F 003Passing Tennis Soccer; The volley and defensive clearing game.

Requirements: Half a pitch, (Note: larger for more than sixteen payers, smaller for juniors or small groups). Players playing across the width of the pitch. Two teams, a ball, markers - indicating grid width.

General Scenario: Players volley, kick or head a ball across an open area (net).Set up a grid to suit your squad. Place markers down the middle of the grid to form a "no go" area adjust size to suit your team. This becomes your "net" and players whom bounce the ball in this area, lose goals. Put teams on either side of the net. The ball is volleyed over the no go area and if that team cannot control a ball within two bounces then the opposing team score a goal. If the player kicking or heading a ball towards the opposing grid lets the ball bounce in the "no go" area (it does not clear the net), then that team also loses a goal.

Play commences: When one player kicks a high ball into the opposing grid. The players in that grid have two bounces to get the ball over the "net" (no go area) and into their opponents grid. The ball can be headed or volleyed but it MUST clear the no go area. i.e. it cannot be passed across the ground to the opposing grid. Players can use one of the bounces to set up another player in their own grid but have only two bounces in total, therefore on the second bounce the second team mate MUST volley, kick or head the ball over the "net". Balls hit wide or out of the grid are goals against.

If the ball goes dead, (out the grid) then the ball is (served) volleyed into the grid from the edge of the grid by the non faulting team.

Targets: To score as many goals as set by the coach.

Coaching Points - Good volleying, chipping, heading skills. Watch for placement skills. Often long clearances need to split a back four, so work on players kicking or volleying to space.

Developments

i.Extend distance between grids by making the no go area wider.

ii.Use a full pitch for senior players using the width of the centre circle across the grid to each touch line to separate teams. Allow only one bounce in each grid.

iii. Award extra goals for headed goals across "net".

iv. Add a goalkeeper into the no go area, to add pressure to shooters