Soccer training, soccer drills, articles, soccer training videos and more from Wayne Harrison/Soccer Awareness.
Soccer Awareness training develops SELF THINKING players who are not coach driven; but coach guided, and within this they are allowed to make mistakes without criticism; but rather; encouraged to learn from them.
Welcome to the Soccer Awareness Coaches Corner. Browse through soccer drills, small sided games, tactical thoughts, full sessions and a variety of resources. Posts marked “Training Center Exclusive” are for members only.
In this training session we are developing awareness in possession of the ball through a kick out game with a ball each. This is a practice that is fun but ensures relevant skills are practiced by the players.
Read MoreDue to our attacking rotations players are often out of position defensively when we lose the ball. Here we show how players position to help each other and eventually work themselves back to their own natural positions on the team.
If they can learn this approach and understand how to cover for each other immediately this then really gives the team a wonderful means of attacking freedom and expression.
Read MorePassing and movement warm up for quick looking and thinking. Various movements to develop decision making with several progressions. An Introduction to all the basics of the thinking process and how it relates to decision making and movement.
Read MoreThree teams the outside team works with the inside attacking team. Great to teach both defending and attacking play. Teaches the mentality of transitional change. Developing Quick Play in and around the box. As soon as the team lose possession they must try to defend on the offside line and beyond, thus immediately pushing opponents away from the goal. Using the set up through the “numbers” to suit how we set our teams up.
Read MoreThis session improves quick decision making, tight control because the spaces are small to play in, and thinking in advance due to the switch in direction of the play. You can also work on the defending players.
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Use this training session to work on good communication between the players, quality of the pass (timing, accuracy and weight) and good first touch by the receiver. To increase the players awareness instincts ask them to call the name of the player out who they will be passing to, before they receive the ball. This ensures they look to see who is free before they receive the ball so they know in advance who is free to receive.
Read MoreSessions in this post:
Space Rondos Using One Touch
Three Man Look, Pass, Move Without Pressure
Testing Players Awareness
Angle of Support Positioning
Checking To The Ball To Receive Away From Pressure
Sliding Rondos Using One And Two Touches
Awareness Rubber Neck Training with 5 Players
Awareness Session Passing and Movement Off the Ball
Competitive Awareness Numbers Game
Quick Play Session
The goal in this session is to work on playing in tight areas, developing fast feet and positioning off the ball. We are teaching spacing and moving into passing lanes to get free.
Read MorePlayers stay in their own thirds to establish team shape
Transition between thirds
9 v 9 rotation of players
Possible passing options
Overlap play from wide defenders
Introducing offside
Overload in attack to maintain possession
Transitions between thirds for defending team also
Working with four zones
The game is designed to work on pressurizing the player on the ball, prevent a forward pass and ultimately win the ball. Closest player has to pressure the ball. To score, a player has to make a pass from anywhere into the keepers hands. The ball can be played in the air to the targets hands (to practice quality long distance lofted passes) or on the ground to feet (driven passes). All over the field players must work hard to close people on the ball down quickly.
Read MorePlayers should close the opponent down with a curved run forcing the player the way they want them to go. Encourage the players to not only win the ball but also to maintain possession of it if they can. In this session they can win it and try to score into the other goal as a reward for gaining possession. In this instance both players will get a chance to practice defending in the same sequence.
Read MoreIn this session, we are working on the timing of runs, attacking near post and far post areas and crossing from both sides.
Read MoreWithin this setup you can have variations of games and themes, depending on your numbers, if 12 players then you could advance this to two 2 v 1 situations going at the same time, or a 2 v 2 and a 1 v 1 then go to a 3 v 3 finally.
Read MoreThe emphasis of this drill is on accuracy and weight of one-touch passing.
Read MoreIn this drill, players score by dribbling over the opponents’ end line or by dribbling through any of the five gates located in the playing area. Players can only leave their third of the field by dribbling forward.
Read MoreSoccer Awareness developmental training focuses on the concept of the THIRD EYE of Awareness, Imagination and Anticipation in Performance. Soccer Awareness is a highly innovative concept which aims to develop the thinking coach and player. Soccer Awareness focuses on the creation of a player centered environment which encourages autonomy and an ability to make correct decisions within a game specific context.
Soccer Awareness Training Center provides unlimited access to Wayne Harrison's Soccer Awareness systems, training sessions, drills and more. Wayne's system helps the development of all levels of soccer players and teams in a systematic and imaginative manner that guarantees performance at the highest level of competition.
This video is an example of a “One Touch Mentality” game situation U14 boys.
