Circuit Training For U12s

Youth Training Sessions

Circuit Training for Circuit training involves participation in a variety of activities. These activities are conducted at various locations (stations) around the field. The team is divided into an equal number of players for each station. When the circuit begins, all players attempt to perform their best at the tasks assigned to each station within a set time. Circuit training can be used to improve fitness (strength and conditioning circuits) or technique (exercise circuits) or both. Circuits can also be done individually, in pairs or in groups. In this edition of SoccerCoachingInternational's youth training sessions we will focus on combined circuits (fitness and technique) for individuals, pairs and groups. The 5 fun circuit training sessions presented will not only improve your players' fitness and technique, but also provides a unique way for coaches to achieve a number of objectives simultaneously. Players will enjoy the circuits as they enliven the training routine.

Training 1.1

Circuit training for U12s Type: Group Focus: Technique Field size: half field divided into 4 areas of 15 x 20 meters Stations: 3 Number of groups: 3 Number of players per group: 4-10 Duration per station: 10 minutes, 1 minute for moving to the next station and water break Total duration: 44 minutes

Warm-up: Linked Tag -

All players (all groups) 6 players are selected Of these 4 players + 2 nominated 'it' (red players) The other 2 players will try not to get tagged (white players) All other players pair and link up holding arms (blue players) The 4 players will be safe if they link up with a pair that is linked (the person on the opposite end of the link has to release and can get tagged)

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No. 34 – August / September 2009

Give YouthUsTraining Back Our Sessions Game

youth players Station 1: Penalty Game - 1 small goal - 3 penalty spots are marked out with a line created by 2 cones • 1st spot at 6 meters from the goal • 2nd spot at 7 meters from the goal • 3rd spot at 8 meters from the goal - 1 cone marks the waiting area for the other players - 1 cone as a corner flag - Player 1 dribbles to penalty spot 1 and stops the ball with his foot and shoots on goal, when he scores he may take his ball and dribbles around the corner flag to the back of the queue and takes his next shot from penalty spot 2. If he misses he has to go back to penalty spot 1 - The first player to score from all 3 penalty spots wins - If there are too many players you can position another group on the other side (they shoot on the same goal)

Station 2: Customs game - 6 players, 16 cones, 4 balls - 4 cones make a square of 5x5 meters in the middle of the field, 2 players are positioned in this area (this is the customs area, the 2 players are customs agents) - 6 cones mark free area on 1 side of the field - 6 cones mark another free area on the other side of the field - 4 players are positioned in the 2 free areas (2 per area, as illustrated) - All 4 players (ball smugglers) have a ball and must dribble into the customs area and dribble around their cone and back to the free area - The customs agents have to try and steal the ball from the smugglers (by kicking it out of the customs area) - The smugglers score a point when they have managed to dribble around the cone and back to the free area - The customs agents score a point when they have managed to steal the ball - First player to reach 5 points wins

Station 3: Junkyard game - Divide the group into 2 teams - Each team is positioned on a half field - Use an odd number of balls (3 for 2 teams of 3; 5 for 2 team of 4; etc.). - The game start on the coach's sign and the players start passing the ball into the other team's yard - The objective is to have a clean yard when time is called by the coach. The team that has the fewest balls on their side when time is called gets a point

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Youth Training Sessions

Training 1.2

Circuit training for U14s Type: Group Focus: Technique Field size: half field divided into 5 areas of 15 x 20 meters Stations: 4 Number of groups: 4 Number of players per group: 4-10 Duration per station: 10 minutes, 1 minute for moving to next station and water break Total duration: 55 minutes

Warm-up: Cone Tag - All players (all groups) - Cones are set up in the area, these cones are 'safe areas' - One player is it (white) and chases the other players (red, dribbling around the field), can save themselves by dribbling to a cone (only 1 player per cone) - The player who is 'it' does not have a ball, he tags another player by stealing their ball - Player may only stay at a cone for 10 seconds, 'it' player is not allowed to wait, but must look for another player to tag

Station 1: Gate Dribbling Game - Players pair up - Make mini goals with cones for players to dribble through - Players play 1v1 against each other and score a point for every minigoal they dribble through - Rules: after a player dribbles through a mini goal they leave the ball for the other player and start defending. When a player looses possession he switches to defense as well

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No. 34 – August / September 2009

Youth Training Sessions

Station 2: 3v1 knock the ball -

Four players, two cones, two balls One ball is placed on top of a cone in the middle Team objective: to hit the ball off the cone in the middle Defender tags player with ball to get out.

Station 3: Transition game -

Two teams of 2, 3, 4 or 5 players 1 goal in the middle of the field Each team can only score on their designated side of the goal Defending team has 1 player in goal, the other players are defenders Every time a goal is scored the ball will automatically go to the other side of the field and a transition takes place (attacker become defenders and vice versa) - The same for shots that go wide

Station 4: Scoring game - Two teams of 2, 3, 4 or 5 players - 4-6 gates made with cones - Play is 2v2, 3v3, 4v4 or 5v5 (depending on the number of players available) - Teams can score by dribbling through a gate

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Training 1.3

Youth Training Sessions

Circuit training for U16s Type: Individual Focus: Technique & Fitness Field size: half field divided into 11 areas

Stations: 11 Number of players: 11 Total duration: 11 minutes

Organization: - Station 1: 20 push-ups - Station 2: Agility run over low hurdles, through zigzag poles and ending with agility rings the distance is 20 meters - Station 3: 5 times back and forth over hurdle (the height of the object to be hurdled will depend upon the fitness level of the players) - Station 4: speed ladder (execute a movement that impacts foot speed) - Station 5: strike at goal on the first touch on the volley (head or foot) – the run begins at the top of the penalty arc – a server next to one post serves the ball underhand - Station 6: dribble through the maze of cones in the corner of the field – must dribble around every cone before you can move on - Station 7: plyometric bounding through a second speed ladder - Station: 8: receiving balls over a distance of 15 meters with 4 servers who toss the ball underhand as the player comes through– serve to receive with the foot, thigh, chest and play a pass back to the server after receiving – the last serve is a header back to the server - Station 9: diagonal passes – a server is at the top cone of a triangle and plays push passes to the other cones – the player makes a return pass and then sprints to receive and return the next pass at the opposite cone (works on lateral movement & one touch diagonal passing) - Station 10: juggle for one minute - Station 11: 20 pushups 32

No. 34 – August / September 2009

Training 1.4

Youth Training Sessions

Circuit training for U18s Type: Group Focus: Technique & Fitness Field size: half field divided into 11 areas Stations: 6 two-ways

Number of players: 8-16 (2-4 players per starting cone) Number of groups: 4 (2 blue, 2 red) Total duration: 30 minutes

Organization: - The four groups gather at the 4 starting cones on 4 sides of the training area. - Station 1: Players A1 plays a pass (i) to B1 - Station 2: B1 makes a one touch return pass (ii) to A1 who stops the ball and then sprints (iii) to the end of the B line - Station 3: B1 sprints to the rings and skips through (iv) - Station 4: B1 then sprints though the intersection while trying to avoid a collision with B2 (v) - Station 5: At the low hurdles B1 double leg hops over them (vi) and then sprints to station 6 (vii), which is the new starting cone area - A2 and B2 execute the same exercise on the opposite side (simultaneously with A1 and B1) No. 34 – August / September 2009

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