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  • Home
  • About
    • About Soccer Nights
    • Sponsors
    • Start a Site
  • Register a Player
    • Central Square
    • East Boston
    • Jamaica Plain
    • Malden
    • Medford
    • Mission Hill
    • North Cambridge
    • Winthrop
  • Volunteer
  • Contact

Tonight June 23: CANCELED

6/23/2015

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Picture
We are sad to report that Soccer Nights is canceled for the evening (Tuesday, June 23). =(
While we typically do play in the rain, with severe thunderstorm warnings we feel it unwise to try to run programming.  We do know that the weather is always a gamble, but this go around we're going to play on the safer side of things. 

We'll meet at Flatbread for dinner at 7pm if anyone is interested!  Bowling will depend on availability, but pizza will definitely be eaten! We hope you all will come out!
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Nightly Plan: Monday, June 22, 2015

6/22/2015

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Tonight's Announcements

Welcome to Night One of Soccer Nights 2015! I hope you are excited. Please read the following information carefully so you are prepped and ready to go when you arrive at the field!

  • Make sure you know what time slot you are signed up for so you're there when we need you to be (Logistics Team: 4:30pm; Registration Team & Lead Staff: 5pm; Everyone else: 5:30pm, unless you're on for a 7pm shift)
  • T-shirts will be available at the field for $5
  • 1st aid will be administered at each division. Supplies can be found in Division Bin.
  • Parking: There is parking at 1) the Russell Field lot 2) across the street at the Fresh Pond Apartments:Visitor Parking for Building 364. If you park at FPA you must check in with Security Desk and tell them you are with Soccer Nights. 3)down the street at the Vineyard (170 Rindge Ave)
  • Brian & Terry will be demonstrating Monday's drills starting around 5:45pm. Don't miss this!
  • Field Volunteers: remember to award points to your teams and to nominate players for hero of the night to your division leader!
  • Coaching staff, check your division bins! You will find whistles, pens, and clipboards.
  • Unsure of your role? At the end of today's post, the document containing assignments is attached. Remember to check in with Evadne upon arrival and get your name badge.

Tonight's Schedule

5:30 –6:00  Check in, directed to teams 
6:15 –6:25  Large group welcome, intro theme & skill of the night 
6:25 –6:40  Warm ups in division, skill demonstration
6:45 –7:00 Team time #1: team name, learn names, set goal for the night 
7:00 –7:25  Team Drill work 3
7:25 –7:30  Team time #2: debrief drill work, check in on team goal 
7:35 –8:05  Scrimmages 
8:05 –8:10  Team time #3: check in, debrief scrimmage and team goal 
8:10 –8:20  Large group closing 
8:20 –8:30  Snack in teams, check out  

 

Tonight's Skill: Passing

Soccer Nights, Day 1: Passing from vineyardcommunityofferings on Vimeo.

See also pages 5-9 of Soccer Curriculum Packet.

*********NOTE TO COACHES: Feel free to modify this and/or do something totally different- as long as the kids learn how to pass the ball correctly and are having a good time, that is what we care about.*********

Coaching Skills to Focus on:
1) Form:    
a) Head down and eyes on the ball 
b) Place non-kicking foot approx. 6 inches to the side of the ball and 3 inches behind the ball,                                                 toe pointed in the direction of the pass. 
c) Pass with the “instep” of the kicking-foot, toe up, ankle locked
d) Follow through, so your teammate can see the bottom of your kicking shoe.

2) Accuracy
3) Pace of pass
4) Timing

Exercise/Drill: 
1) PASSING THROUGH CONES- 
set up: multiple sets of 2 cones arranged 1 yd apart for each pair of players to pass the ball through.  
         -Players stand 5 yards away from the cones, and pass through the cones to their partner.  Partner stops the ball, then passes the ball through the cones back to the original player.

Progressions
a) back up further, b) use non-dominant foot, c) one touch (pass slowly), d) Shuttles: pass and follow, run to end of the line (need to have 3+ kids)

Games:
1) KIDS VS CONES VS COACHES

set up: cones lined up randomly in a line
         - Players stand in two lines (shoulder to shoulder) with 5-10 cones spread out in between them.  Players pass to each other trying to knock over all the cones. Coaches frantically pick up the cones after they get knocked over, trying to keep all the cones upright.  

“Scoring:”  The kids win when all of the cones are knocked over at one time.  Keep track of time, and see if kids can improve their time each round. 

