Engaging, embracing, educating, and empowering should be the focus for youth soccer camps.
Engage – let them PLAY, the first step
Embrace – accept differences
Educate – coach sparingly
Empower – praise generously.
Only if you allow them to play will they experience the joy of the game.
Kids want to play and have fun. PLAY allows kids to be in control, and it’s central to learning.
Warm-Up Activities
Dodge Ball
Setup – 2 players (villains) are on opposite sides with balls. They give the ‘go’ when players (superheroes) should run from one end to the other. When superheroes get to one end, balls are then collected, reset before villains try to get to the other end.
If a player gets tagged (below waist), they join aside as a villain. The last player to be hit is the champion. He/she gets to be captain and picks the team for a future game.
Passing Tag
Setup – Two players start as the taggers with balls. The aim to tag a player below the waist by kicking and hitting. Tagged players get a ball from the side and join the initial taggers.
Winner is the last player to be tagged.
Technical Training
Dribbling Challenge – 1 versus 0
Setup – Each player with a ball, and scores a point by dribbling through a gate. Time activity for 30 seconds. Play 2 to 3 rounds.
Dribbling Challenge – 1 versus 1
Setup – Create 2 teams, then pair up (1 red, 1 blue) players with a ball. Have players start with the ball on the ground and each with a foot on top. On coach’s command (clap) whoever steals ball first tries to dribble through as many gates.
Opposing player defends to regain possession, so he/she can dribble through gates.
Player for 30 – 40 seconds. Make it a contest, ask all players on one team how many they scored each, tally number (ex total – 18). Then ask the other team (ex total 21). Team with most points would win that round.
Play 2 – 3 rounds.
Passing Challenge
Setup – Group players in pairs with a ball. Pairs try to score as many points in 60 seconds by passing the ball to partner at the other side of the cone gates. Players can only pass through the same gate after going through others.
Vary how a ball can be passed (air/ground/surface of the foot). A point is earned each time ball is passed and received.
Scrimmage – Small-Sided Games
World Cup
Setup– Create at least 3 teams, each stationed behind a small goal with balls. In each team, assign players to a group (ex. varsity, jayvee, and husky).
First ball is played out by the coach, who signals which group goes out (ex. ‘varsity’). Scorers start with the new ball and new players each time. If no one scores, then wherever the ball goes out that side would restart the game.
Set championship point total before the tournament starts. For example team to 40 points win. That means the coach needs to keep tally.
Play each round for a maximum of 30 – 40 seconds.
4-Goal Game
Setup – 5 v 5 with each team defending 2 goals, and can score on 2 (Gk optional, but can’t use hands).
Soccer camps need to be about players PLAYING and learning. Games and activities provide that challenge.
How are you running your summer camps?
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