Use this soccer shooting session to encourage your players to take shots from a variety of different positions, scenarios, and different use techniques in this shooting activity. As a coach, I would never moan at my player for trying to positively change the game. if they believe they can score I will encourage them to shoot and you should be doing the same too!
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This soccer shooting session is easy to set up and can be adjusted to meet the needs of your team, depending on their age and their shooting technique, the cones can be set up closer or further away.
As I mentioned earlier you need to encourage your players to shoot but also help them highlight other options they could have played as well, especially during the conditioned game and scrimmage.
Soccer shooting warm-up
Time: 10 minutes
Set up:
- 15×20 yard area
- 1 goal
- 3 soccer balls
- 8 players ( 6 attackers, 2 defenders)
Instructions:
Create your area and set up your goal in the middle of the 15-yard line. There should be 1 soccer ball per 2 players and 2 defenders in your area.
The players must keep the ball away from the defenders.
If the defenders win the ball to get a point they must score a goal.
If they can score in 3 touches or less they will get 3 points, however, if they score a goal in 4 touches or more they will only get 1 point and if a player can score in the corner they will get a bonus point
Coaching points:
- Use your laces or the inside of the foot depending on how far away from the goal you are
- Aim for the corners
- Keep your head up so you know where the goal is
Questions that can lead to coaching points:
- What part of the foot should we be using? does that change depending on how far away the goal is?
- Where should you be aiming when shooting?
- Where should the head be looking?
Soccer shooting session technical activity
Time: 30 minutes
Set up:
- 15×20 yard
- 1 soccer ball per player
- 1 goal
- 4 cones
Instructions:
create your area with the goal in the middle of the 20-yard line and set up 2 cones 7 yards on either side of the goal.
Opposite those cones set up a cone 10 yards back.
The player taking the shot will stand on the cone 10 yards back from the goal and the ball will be passed to them from the players on the cones on either side of the goal.
The player with the ball will pass the ball to the player taking the shot and they will take a backfoot touch behind the cone they are standing on, inside, and take a shot with the inside of their foot.
Then the player that made the pass will become the next player taking the shot and the player taking the shot will collect their soccer ball and join the line that he received the pass from.
Rotate players so they can practice shooting with both feet.
Shooting technical activity variation
Instructions:
Instead of players passing the person directly opposite them they will now pass to the players who are standing diagonally from them.
Players will still be taking back foot touch however the touch will take them forward and around the outside of the cone.
They will then take a shot with their laces trying to shoot back across the goal.
Players will follow their pass to continue the rotation.
After the player collects their soccer ball they will join the line that they received the pass from.
Rotate sides, so all players will have an equal opportunity to shoot with either foot.
The passes will now come diagonally so now the players’ first touch will take them wide to strike the ball across the goal.
Rotate the lines around again.
The players will not follow their pass, however; they will still move to the cone opposite their line and join the same line after they took their shot.
Rotate sides so players practice shooting with both feet.
Coaching points:
- Aim for the corners
- Look up to see where the goal is before you take your touch
- The first touch should be out of your feet to give you enough space to take the shot
Questions that can lead to coaching points:
- Where should you be aiming when you are taking your shots?
- How do I know where the goal is?
- What should my first touch be like?
Shooting Progressions
Time: 20 minutes
Set up:
- 15×20 yard area
- 1 goal
- 1 soccer ball per 2 players
Instructions:
Keep the same area and set up.
Now the player playing the pass will become the defender and put the attacker under pressure.
The aim is to try and get a shot off as early as possible.
If the defender wins the ball they can turn and take a shot at the goal.
Rotate sides, so all players will have an equal opportunity to shoot with either foot under pressure and defend.
This can be performed with the same variation as earlier.
When the passes now come diagonally the player playing the pass will still pressure the player opposite.
Coaching points:
- The first touch is away from pressure
- Get the shot away as early as possible
- Aim for the corners
Questions that can lead to coaching points:
- Where should your first touch take you?
- What will happen if we do not shoot early enough? how much space will we have?
- Where is the hardest place for a goalkeeper to save the ball?
Shooting Conditioned game
Time: 25 minutes
Set up:
- 15×20 yard area
- 1 soccer ball
- 2 goals
- 2 equally divided teams
Instructions:
Use the same setup as previously however remove the cones and place another goal opposite the other goal.
If a player can score from outside the area then they will get 3 points instead of 1
This will create a wider and shorter field which will encourage players to shoot more frequently.
Coaching points:
- Allow players to play with little feedback
- Help correct individual errors by questioning if they are consistently making the same mistake.
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- Shooting drills for perfect aim
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