A.  Warm-Up:  10 minutes

1. Dribble/Cut/Turn:  Each player with a ball dribbles inside of a 30x30 grid marked with cones.  At the commands of the coach, players will make cuts, turns and stops.  The coach will stop play for stretching and instruction.  (Encourage the use of the different parts of the foot, creative moves and speed.)
2. Optional Grid Games:  Grid Games add a little completion to the warm-up and is fun for the younger players.  The coach adds a few rules that go into affect at his/her command.

Game 1.  Everyone races out of the grid when the coach yells "out!".  Last one out of the grid is out and has to speed-dribble around the grid twice.  He/she can rejoin the game after his/her laps.

Game 2.  Play wound tag.  One or two "it" players without a ball chase other dribbling players.  When tagged, the dribbling player covers up the wound where tagged and keeps it covered with one hand.  When tagged a second time, the player uses his/her other hand to cover up the wound where tagged.  When tagged a third time, the player is out, speed-dribbles around the grid, then joins the "it" group and chases the other players.  The game is over when everyone is tagged out.

Game 3.  Play knock-out.  Everyone dribbles in the grid and tries to kick the ball of other players out of the grid.  Once your ball is knocked out of the grid, you are out.  The game is over when only one player is left with a ball.

B.  Development:  15 minutes

1. 1v1 Pick-A-Goal:  A game that encourages fakes and feints to create space.  In a 15x30 grid, set up a defensive line (with the balls) and an attacking line at opposite ends of the grid (length-wise).  Set up two 2 yard cone goals at the corners of the defensive line.  The first defender passes the ball to the first attacker and then plays active defense to steal the ball.  The attacker scores by dribbling with control through one of the two cone goals (no shooting!).  If a player scores or the ball goes out of the grid, then the play is over and the players switch lines.
2. Options:  The coach can change the size of the grid, the position of the goals, and the starting position of the defensive or attacking lines.

C.  Application:  15 minutes

1. The Gauntlet:  A fun 6v6 or 8v8 game for all ages and skill levels.  It encourages the use of fakes and feints as well as the tactical awareness to attack open spaces.

Set up a 10x20 grid.  With cones, divide the grid into three sections; a 10 yard section in the middle and two 5 yard sections on the ends.  Increase the grid size to suit your team or for additional players.

Make two teams.  Team "A" will defend the grids for 3 to 5 minutes while team "B" attacks by attempting to have as many of its players dribble from one end of the grid to the other.  If a defender kicks an attackers ball out of the grid, that attacker must retrieve it and start over at the beginning of the gauntlet.  There is no limit to the number of attackers entering the gauntlet at one time.  In fact the more attackers that enter, the better the chance of making it through.  The defending team can only be active inside the first and last zone.  The middle grid is a free space for the attackers.  Each player that navigates the gauntlet successfully and under control, earns a point for his/her team.  Play ends at the end of the time interval and the teams switch roles.

D.  Functional:  15 minutes

1. 1v1 Wing Play:  The functional session is simply placing the training into parts of the field where it is used frequently.  For this training session, most 1v1 attacking activities occur on the wings in the mid and attacking thirds of the field.  We will call it "Attacking Wing Play".

Set up a 15 yard zone on both wings of the attacking half of the field.  Play a 1v1 game similar to the two goal game, but with the goal of beating a defender to get off a quality crossing pass to one of two strikers placed at the top of the penalty box.  Before the cross, play must be contained within the wing zone.  If a defender kicks the ball out of the zone, then the play is dead and the players change lines and switch roles.  If the attack successfully beats his/her defender and gets off a cross, then the play will end after a striker takes a shot.  The 1v1 contest and subsequent cross alternates from the right and left zones.

E.  Full Sided Game:  20 minutes

1. 6v6 - 11v11:  After a successful session, move to a full-sided scrimmage and stress the use of the principles and strategies developed in the previous progressions.