to Play

All students line up behind the starting line with their soccer balls. The instructor stands beyond the finish line.

  • The instructor shouts, "Green Light!" Students start dribbling their balls forward.

  • The instructor shouts, "Red Light!" All students must immediately stop and freeze in place with their ball.

  • The instructor continues calling "Green Light" and "Red Light" at varying intervals.

  • If a student moves after "Red Light" is called, they must return to the starting line

  • The first student to dribble close enough to the finish line and successfully knock over the cone with their ball wins! If they miss, they must go back to the start.

Variations

  • Yellow Light: Introduce "Yellow Light!" which means students must dribble in slow motion.

  • Squid Game Edition:

    • One student becomes the caller, standing with their back to the others.

    • The instructor joins the other students in playing.

    • The caller shouts "Green Light," and everyone starts dribbling.

    • The caller shouts "Red Light" and quickly turns around.

    • Any student caught moving after the caller turns around is out.

Remember: Emphasize fun and sportsmanship throughout the game!

Scrimmages

Set Up

  • Divide the players into two groups and organize a 5v5 game on each field.

  • Use the bibs to clearly distinguish the teams.

Your Role

  • Facilitate Understanding: Make sure the players understand the basic rules of the game. Clarify any questions they have and ensure everyone is on the same page.

  • Skill Integration: At the beginning of each game, remind the players of the specific skill they practiced during the warm-up and the fun games. Encourage them to actively try and use that skill during the game. Example: If the games focused on dribbling, you might say something like, "Remember those dribbling moves we just practiced? Let's see you use them to get past defenders and create scoring chances!"

Additional Tips

  • Observe and Provide Feedback: Watch the games closely and offer positive feedback and constructive suggestions to individual players and teams.

  • Keep it Fun: Maintain a positive and encouraging atmosphere. The main goal is for the kids to enjoy playing and learning.

  • Be Flexible: Adjust the game format or rules if necessary to ensure everyone is engaged and having a good time.

Remember, your enthusiasm and guidance will go a long way in helping the players develop their skills and love for the game!

End Chat

Bring the group in at the end of the session and ask questions about the what they just worked on. Examples:

Q. What did you do in the session?

Q. What did you learn?

Give stickers out to kids who did well.

Choose a child who did a great job and they choose the end cheer for the group.