Progressions: Play vs one coach, then the other coach.  See which coach takes longer to ‘beat’ the kids

2) MULTI-GOAL SOCCER

set up: cones set up in pairs 1 yd apart to make mini goals.  Make the goals spread out and oriented in different directions

         - Players pair up and each pair gets a ball.  Players run around the designated area, and get a point for every time they pass the ball through the cones to their partner. Players have to pass the ball every 3rd touch, even if its not through a goal (this prevents them from dribbling up to the goal and knocking it through, then dribbling away to another goal.  This is a PASSING drill) 

“Scoring:”  See how many goals teams can score in 1 minute. 

Progressions: 2 minutes.  See if they can improve each round. See how long it takes for a team to score 10 goals

3) PASSING LADDER

set up: give each kid a number (1-_?_ ) that they must remember.

         -Players have to jog around in a designated area (size determined by size of team) and they can ONLY pass to the number ABOVE them.  Players must keep moving around, and must only pass to the number above them.  

“Scoring:"  See how long it takes to get the ball back to the first player.  See if you can improve the team time each round.  Add a 2nd ball, and see if the team can keep both balls passing.  When the ball gets back to the first player, they continue to pass. See if you can add a 3rd ball.  

***MAKE UP YOUR OWN SCORING FOR ANY GAME! And HAVE FUN WITH IT***

Each night during team time, your team should set a goal pertaining to the theme and/or skill of the night. Below you will find suggested goals each evening, but please feel free to have your team come up with an original goal each night - the suggestions are there to help if you have trouble.

Suggestions for setting team goals: Try to set a goal that includes both the soccer skill and value of the night. E.g. Tuesday’s skill/theme combo is dribbling/perspective. A good goal might be “Tonight we are to work hard to keep our heads up while we dribble so we can see the field and look for open passes.” This goal encompasses both dribbling and perspective. Feel to add bonus goals throughout the night to challenge your team.

Monday: Teamwork & Passing

Team Time #1 (before drill work) 

  • learn names
  • create team name
  • Set goal for the night! 
        
         possible goals:

  • Tonight we’ll pass X number of times before we shoot.
  • Tonight everyone on the team will touch the ball.
  • Tonight we’ll make sure everyone on the team will get to share at some point during team time.

  • Review Hero of the Night: KAITI AND BRIAN
               ■            How do KAITI AND BRIAN show TEAMWORK?

               ■            How can our team show TEAMWORK?

Team Time #2 (before scrimmage
  • Review names
  • Check in on team goal for the night:
           ■     How are we doing so far?
           ■     what could we do to improve?
           ■     if we’ve already reached it, what could we add to challenge ourselves?
           ■     Who has shown the value of TEAMWORK like KAITI AND BRIAN?  when?


Team Time: #3 (after scrimmage)
  • Check in on team goal for the night:
                -  How did we do?
                - What could we do to improve as a team for tomorrow?
  • what did you learn tonight about passing? (1-2 ppl share)
  • what did you learn tonight about teamwork? (1-2 ppl share)
  • what did you learn tonight about our heroes? (1-2 ppl share)

Tonight's Value: Team Work (Instructions for Team Time)

Point System Reminder

Throughout the week, division leaders will keep track of points awarded to the teams in their divisions. Divisions will compete against each other for the most points at the end of the week, and the participants in the winning division will receive a small prize.

Ways to earn points


Team Time: Explained later, during team time teams will set a nightly goal. Coaches may award points for teams meeting their goal.

○      Completely met  = 10 points
○      Majority of team met goal = 8 points
○      Partially met = 5 points

Awarding to individuals: coaches or division leaders may award points to individual participants for anything they see fit, including but not limited to the following:

○      embodying RRT (respect your coach, respect your teammates, try your hardest)
○      exceptional commitment to either theme or skill of the night
○      specific challenges during the night (e.g. making a drill harder or challenging a particular kid during the scrimmage to meet a specific goal for X amount of points)

Large Group Competitions:
○      Each night there will be competitions between divisions during opening large group (outlined later). Winning division will be allotted 10 points for the night.

