DESIGNING A SESSION PLAN When making a lesson plan remember the following points: Design your session for number of players at practice. Make sure your drills and activities are age specific. Design activity’s to flow from simple to complex – add elements of the game as you progress. Design session to include: Warm-up. 10-15 min Technique practice ( unopposed ) 15 min Skill practice ( opposed ) 15 min squad practice ( conditioned game ) 15 min small sided game ( may have restrictions ) 15-25 min cool down 5 min Use progression for teaching technique’s or tactic’s as a guide for planning session. Use the appropriate space on the lesson plan to diagram your activity. Describe the organization and list the key coaching points. Include the objectives of the game or exercise, and the method of scoring. If using restrictions, make sure they are applicable to your objective and topic. Include the general dimensions for the playing area – you should be prepared to adjust the size during your session if needed. Make sure your activities are realistic to the game. When diagramming, remember the following points: Keep diagrams simple. Use a straight line for a pass – a dotted line for a run – a scribbled line for a dribble. Indicate size of the area on lesson plan next to diagram. Include key points. Make sure your practice makes sense: Does it look like soccer? Will your player’s understand where the practice fit’s in the game? Are the objective’s you set for the player’s to achieve realistic? Are your instructions clear and to the point? Does the activity or practice bring out the actual elements of the game? NOTE: It is very important to let the practice flow, but just as important to stop the session and correct the errors. If a technical error is made is has to be stopped and the correct technique need’s to be demonstrated by the coach, and then by the player to show he or she understands. WARM UP Warm is critical and should be done before every training session starts. It should include some light jogging and 7-10 minute’s of dynamic stretching (stretching that includes movement of the body. It should also include some simple ball work related to the theme of the session. TECHNIQUE PRACTICE Is an unopposed (no defenders) practice with the emphasis on the development of a game technique. Challenges to the development of the technique may be gradually introduced and will be in the form of increased or decreased time, area, target or degree of difficulty in practice depending on the rate of improvement in the players’ performance. SKILL PRACTICE Is an opposed (Add Defenders) practice with the emphasis on developing the bond of technique and decision making. The practice contains objectives for all players which are derived from the technical theme being practiced. Appropriate areas, the number of player’s involved and imposed “conditions” will vary around the skill theme for development. SQUAD PRACTICE (CONDITIONED GAME) Is a directional, game-type practice situation in which the playing area may be Appropriately divided or zoned to suit the numbers and the needs of the activity. Goals or targets of some design are employed to signify the successful end of attacks and squad practices can be used for the development of either individual, group or unit technical or tactical elements of the game. SMALL-SIDED GAME PRACTICE Is a directional game-practice situation involving Goalkeepers playing in teams less than eleven-a-side. It can be utilized for the coach to work technically or tactically and is idea for developing the principles of play and team understanding. Working areas are adapted to suit the reduced numbers of players and official game rules are applied although some may be modified. WARM DOWN 5-10 minutes of light jogging TOPIC__________ DATE________