Playing Away From Pressure
Coach: Renata Lawson
Club: Copper Mountain Soccer Club
Role: Director of Coaching
Qualification: USSF “D” (United States)
Date: December 2, 2020
Duration: 1 hour
Age Group: U5–U18
Session Objective
Change the direction of the ball often to find open space and play away from pressure.
Warm-Up: Chop Dribbling (4–5 minutes)
Description
Each player has a ball and practices chopping into the ball to keep it close. After every 3–4 chops, players should change direction.
Demonstrate different ways to change direction, such as:
- Pull-backs
- Inside and outside cuts
- Spin moves
- Step-overs
- Any additional moves appropriate for the group
After 2–3 minutes, challenge players to go faster while still maintaining control of the ball.
Coaching Points
- Encourage players to chop or push the ball instead of kicking it
- Help players understand ball control through visual cues
- Remind players to keep their head up to see open space
- Encourage awareness of other players’ movement and the feel of the ball at their feet
Activity 1: Running the Bases (10–15 minutes)
Description
Set up four 3-yard square bases at each corner of a 20×20 yard grid.
- Two-thirds of the players have a ball
- Players are only safe inside a base
- Only one player may be in a base at a time
- The player who has been in a base the longest must leave
Players without a ball try to steal possession.
If a player goes out of bounds, they lose their ball to the nearest player without a ball.
Increase difficulty by adding more stealers.
Coaching Points
- Remind players they are trying to steal, not kick the ball away
- Encourage use of the moves practiced in the warm-up
- Players should be aware of open bases and incoming pressure
- Promote constant changes of direction while dribbling
Activity 2: 4 Gates (15–20 minutes)
Description
Set up four 6-yard wide gates at the corners of a 30×30 yard grid.
- No out of bounds
- Goals can be scored from either direction
- A point is scored when one teammate passes the ball on the ground through a gate and another teammate receives it
Coaching Points
- Encourage players to look for open gates or gates with fewer defenders
- Promote quick changes of direction when approaching pressure
- Emphasize turning with a burst of speed to exploit open space
Activity 3: Scrimmage (20 minutes)
Description
Game.
Coaching Points
- Remind players to keep their head up while in possession
- Encourage constant changes of direction to find space
- Reinforce keeping the ball close to escape pressure when needed