Regulating Points
In past years we have had all divisions “compete” when in actuality they were all working together to reach a corporate goal. Thus, when different divisions had different economies for awarding points, it didn’t really matter. THis year as teams are actually competing, we’d like to strive for more consistency. I’ve suggested point values for some things (like nightly team goals and large group competitions), but additional points can be at the discretion of coaches and division leaders. While obviously each division will vary (especially at sites where some divisions have more teams than others), divisions should aim for somewhere in the 30-60 realm for points per night.  

soccer_nights_2015_-_volunteer_assignments.pdf
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Nightly Plan: Thursday, July 26

7/26/2012

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Tonight's Schedule

5:30PM: Registration, coaches warm up with kids
5:45PM: Coaching staff meets with Brian at bleachers  to go over daily drills (in 2 shifts)
6:15PM: Large Group welcome – curriculum intro
6:25PM: Warm-ups & games in Division, skills demonstration (Skill: Finishing & Defending)
6:45PM: 
Small Group Curriculum (Theme: Encouragement!) 
7:00PM: Team Drill Work
7:30PM: Scrimmages
8:10PM: Camp Conclusion. Present “Olympians of the Night.” Teach Dance.  
8:25PM: Snack dismissal
8:30PM: Check out
8:45PM: Debriefing in Divisions
9:00PM: Final Group Announcements

9:15PM: Volunteer Afterhours - Flatbread/Sacco's Bowl Haven

Tonight's Ways to “Go for the Gold” for Team Medals

Values Curriculum: Encouragement
Kids add trust ‘medals’ to division ring – team earns one medal if everyone adds a medal to the ring.

Soccer Curriculum: Finishing & Defending
1. Bring ball to a complete stop.
2. Set up next action (shot, pass, run, etc).
Coaches may award team one medal for participating (as a whole team) in tonight's drill work with effort and teamwork, focusing on the two coaching points above.

Coaches may award medals to team throughout the night in instances where kids are demonstrating the values of "go for the gold." Coaches should keep track of team medal count and report to division leaders at the end of the night.

Tonight's Skill: Finishing & Defending

Ways to “go for the gold:”
1) Shooting with the instep (pass the ball into the goal)
2) Shooting with the laces (low driven shot with power)
3) Knowing when to defend an attacker vs. space
4) Preventing the ball being played forward on defense

Finishing / Shooting: Coaching Points:
•  Have a positive attitude 
•  Select type of shot (instep or laces)
•  Select vulnerable part of goal (corners)
•  Accuracy first; power second
•  Ankle locked and toe down (for laces)
•  Head down and steady
•  Non-kicking foot should be well up to the ball
•  Strike through the middle to top half of the ball
•  Land on kicking foot
•  Follow up shot for potential rebounds

Defending: Coaching Points:
• Be aware of where other attackers are 
• Challenge the player with the ball ASAP and at an angle that will cut off a forward pass
• Stay low to the ground and balanced
• Concentrate and watch the ball
• Be patient and stay on feet
• If you are further away from the ball, you may want to defend space by being goal-side of the attacker in a position where you can see both the ball and other attackers

Videos to use as reference:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD9DF02717D5214F&feature=plcp 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrzfmkGtnYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbdedDgzEsQ

1) Shooting Technique (set up a 20x20 grid)
•  Have the group form two lines, each player with a ball
•  First line set ball down and prepare to shoot
•  On coaches command, players shoot one-by-one
•  As line one collect their balls, line two step forward, place their ball and prepare to shoot
•  Line one goes to the back

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Have players switch positions on the line

Emphasize: 
• Walk through the coaching points above

2) Shooting a moving ball (set up a 20x15 grid)
•  S (coach) has the balls while players form a line. S plays a pass for X to run on and shoot on goal.  X must collect ball and return to S.  Initially have the players “pass” the ball into the goal.  Move onto shooting with the laces.  Think about placement rather than power.

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Switch sides to work on both feet.
➡ Add a defender to chase X.

Variety of shots (for older age groups):
• Balls moving away from the attacker (S1)
• Balls moving across the attacker (S2)
• Balls moving towards the attacker (S3)

3) Continuous shooting (set up a 20x20 grid)
•  S1 and S2 are set up on the sides with plenty of balls at their feet
•  X1 runs to meet pass from S1 and shoots
•  X1 then turns, goes around the cone in the center ready to shoot the pass from S2
•  X1 has five or six shots, then X2 takes over

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ S can lay the ball off in various ways...left, right, in the air to thigh or chest.

4) Slalom (set up a 30x20 grid)
•  S is a server and has all the balls.
•  X1 and O1 are competing - try to match players according to speed.
•  On servers command they “slalom” through the cones to see who can be first to get to the pass from S and shoot on goal. 
•  The player who does not gain possession of the ball will try to then defend against a shot.

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Have players start from various positions...sitting, lying, star jumps, etc.

5) Defending: Practice one (set up a 10X20 grid)
• A1 hits a low driven pass to A2
• A2 must try to get the ball back to A1 by making a forward pass while D closes down to block any forward initiative by A2

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Serve balls in the air to A2
➡ A2 to have as option to take on D

6) Defending: Practice two (set up a 20X15 grid)
• A3 passes to A1 or A2 who work together to beat D1  and D2 with a forward pass back to A3.
• D1 and D2 seek to block any forward pass back to A3, win the ball, or force A1 and A 2 out of play.

