Sunday, January 29, 2012

U17 Training - Game-Activity-Game

Today I was helping with my son's U17 team for 2012.  It was their first session of the season.

They are a third level team and have a mixture of good, decent and average players, but all great kids.  Coach Ben has served these boys well in terms of giving them a place to play.  The boys get along and have come together from a multitude of teams.

The technique I used today is called Game-Activity-Game (or Global Analytical Global) but still known as GAG.

In a nutshell, you run the bigger picture activity (game, etc), then address a specific aspect of the game and introduce it by use of a drill or sequence and then back to the bigger picture activity.

It serves to put things in context for the players, but it also addresses different learning and thinking styles of the players.  Some players can easily take an idea and integrate it into a game.  Others need repetition and direct coaching.

Today we let them play for 10 minutes, then reviewed 2v1 scenarios.  After moving them from 2v1 to 3v2 then 4v3 we went back into the game.

Coaching points of 2v1
  • Identify when the 2v1 is on (identify man with ball being closed down by defender)
  • Supporting angle of teammate (shape)
  • Various options for winning a 2v1
  • Decisions and quick execution
  • PATIENCE, do not force the pass
When we got back to the game we were pointing out when a 2v1 situation was  advisable and eventually tapered off the coaching and let them play.

We had moderate success.  There is a work-ethic issue when it comes to supporting a teammate.  The players without the ball should be moving into position and quickly.  We will bring it up again next session and go from there.  Next time I will focus more on the speed of the pass and body position when receiving.

When watching a small game for this situation you seek out times when a player is going forward and nobody is checking back to establish the 2v1