High School
3. EXERCISE 2
Area: Defensive Third to Middle Third Equipment: Soccer balls, cones, bibs, mini goals Players: 20 + 2GK Objectives: Teach # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6 to progress ball in defensive half
Description: Coach will start play as before, red will be at holding line and coach will play ball over. Blue team will press in a 1-3, with # 10, # 9, # 7, # 11. If win ball blue scores on big goal. Red scores by dribbling thru gate. Once ball goes out coach will play 2nd ball into blue who look to score quickly. 5 mins, 1 min rest, 3 reps
Coaching Points: What does learning look like? Quickly transition to attacking shape, quality of passes – weight and accuracy, movement off ball to triangulate. When # 5 has ball are # 3 are # 6 triangulating? Can we draw red team to one side of field and quickly switch play? If attacking team is too compact and shifted to one side can # 4 play to # 3 with long diagonal ball?
4. EXERCISE 3
Area: Defensive Third to Middle Third Equipment: Soccer balls, cones, bibs, mini goals Players: 20 + 2GK Objectives: Teach # 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 to build in defensive thru middle third
Description: Building from defensive third to middle third
Red in a 1-4-3, Blue in a 3-3. Red attack 3 small goals, Blue attacks big goal. Laws of game enforced, play throw-ins, goal kicks for blue and corners for red
Coaching Points: What does learning look like? When red recovers ball in defensive half can we transition to attacking shape, space out and triangulate to provide options to play forward? Can we get our # 2 and # 3 high and wide to provide support in the attack as we progress the ball? Can we use our # 6 as a pivot to change point of attack? If opponent( blue) is spread out defensively can we play through them, when blue overloads defensively can we utilize diagonal balls to play around / over?
2026 PRE-SEASON SOCCER JOURNAL | 51