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Allow A3 to come into the field of play

SHOOTING GAMES
1) Captain catapult - Set up a 20X10 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
Team X shoot continuously for 2 minutes.  Players cannot begin their run until previous player has shot.  For each goal that is scored, team X win a point.  Team O must not let any ball stop behind the goal line.  If so, another point is scored for team X.  After two minutes, tally up points for team X then switch for team O.  If the goal is large enough, the team behind the goal provides their own goalkeeper.

Progression - Adjust distances depending on age of kids.

2) Shooting numbers - Set up a 20X10 grid (appropriate for older age groups)
Divide the group in half and assign each person a number (try to match them up according to speed).  Coach places a ball between the center cones and shouts out a number - or a combination of numbers - and the players in turn must sprint around the box on the outside of the markers to reach the ball first and get off a shot.  

Progression - Adjust distances depending on age of kids.  Feed the ball into different areas of the box. 

Tonight's Value: Encouragement!

Today's Goals: Go for the gold – Let's be encouragers!
1. Share with the group something a teammate of yours is good at. 
2. Encourage a teammate during a scrimmage or a drill.
3. Add to the division rings something that you like about your team, your coach, your family, or Soccer Nights!

Today's Connection to Go for the Gold:
Encouraging others is an important part of going for the gold because part of being in relationship with other people, whether they're on your team, in your class at school, or in your family, is being kind to one another and cheering each other on to succeed. Just like you root for a team who you want to see win a game, we should root for each other to do well in all things. When we encourage each other we become better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what going for the gold is all about. 

Introduce Today's Theme: Encouragement
Say: Tonight, we are going to go for the Gold together to be better encouragers! Can anyone tell me what it means to encourage? It's a pretty big word! Exactly - to say something kind to someone, to remind them that they can go for the gold, try their hardest, to cheer someone on so that they will succeed. Just like we root for a team who we want to see win a game, we should root for each other to do well in all things. When we encourage each other we become better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what going for the gold is all about. Now we are going to do an activity in our teams where we'll get to practice encouraging each other AND add to our division ring!

Tonight's Activity: Soccer Nights Olympian (all ages):
Pass out a cut-out of the ultimate Soccer Nights gold medalist to each team.
  • Say: we are going to make him or her the ultimate Soccer Nights Gold Medalist by giving them all of the great qualities that each person on our team has.
  • But the trick is we aren't going to add things about ourselves, but instead things about our teammates. So to start out, I think that Halima has a really great team attitude and is always very helpful. I think this is a GOLD quality. I'm going to add it to our gold medalist! Johnny has been working hard on his trapping skills and he's getting really good!
  • Can someone else add something nice about someone else on our team?
Younger Divisions modification (if necessary):
This might be more difficult for the younger kids, but try to get them to say something nice about someone on their team. If this doesn’t seem effective, try asking them about someone they look up to: it could be someone in their family, a friend, or even a superhero or princess character they love. Ask them why they think that person is strong or why they like them, and then add those things to the Olympian. In this situation, however, encourage coaches then to direct those qualities back to the team (e.g. Oh you like Superman because he is strong and he helps people? That’s great - you know what? I think there are some supermans on this team. When Isabelle made that long shot in the game yesterday, she showed how strong she was. And when Vincent poured water for the team earlier tonight he showed how he loves to help others)


Share.
    • After something has been added about everyone, hold the “gold medalist” up for the team to see and share all of the great things about your team.
    • “Wow! Together we make the ultimate Soccer Nights Olympian!”
    • Doesn't it feel good to encourage others and to be encouraged? Let's try to keep doing this even when we're not at Soccer Nights.
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Nightly Plan: Wednesday, July 25

7/25/2012

2 Comments

 

Tonight's Schedule - **please note some differences in red

5:30PM: Registration, coaches warm up with kids
5:45PM: Coaching staff meets with Brian at bleachers  to go over daily drills (in 2 shifts)
6:10PM: Large Group welcome (starting a bit early tonight)
6:20PM: Warm-ups & games in Division, skills demonstration (Skill: Controlling & Throwins)
6:35PM: 
Small Group Curriculum (Theme: Trust) 
7:55PM: 
Team Drill Work
7:20PM: 
Scrimmages 
7:50PM: Closing Large Group. Present “Olympians of the Night.” Teach Dance.
8:00PM: Dismiss to teams, set up for parents game
8:10PM: Parents Game, kids seated in teams while snack is distributed
8:30PM: Check out
8:45PM: Debriefing in Divisions
9:00PM: Final Group Announcements
9:15PM: Volunteer Scrimmage

Tonight's Ways to “Go for the Gold” for Team Medals

Values Curriculum: Trust
1. Kids add trust ‘medals’ to division ring – team earns one medal if everyone adds a medal to the ring.
2. Teams earn 3 extra medals if they go through Jellyfish Jungle without hitting any jellyfish. Can earn 1 extra medal if they are working well together as a team.

