Soccer: Steps to Success, 3E

Sample Course Overview

(32-session course)

Session

/

Lecture topic

/ Recommended physical activities / Assignment for next class
1 / Introduction to class:
The Sport of Soccer / Review rules of play and field dimensions.
Provide sample warm-up and cool-down activities. / Read The Sport of Soccer.
Acquire proper attire for the class.
Study rules.
Read step 1: Dribbling, Shielding, and Tackling.
2 / Step 1: Dribbling, Shielding, and Tackling / Give quiz on basic rules of play.
Introduce dribbling skills for speed, for close control, and for beating an opponent.
Rehearse dribbling maneuvers through drills and exercises. / Practice dribbling skills.
Review step 1: Dribbling, Shielding, and Tackling, particularly sections on shielding and tackling.
3 / Step 1: Dribbling, Shielding, and Tackling (cont.) / Rehearse dribbling skills.
Introduce and practice shielding.
Introduce and practice block and poke tackles.
Demonstrate slide tackle. / Practice dribbling, shielding, and tackling skills with a partner.
Read step 2: Passing and Receiving Rolling Balls.
4 / Step 2: Passing and Receiving Rolling Balls / Review shielding and tackling skills.
Demonstrate techniques used for passing a rolling (ground) ball. Introduce various passing drills. / Rehearse passing skills with a partner.
Read step 2: Passing and Receiving Rolling Balls, particularly sections on receiving and controlling ground balls.
5 / Step 2: Passing and Receiving Rolling Balls (cont.) / Rehearse techniques used for passing rolling balls.
Introduce techniques used for receiving and controlling rolling balls. / Practice techniques used to pass and receive rolling balls
Read step 3: Passing and Receiving Flighted Balls
6 / Step 3: Passing and Receiving Flighted Balls / Introduce chip pass and lofted instep pass.
Practice each technique through appropriate drills. / Serve flighted balls to a partner.
Read step 3: Passing and Receiving Flighted Balls, particularly sections on receiving and controlling flighted balls.
7 / Step 3: Passing and Receiving Flighted Balls (cont.) / Practice serving flighted balls to a classmate.
Introduce techniques used for receiving and controlling flighted balls. / Practice passing and receiving flighted balls.
Read step 4: Dominating the Air Game.
8 / Step 4: Dominating the Air Game / Demonstrate jump header, dive header, and flicked header.
Practice each skill with a partner.
Play heading games. / Practice heading skills with a partner.
Review material in steps 1 through 4.
9 / None / Practice all skills learned to this point—dribbling, passing, receiving, and heading—through a variety of drills and competitive skill games.
Evaluate students’ performance of each skill. / Read step 5: Shooting to Finish the Attack.
10 / Step 5: Shooting to Finish the Attack / Introduce various shooting skills (instep drive, volley, half volley, side volley).
Practice instep drive and volley shots. / Rehearse instep drive and volley shots.
Review text on side volley and swerving shots.
11 / Step 5: Shooting to Finish the Attack (cont.) / Practice instep drive and volley shots.
Introduce side volley and swerving shots. / Practice all shooting skills.
12 / None / Conduct a variety of competitive shooting (scoring) games. Incorporate heading to score as well. / Read step 6: Goalkeeping.
13 / Step 6: Goalkeeping / Introduce fundamental goalkeeping skills (ready position; methods of receiving low, medium, and high balls).
Practice these techniques in small groups. / Review goalkeeping skills covered during class.
Read step 6: Goalkeeping, particularly sections dealing with methods used for receiving uncatchable high balls and crosses.
14 / Step 6: Goalkeeping (cont.) / Practice receiving and controlling low, medium, and high balls.
Introduce techniques used for handling uncatchable high balls. / Review skills covered in class.
Read step 6: Goalkeeping, particularly sections dealing with diving to save and distributing the ball.
15 / Step 6: Goalkeeping (cont.) / Introduce diving to save.
Introduce methods of distribution. Practice each technique. / Review and practice all goalkeeping skills.
16 / None / Practice shooting and goalkeeping skills through a variety of scoring exercises.
Play goalkeepers in goal. / Read step 7: Winning One-on-One Matchups.
17 / Step 7: Winning One-on-One Matchups / Discuss responsibilities of the first attacker.
Discuss responsibilities of the first defender.
Practice attack and defense in 1v1 situations. / Practice 1v1 with a partner.
Alternate playing as the first attacker and then as the first defender.
18 / Step 7: Winning One-on-One Matchups (cont.) / Set up a 1v1 tournament involving the entire class.
Play 5-minute games, no goalkeepers, small goals on a 15- by 20-yard field. / Read step 8: Attacking As a Group.
19 / Step 8 Attacking As a Group / Introduce concept of support in attack.
Discuss how to determine proper depth and angle of support.
Practice support play through a variety of group possession drills. / Read step 8: Attacking As a Group, particularly sections dealing with wall pass, double pass, and overlap.
20 / Step 8: Attacking As a Group (cont.) / Rehearse support in attack through warm-up possession games. Introduce wall pass, emphasizing roles of first and second attackers in executing wall pass.
Practice wall passes, unopposed at first and then with a pressuring defender. / Review material in step 8: Attacking As a Group, particularly sections dealing with double pass and overlap.
21 / Step 8: Attacking As a Group (cont.) / Introduce double pass and overlap.
Practice double pass and overlap tactics in group situations.
Introduce role of third attacker. / Begin reading step 9: Defending As a Group.
22 / None / Organize a 4v4 tournament involving all class members.
Select teams and play a round-robin.
Fields are approximately 25 by 30 yards with full-size goals.
Use goalkeepers. / Finish reading step 9: Defending As a Group.
23 / Step 9: Defending As a Group / Review role of first defender.
Introduce second (cover) defender.
Practice defending with three attackers versus two defenders.
Emphasize coordinated play of first and second defenders. / Review material in step 9: Defending As a Group, particularly sections dealing with the third (balance) defender.
24 / Step 9: Defending As a Group (cont.) / Rehearse roles of first and second defenders.
Introduce third defender.
Practice group defending through small-group competitive situations. / Review material in step 8: Attacking As a Group and step 9: Defending As a Group.
25 / None / Organize a 6v6 round-robin tournament involving all class members.
Emphasize use of wall passes, double passes, and overlaps when attacking.
Emphasize pressure, cover, and balance on defense.
Use full goals with goalkeepers. / Read step 10: Attacking As a Team.
26 / Step 10: Attacking As a Team / Introduce principles of team attack and rehearse through large-group exercises. / Review principles of team attack.
Read step 11: Defending As a Team.
27 / Step 10: Attacking As a Team (cont.)
Step 11: Defending As a Team / Review principles of team attack.
Introduce principles of team defense. / Review principles of team defense.
28 / Step 11: Defending As a Team (cont.) / Rehearse principles of team defense through large-group exercises.
Play competitive games using 7v7 or 8v8, emphasizing principles of team attack and team defense. / Review principles of team attack and team defense by rereading step 10: Attacking As a Team and step: 11 Defending As a Team.
29 / None / Conduct skills evaluation for passing, dribbling, shooting, heading, and goalkeeping techniques. / Review steps 7 through 11, dealing with individual, group, and team tactics.
30 / None / Evaluate students’ tactical skills through small-group competitions (4v4, 6v6). / Review for written test dealing with laws of the game; field of play; and principles of individual, group, and team attack.
31 / Written test / Give comprehensive written test on material covered in the course. / None.
32 / Final games / Play 8v8 on 50- by 75-yard field (if available) with full goals and goalkeepers.
Students alternate turns as the referee. / Spread the word of the world’s most popular game.

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