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HomeCoaching Activity Center

Activity Center.

Elevate your game and transform your training sessions with the Coach Education Activity Center. We understand that the backbone of every successful practice is a meticulously crafted lesson plan – the blueprint that guides your players to their full potential. Our Activity Center is the ultimate toolbox, equipped with a diverse array of carefully curated lesson plans. Broken down into distinct activity types, this dynamic resource ensures there’s something for every coaching need. Whether you’re refining technical skills, nurturing teamwork, or enhancing tactical awareness, these comprehensive plans provide you with the framework to create impactful training sessions. Embrace the power of structured planning, tap into the versatility of our activities, and watch your coaching endeavors flourish on the field.

No commercial reproduction, adaptation, distribution or transmission of any part or parts of lesson plan or any information contained, herein by any means whatsoever is permitted without the prior written permission of Kentucky Youth Soccer. 

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Coach Education Activity Center.

Kentucky Youth Soccer Blank Lesson Template (Excel Document)

Attacking & Shooting

Attacking Wide Play 
Bunkering in to Create the Counter Attack
Changing Point of Attack
Counter Attacking from Defensive Set Plays
Direct Counter Attacking
Developing a Goal Scoring Predator
Free Kicks in Wide Positions
Technique of Finishing & Shooting
Patterns of Play to Incorporate Flank Players
Shooting Activities for Younger Players 
Transition to Attack
When to Dribble and When to Pass
Activities for introducing the basic Attacking and Defending Principles
Functional Training for the Center Forwards 
Movement of the Strikers
Combination Play in Central Attacking Areas 
Functional Training for Wide Players 
Improve the Teams Ability to Create and Score from Central Positions 
Improve Players Ability to Score with Headers 
Developing Buildup Play using the Midfielders 
Finishing and Passing Patterns 
Numerical Superiority in the Attacking Half 
Functional Training of the Striker 
Creating Attacking Overloads 
Playing Through the Unbalancing Zones 
Improving Players Ability to Protect and Turn 

Defending

Defending in the Attacking Third
Defensive Heading
High Pressure Defending
Pressure
Winning Possession of the Ball
Defending the Counter Attack 
Defending Later 
Tackling – When, Why and How
6 Second Defending Concept 
Improve Teams Ability to transition to defend in their own half 
Defending Central Areas – Forcing the play wide 
Defending in Small Groups 
Defending Numbers Down – Created by Mike Dickey – US Girls Training Center
Defending Numbers Down 
Playing Out of the Back Under Pressure 
Defending in the Defensive Third 
Defending the Space 
Defending the Direct Goal Channel
Defending from the Front (with a front 3 in 11v11) – New

Dribbling

Creating 1v1 Opportunites
Dribbling 1v1

Fun Dribbling Activities
How to Coach Quick & Deceptive Movement
Individual Dribbling Activities for Younger Players
Dribbling for Possession
Footskills Homework
U6 Dribbling and Passing 
Dribbling with Speed 
Running with the Ball 

Fitness/Psychological

Fitness – Support Play
Technical Fitness – Session I
Technical Fitness – Session II
Technical Fitness – Running with the Ball
U11 – U14 Recovery Training
U15 and Older Receivery Training
Speed Agility Training with the Ball 
Improving Communication & Leadership 

Formations/Systems of Play

9v9 (NEW for 2016)
7v7 (NEW for 2016)
8v8 (2-3-2)
8v8 (3-2-2)
8v8 (3-3-1)
8v8 (4-3-0)
Full Sided (3-5-2)
Full Sided (4-3-3)
Full Sided (4-4-2) – Flat Midfield
Full Sided (3-4-3)
Full Sided (4-4-2) – Diamond Midfield

Warm Up Activities

Motivational Warm Up Activities 
Tag Activities 

Set Plays

Free Kicks in Wide Positions
Indirect Free Kicks
In-Swinging Corners 
Kick Offs 
Out – Swinging Corners
Short Corners
Throw-Ins Within a Game Environment 
Zonal Defending Corners 

Goalkeeping

Clearing Crosses – Punching
Coaching a Keeper within the Game
Dealing with the Back Pass
Goalkeeping – Changing the Point of Attack by Derek Willis, Head Men’s Coach, Georgetown College
Goalkeeping – Dealing with 1v1 Situations by Chris Hershey, New York State West ODP Head GK Coach
Goalkeeping – Distribution
Goalkeeping – Improving Agility by Leah Castleman, Head Women’s Coach, Georgetown College
Goalkeeping – Improving Strength by Jacob Sither, Kentucky Youth Soccer ODP Head GK Coach
Individual Goalkeeping Activities By Rob Parker, Goalkeeper Coach 
Shot Stopping and Angle Play by Derek Willis, Head Men’s Coach, Georgetown College 
Improving Goalkeepers Shot Stopping and Distribution 

Passing/Receiving

Backyard Activities to Improve Your First Touch
Cognitive Passing Activities 
Combination Play for U10’s
Dynamic First Touch
Fun Passing Activities
Dealing with Bouncing Balls
Introducing Passing
Penetrating Passes 
Receiving & Turning with the Ball
Receiving the Ball with Your Back to the Goal
Short Passing
U8 Passing Connections 
SSG Passing Patterns 
Playing Passes into Space 
Aerial Services – Long Passes
Training Activities – Combining in Tight Areas
Receiving and Redirecting the Ball under Pressure 
Improving First Touch using Ball Manipulation and Passing Activities 
Switching the Play in the Middle Third
Technical Passing Activities to Help Midfield Combination 

Possession

Developing Field Awareness to Improve Possession
Developing Support Play to Improve Possession
Midfielder Roles During the Buildup 
Passing and Dribbling to Maintain Possession
Playing Forward Back and Through
Possession with a Purpose
Retaining Possession to Penetrate 
Movement off the Ball – Combination Play 
Playing In & Out of Tight Spaces 
Possession Through the Thirds
Whole, Part, Whole Approach to Playing out of the Back 

Tactical

Building out of the Back
Coach Fullbacks to Join into the Attack
Patterns of Player for Playing with a Front Three
Playing with Split Strikers
Speed of Play 2 by John Ellinger, FC Dallas Coach
Speed of Play 
Midfield Rotation & Reading Cues
Rhythm of Play 
Develop Speed of Thought 
Collective Passes to Advance by Tim Carter, Academy Director, Minnesota United

Additional Activities

Small Sided Game Assessment
Tryout Player Evaluations
Technical Assessment Charts
Tryout – Technical Assessments
1v1, 2v1, & 2v2 Variations 
Individual Winter Training By Erik Imler 
Fantastic 4v4 Games 
10 Variations of Rondos 
Breaking Line Activities For U10 Teams 

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