Soccer Curriculum: Controlling & Throw-ins
1. Bring ball to a complete stop 
2. Set up next action (shot, pass, run, etc)
Coaches may award team one medal for participating (as a whole team) in tonight's drill work with effort and teamwork, focusing on the two coaching points above.

Tonight's Skill: Controlling&Throw-ins

Ways to “go for the gold”
1) Bring the ball to a complete STOP
2) Set up the next action (shot, pass, run, etc.)

Controlling: Coaching Points
  • Move the controlling surface into line of the flight of the ball
  • Select early how you will control the ball (wedge or cushion)
  • Good first touch control (protect the ball if needed)
  • Make direct play possible by controlling the ball in direction of choice

Throw-ins: Coaching Points
Hold ball between two hands (hands spread to the side of the ball)
  • Take ball back so that it rests comfortably above and slightly behind the head
  • Keeping feet square and ON THE GROUND, arch backwards
  • RELEASING MOTION: straighten up, bring ball over the head, and release at highest point

Videos to use as reference:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD9DF02717D5214F&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6HGHfR4bYA&feature=fvsr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0kGbG2jOnY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDXqDg4k9gQ&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfiEj1pcfnM&feature=relmfu 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxpmr1s90dI

1) Pass and Control ..... (set up a 10x10 grid)
  • S plays a pass to X who controls the ball and passes it back

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Have S throw the ball to different parts of X’s body
  • Add a defender behind X to play 50-75% and try to steal anything uncontrolled
  • Have S follow pass and attack X while X tries to shield the ball for 5 seconds

Emphasize: 
  • Receiver to be light on feet and quick to move
  • Receiver to make decision quickly
  • Receiver to make a positive first touch - direct play back

2) Pass and Control #2 (set up a 10x10 grid)
  • S plays a pass to X who controls the ball and passes it back. After the pass, X makes a quick run behind O and awaits the next pass from S.

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Have O move to a new spot after each pass
  • Try to have players make as many control and passing movements in one minute!

Emphasize:
  • Receiver to be light on feet and quick to move
  • Receiver to make decisions quickly
  • Receiver to make a positive first touch - direct play back

3) Foot Control from Balls in the Air (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • X players are all in the grid with a ball in their hands
  • On their own time, players should toss the ball and control it with their feet

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Control using outside part of both feet
  • Control using inside part of both feet
  • Control using laces of both feet
  • Control using sole of both feet

Emphasize: 
  • Players to control ball as close to ground as possible
  • Players TIMING of foot movement over the ball

4) Control and Shoot (set up a 15x20 grid)
  • In front of a goal, set up players so that the pass they receive must be controlled in the direction of the goal for a shot.
  • Adjust the position of the server (S) so that X must control and shoot through a variety of angles.

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Have X’s start outside the area and run into the area to receive the pass from S and finish with a shot
  • Add a passive defender to run in with X for added pressure

Emphasize: 
  • Looking for X to control and set up the shot
  • Looking for X to get shot off with one touch only

5) Throw-ins (set up a 10x10 grid)
  • S throws to X who controls the ball with the feet and passes it back

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Give S the opportunity to have a little run up (drag the back foot!)
  • Have X move away from S initially, then “cut back” to S for the throw
  • Add a defender behind X to play 50-75% and try to steal anything uncontrolled

Emphasize: 
  • S to throw with a good technique

CONTROLLING GAMES
  • Around the Clock
  • Head! Catch!

THROW-IN GAMES
  • Get team together and set out markers. See who can...
  • Throw the ball farthest
  • Be the most accurate
  • Soccer Basketball
            --Divide group in half
            --Players may only take three steps with the ball
            --All throws must be using correct throw-in technique
            --One point for a goal scored directly from a throw
            --Two points for anyone who can score the ball from header

Tonight's Value: Trust!

Today's Goals: Go for the gold – Let's trust each other!
  1. Participants learn definition of trust and what it can look like.
  2. Participants learn the importance of trust in relationships.
  3. Participants learn the connection between trust and going for the gold.

