4TH GRADE
PRACTICE #5
VOLLEYS/CONTROLLING BALL FROM THE AIR
Technique Circuit (Technique/Juggling) Unlimited Space
- Place players in pairs, about 3 yards away from each other, with one ball per group to work on
different techniques:
- Passing back and forth. 2-touch. Get a point for each completed pass, but must take 2 touches
- Passing back and forth. 1-touch. Get a point for each completed pass, but only counts if 1 touch
- Repeat each round of technique, and ask pairs to try and beat their scores from before.
Progression:
- Everyone gets a ball, and is now juggling by themselves. How many juggles can they get? Can
they beat their score?
Coaching Points:
- For passing: toe up, heel down. Strike ball in equator and use inside of foot to maintain accuracy.
- Stress that players stay light on their toes so they can adjust quicker to mistakes. Try to get their
chest over the ball when they are striking it.
- For juggling: Keep ankle locked to create a flat surface on top of foot. Movement from juggling
comes from the knee joint, not ankle. Try to keep ball low (below chest). (10 mins)
Technique Circle (Technique) Circle with 10yd radius and 3x3yd box in center
- Split team into two groups. One has balls, and one doesn’t.
- The group with the balls spread out around outside of circle with the balls at their feet
- Player without balls stand in center grid
- When coach says go, players in middle run to a player on the outside and complete a 1-touch
pass. They then have to run through center grid before going to someone else.
- Give players a point for each time they get through center grid. Switch inside/outside people
after 30 seconds and repeat. Who can get the most points?!
Progression:
- Have players pick up ball on outside and underhand throw to players checking to them, who
complete one of the following before passing back: bring down off chest, thigh, inside of foot,
outside of foot. Progress to straight volleys using inside or instep (laces) of feet.
Coaching Points:
- Talk about the different surfaces of the body. Important to try and get ball on ground as quick as
possible. (10 mins)
Handball Bumpers (Technique/Decision Making) 30x20yd grid
- Split into two teams, but have two neutral players who stand on either sideline.
- Teams in the center play 4v4 (depending on numbers). They can pass to the neutral player on
the outside who can pick the ball up and throw to the team that passed them the ball.
- Play continues with teams trying to score on the opposing goal.
- After 2 minutes, switch the neutral players. Play again.
- If a ball goes out of bounds, normal rules apply with corners, throw-ins and goalkicks)
- Neutrals can’t throw to neutrals.
Coaching Points:
- Stress movement off the ball so neutrals can throw ball to you with more space.
- First touch out of air should try to get ball down as quick as possible and towards the goal you are
attacking.
- If taking ball out of air with feet or thigh, try to look over the top of the ball as it makes contact
with your body. This gets your weight moving forward rather than backwards. (10 mins)
Scrimmage (Holistic) Expand your grid to 35x25yds
- Play 5v5. If your numbers are short, decrease size of field to 30x20 and play 4v4.
- Cones for goals are 5yds wide and use goalkeepers.
Coaching Points:
- None! Just sit back and let them play. Help remind them of ASA’s rules for their age group:
offside, thrown-ins, goalkicks and corners. Place a few cones down to divide the field into thirds
to mark the ‘Build-out Line,’ and show them what they need to do when the GK has the ball.
(20 mins)
All diagrams by soccerspecific.com
WWW.ARLINGTONSOCCER.COM
Practice Conclusion: If controlling out of the air with our feet or thighs, where should our weight
be? (forward, look over the top of the ball). Why do we want to get the ball down quickly? (to
take advantage of the defense’s disorganization). Should we always cross the ball in the air? (no, a
cross on the ground is easier to score from). Encourage your players to practice controlling the
ball out of the air at home, and show them how they can practice by throwing the ball in the air
and trying to get the ball on the group as quick as possible.