Session Plans

A collection of practical content including adaptable video session plans you can use at your next soccer training session.

In this session UEFA A licensed coach, Dave Wright continues on his defensive work with the Melbourne Victory U20 group. The practice is designed to encourage players to collaborate and work together in units to block forward and split passes. Dave demonstrates some gradual progressions to allow attackers and defenders to move into opposition zones and create more chaos. The purpose of this practice ties in with the next session (a phase of play) which encourages players to be patient out of possession and choose…

In this PDP Live Session, FFA Coach Developer and Academy Coach, Anthony Frost demonstrates a small sided game where players have to find solutions to various tasks. Anthony cleverly uses planned interventions to set tactical and technical challenges for the players to work on collectively in a 5 v 5 + 1 small sided game. This is a great example of how coaches can encourage decision making and team work within the game, as well as observing adaptability of the players, knowing when to guide…

Understanding the Practice The fast finishing practice is designed to assist players with close range, fast finishing inside the penalty box. The practice utilises realistic pitch geography and overloads in favour of the attacking team to create high repetition of goal scoring opportunities in a small sided game structure. The practice can be used with players of almost any age but is particularly valuable for those age 10+. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations &…

This practice is designed to be used as a warm-up focused upon passing and receiving. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Do you want to improve your ability to plan and deliver great sessions? Sign up for our Foundations of Session Design course here. Practice…

This practice is designed to provide players with the opportunities to practice their passing and receiving skills under defensive pressure. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Do you want to improve your ability to plan and deliver great sessions? Sign up for our Foundations of…

This practice is designed to provide players with opportunities to train receiving and moving forwards with the ball under limited defensive pressure. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Do you want to improve your ability to plan and deliver great sessions? Sign up for our…

This practice is designed to provide players an opportunity to work on combination play in pairs, focusing on the concepts of supporting beyond, beside and beneath. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dave will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Do you want to improve your ability to plan and deliver great sessions?…

This practice is designed to provide players with the opportunities to train their ability to retain possession of the ball through passing and receiving. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Do you want to improve your ability to plan and deliver great sessions? Sign up…

This practice is primarily for use as a warm-up activity, allowing for high numbers of repetitions of first-touch receiving and short distance passing. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Do you want to improve your ability to plan and deliver great sessions? Sign up for…

This practice is designed to provide players with opportunities to work on passing and receiving in a 2v2 directional possession based scenarios. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Do you want to improve your ability to plan and deliver great sessions? Sign up for our…

This practice is designed to provide players with high repetition of 1v1 and even 1v2 dribbling and scoring scenarios. The practice can easily be adapted for a 2v2 and is a great way to engage your players, encourage bravery and confidence, as well as help them work on opposed finishing. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dave will talk you through the structure of the practice,…

This is a directional possession or wave practice. The session aims to encourage players to control the ball in an overload situation with quick combination play and accurate passing. Defenders are tasked with pressing outnumbered, winning the ball and trying to score before transitioning to possession and supporting their team mates. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dave will talk you through the structure of the…

This practice is a positional game which focusses on getting wingers into position to take their opponent on 1v1. There are some great opportunities within the structure of the practice to work on position specific themes, particularly midfielders combining to exploit width. The practice is easily adapted based on smaller or larger player numbers but in this case is based on 12 players at training. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the…

This practice is designed to provide players with opportunities to practice combination play in a 3v3 scenario. The rules of the game lend itself to repetition of 1v1 moments and chances to create, score or stop goals. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Would you…

This practice is designed to provide players with opportunities to attack and defend scenarios from wide areas. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes and how you can adapt it for your players. Do you want to improve your ability to plan and deliver great sessions? Sign up for our Foundations of Session Design course…

This practice is designed to provide players an opportunity to warm-up in an enjoyable manner using a non football small-sided game. The game allows players to achieve a variety of movements to warm up in a fun, competitive setting with principles of football (attack, defence, transition) still present. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dan will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes…

This session helps players understand how to use the sideline as an extra defender. The constraints of the practice encourage players to use the sideline, forcing their opponent out while creating opportunities for attackers to cut in and work on their 1v1 dribbling or running with the ball. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation Observations & Interventions About the Video In the video below, Dave will talk you through the structure of the practice, various outcomes…

This session is designed to allow attacking players opportunities to combine and exploit space in behind to score. Players are tasked with timing runs into space in behind the defenders. Attackers focus on combinations, timing of movement and finishing. Defenders are challenged with defending high in pairs and working hard to recover and stop the attack. This practice is valuable for position specific work with central midfielders, strikers and defenders. Quick Navigation About the Video Additional Information Practice Overview Interpreting the Diagrams Diagrams Objectives Organisation…

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