Today's Connection to Go for the Gold:
Trusting others and being someone other people can trust is very important both on and off the field. When we can trust people it means we can be in relationship with them and work together, and being in community is always better than being alone. Being someone others can trust means you are honest and dependable, two marks of having good character. Having good character and being community allow us to become better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what going for the gold is all about. 

Introduce Today's Theme: Let's Trust each other!
Say: So far this week we have learned how two different things about us are very important - what are those things? NAMES & HOMES. Tonight we are going to learn how to Go for the Gold with TRUST. 
Who can tell me what it means to trust someone?
(e.g. if you feel safe with them, if you know they respect and care about you, if you know you can tell them something and they won't tell anyone else, if you know they want you to succeed, etc...). These are all examples of trust. To go for the gold as individuals and teams we want others to be able to trust us and we want to be able to trust others. We can start right now at Soccer Nights. To work together as a team on and off the field we need to be able to trust our teammates.
So we are going to play a game called “Jellyfish Jungle” where it will be very important that we trust each other, and also that we practice using each other's names to encourage one another to succeed!

  • Today's Activity: 
Younger Divisions: Jellyfish Jungle Conga Line 
  • Set up an “obstacle course” for each team. You can be creative with this. Use cones, pinnies, balls, etc. to create a course that groups of kids will go through.
  • Within teams kids are divided into groups of fours. These teams of 4 will form a mini conga line where the person in front has to lead everyone through the obstacle course. (Note: for the 2nd-3rd graders, you can make the conga line longer and make everyone but the leader closes their eyes to make it more difficult).
  • Say: “In front of you is an obstacle course. Each group needs to go through their obstacle course together, starting from here where I'm standing to the other side where Coach _______ is standing. Sound easy? But wait. I think I'm forgetting something. Oh, that's right. You are going to be going through the obstacle course in a CONGA LINE. Who knows what a conga line is? (Demonstrate with other volunteers - kids should have hands on the shoulder of the person in front of them, as tight as possible, so they are only looking at the back of the person in front of them.) 
  • One of you will be the leader and will lead your line through the course, trying not to touch any of the jellyfish. The rest of you will have to trust the leader's direction. Coaches will be watching to see if you are peeking from the back of the line. Try not to look but instead listen closely to the leader and follow what they do. Trust that they can see and will lead your line through to the other side.
  • Model the course for them with a few other volunteers showing them how to go through oraround obstacles (cones, balls, pinnies) without touching them. Tell them that if their WHOLE team goes through the obstacle course without touching any of the“jellyfish,” they will get 3 extra bonus medals to add toward the camp goal of an ice cream party! But they'll only get these bonus points if EVERYONE goes through without touching.

So what is this going to take? We're going to have to TRUST each other. If you are blindfolded you need to trust your teammate leading you through, and if you are leading someone you need to speak to them clearly and lead them in the right direction so that they can trust you.
Ok? Let's play!
Send the first conga line out, and depending on pace and timing you can either wait until they are back to send the next group or you can send the 2nd set when the 1st set is half way out (with the latter the lines will end up crossing paths but this will just increase need for trust and communication). Also if you have smaller teams and want to have your whole team make one line that works too.
If time allows, once the lines go through, switch up leaders.

Older Divisions: Jellyfish Jungle
  • Set up 4 (or however many teams in division) “obstacle courses.” You can be creative with this. Use cones, pinnies, balls, etc. to create a course that kids will have to go through blindfolded led by a partner. (note: if your teams are large, feel free to make more than 1 course per team to save on time)
  • Within teams kids are divided into pairs. Have your team line up in their pairs.
  • Say: “In front of you is an obstacle course. Each team needs to go through their obstacle course together, starting from here where I’m standing to the other side where Coach _______ is standing. Each team in the division will go at the same time and you’ll be racing to see which team can everybody through the course first. Sound easy? But wait. I think I’m forgetting something. Oh, that’s right. ONE person from each pair will be blindfolded and will not be able to see! That means that the partner without the blindfold will have to lead his or her teammate through the obstacle course.
  • Model the course for them with another volunteer showing them how to go through oraround obstacles (cones, balls, pinnies) without touching them. Tell them that if their WHOLE team goes through the obstacle course without touching any of the “jellyfish,” they will get 3 extra bonus medals to add toward the camp goal 400 for a surprise! But they’ll only get these bonus points if EVERYONE goes through without touching.
  • Say: So what is this going to take? We’re going to have to TRUST each other. If you are blindfolded you need to trust your teammate leading you through, and if you are leading someone you need to speak to them clearly and lead them in the right direction so that they can trust you.
  • Ok? Let’s play!
  • Send the first group of partners out, and depending on pace and timing you can either wait until they are back to send the next set of pairs or you can send the 2nd set when the 1st set is halfway out (with the latter the pairs will end up crossing paths but this will just increase need for trust and communication).
  • If time allows, once the pairs go through, have them switch who is blindfolded to have both experiences, as this will help them better understand each other and both have the experience of trusting without seeing.
  • Coaches or assistant coaches should give tips to pairs that are struggling on how to better communicate.

