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| Coaching Youth and Senior Players |
Mixed Bag
by: DTL Staff
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As the Indoor season ends and the outdoor season begins, players have toup their vision, look longer and wider and modify their skills to deal with the greater spaces of the 11-a-side soccer field. In this issue the DTL Staff make a strong recommendation for players 13-years and older to “broaden their horizons” in the Mixed Bag practice.
Objectives
To place field players and goalkeepers in decision-making situations with encouragement to look and play wide and meet and deal with attacks developed from the wings.
Organization
- Use half of a full-sized field; mark out an 8- to 15-yard channel each side of field.
- Mark in a half-way line; 3 vs. 2 and a goalkeeper in each half.
- Play with one or two wingers per side.
- The channeled wingers have no allegiance - they play for both teams.
- When ball is in hands of keeper, and when restarting play, goalkeeper always throws to flank players of the keeper's choice.
- Wing players can pass to one another, overlap, and cross the ball; can play ball in/out to the three attackers.
- Change around the players periodically to give experience in the different roles (except goalkeepers).
- Offside applies in the attacking half – so goalkeeper and defenders need to organize well.
Coaching Points
- Attackers meeting the crosses must be very aware of offside
- Goalkeepers must work on accurate throws to wide players and should be encouraged to "switch" play.
- Defenders have to work together “zonally” as they are outnumbered by attackers.
- The goalkeepers must observe the changing circumstances and take the required action. They must also communicate their requirements and organize the defense.
- Field players are encouraged to make good attacking runs (near and far post).
- Coach can later introduce other conditions that allow the ball to be played forward as well as wide and to allow the release of one player per team into the other half of play as an attack builds up.
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