NO RING ACTIVITY TONIGHT. TEAM PICTURES WILL BE TAKEN DURING THE NIGHT INSTEAD.

Curriculum Team should collect medals and glue them to division ring.
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Nightly Plan: Tuesday, July 24

7/24/2012

1 Comment

 

Tonight's Schedule:

5:30PM: Registration, coaches warm up with kids
6:15PM: Large Group welcome – curriculum intro
6:30PM: Team name review, welcome new kids, review team expectations
6:35PM: Warm-ups & games in Division, skills demonstration (Skill: Dribbling!)
6:55 PM: 
Small Group Curriculum (Theme: Homes!) 
7:15PM: Team Drill Work 

7:45PM: Scrimmages
8:15PM: Camp Conclusion. Present “Olympian of the Night.” Teach Dance.  
8:25PM: Snack dismissal
8:30PM: Check out
8:45PM: Debriefing in Divisions
9:00PM: Final Group Announcements
9:10PM: 
Volunteer Scrimmage! 

Tonight's Ways to "Go for the Gold" for Team Medals

Values Curriculum: Homes!
1. Kids add home ‘medals’ to division ring – team earns one medal if everyone adds a medal to the ring.
2. Coaches may award their team extra medals if players demonstrate excellent implementation of going for the gold themes (e.g using each other's names during scrimmage, working together during 'home' activity).
Soccer Curriculum: Dribbling
1. Coaches may award team one medal for participating (as a whole team) in tonight's drill work with effort and teamwork, focusing to practice dribbling with confidence, quick feet, different parts of the feet, and awareness.

Coaches -- report your team's medal count to your division leaders. 

Tonight's Skill: Dribbling

Ways to “go for the gold”
1) Confidence - Having a positive attitude
2) Quick feet / Close control
3) Different parts of the feet
4) Awareness - Keeping your head up

Dribbling: Coaching Points
  • Positive attitude - confidence
  • Keep the ball close to your feet
  • Head up - awareness of what’s around you
  • Change of speed and change of direction

Videos to use as reference:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD9DF02717D5214F&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb8kKHJaQJQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iDtaSE25Is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6jlHgj7tc&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QDqXO8g8Qs

1) Dribble and .... (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • X players are all in the grid, dribbling freely. 
  • On the coach’s signal, players must perform the given command:
  • use only left or right foot
  • use only the inside, outside, or sole of any foot
  • move the ball quickly between both feet
  • crazy stuff (i.e. sit on the ball, head on the ball, ball b/w knees)
  • dribble in area and on whistle, do a certain MOVE
  • dribble in area and on whistle, do a certain TURN

Emphasize: 
  • Quick feet
  • Good stance - knees bent, moving on the balls of feet

2) Lines (set up a 10x30 grid)
  • X players dribble to the various lines and back.
  • Coach should vary what players do:
  • use only the laces of left or right foot
  • move the ball quickly b/w both feet
  • use only the inside, outside, sole of foot
  • zig-zag
  • drag the ball with the sole of foot
  • pull the ball with the sole of foot
  • dribble freely
  • be creative!

Emphasize:
  • Use both feet 
  • Use different parts of feet

3) Colors (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • Place two differently colored cones in the corner (e.g. red and yellow).
  • Coach must hold in hand something that is also yellow and red (e.g. pinnies)
  • X players dribble in and around grid.
  • Without saying anything, the coach lifts either of the pinnies in the air.
  • Players must now dribble the ball to the corresponding color cone.
  • Coaches could use 4 different colors.

Emphasize: 
  • Keep heads up (awareness)
  • Be quick to change speed and direction

4) Crabs (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • Each player has a ball except for three or four players who are “crabs.”
  • “Crabs” have to be sitting on his/her backside but is free to move anywhere only on hands and feet.
  • Players with the ball dribble in and around the area trying to avoid the “crabs.”
  • Switch “crabs” every 2-3 minutes.

Emphasize: 
  • Keep heads up (awareness)
  • Be quick to change speed and direction

5) Multi-goal soccer (set up a 30x30 grid)
  • Each player has a ball and must dribble the ball through the goals.
  • A goal can be scored from any side.
  • After scoring on one goal, the player must then move to a different goal.
  • No passing through the goal.

Emphasize: 
  • Encourage players to keep heads up (awareness) and attack a new goal after going through a goal and to avoid other players.
  • Be quick to change speed and direction.
  • See how many goals each person can score in one minute.

DRIBBLING GAMES
1) Wickets - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
There are two teams. Divide players into 1’s and 2’s. Have all the 1’s spread around the designated area and stand with their feet spread well apart as “Wickets.” Have the 2’s dribble the ball in and through the “Wickets.” The objective is to see how many wickets they can dribble through in a given time. Switch teams.

2) Freeze Tag - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
Similar to the game “Wickets” combined with traditional freeze tag. 

3) King of the Castle - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
All players have a ball at their feet. On the whistle, all players are to dribble around while attempting to kick a teammates ball out of the grid. Once a ball has been knocked out of the grid, the player collects his/her ball and waits on the sideline. He/she is out for that round. That last player with a ball at his/her feet is King of the Castle.

4) Thieves - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all older groups)
Create 4 safe zones with the cones. Each player has a ball except for the 3-4 “Thieves” who will wear pennies. It’s similar to a traditional tag game with safe areas. If you get tagged by the “Thieves,” you lose the ball and become the “Thief.” When the play is stopped, at coach’s command, any player without a ball must do a “Fun Exercise” (i.e. 5 star jumps, 5 push-ups, etc.). Maximum of 2 players are allowed in each safe zone at one time. The 1st person who was in the zone must leave when the 3rd person enters the safety zone. 

5) Alien attack - Set up a 20X30 grid (appropriate for older age groups)
This game is basically, the “Humans vs Aliens” warm-up with soccer balls. 

Tonight's Value: Homes!

Today's Goals: Go for the gold – learn about each other's homes!
1.    Participants will learn about their teammates’ homes.
2.    Participants will learn why “home” is important.
3.    Participants will learn the connection between knowing about someone's home and going for the gold.

Today's Connection to Go for the Gold:
Where we are from, where we live, can tell us and others a lot about ourselves. Our home is where we feel safe and loved and the most ourselves, and when we share that with someone else they know us better and when we hear about someone else's home we can begin to understand them better. Knowing more about and understanding each other are steps to becoming better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what Going for the Gold is all about.

Activities:
  • Re-introduce rings activity. 
Ask:
--Who can tell the new people what we're making this week? What did we add yesterday?
--Respond to answers:
 --That's right, all week, each night we are going to decorate our Soccer Nights “Green” Division Olympic Ring, and at the end of the week we are going to combine all the rings to make the Soccer Nights Olympic Rings. Each day we will learn how we can “Go for the Gold!” together as a team, to become better friends and better soccer players!

Remember, in your teams you can set goals tonight that all of you as a team will work together to achieve in order to earn medals.

  • Introduce Today's Theme: Homes!
Say: What is a home? When you say “this is my home,” what are you talking about?
- home can be lots of things - it can be a house, the place you live; it can be a city or town where you live or where you were born, it can be a place you don't live but maybe your family is from there. As we grow and get older, we might have more than one place we call home, but each of these places has a place in our hearts and is filled with memories and importance to us. For example, if you asked me what my home is, I would say: North Cambridge, because that's where I live now and where my life is, and I want to stay here. But I'd also say Maine, because that's where I grew up and it's where my Mom and Dad are and I will always love it there and have memories of home.

Yesterday we learned that knowing someone’s name is a great first step to building friendships and community, to working together to go for the gold. Well believe it or not but knowing about each other’s HOMES is just as important! Why? Well where we are from, where we live, can tell us and others a lot about ourselves. My home is where I feel safe and loved and I love to be, so when I share that with someone else they know a little more about me and when I hear about where someone is from I can begin to understand them a little better. Especially at Soccer Nights, where so many of us come from so many different states and cities and countries, learning about those places is so cool! And it makes us more connected to our teammates and our community. So tonight we are going to learn something about each of our teammates’ homes.

  • Tonight's Activity: 
Younger Divisions:
 Curriculum team will come around and hand paper medals. Kids will be given markers and will have a few minutes to “draw home”on the medal. Encourage them to be creative and draw whatever home means to them. This could be a picture of their family, their house, their room, the country they are from, etc.

1st grade: When they are done drawing on the medal they should write their name on it.

2nd/3rd grade: When they are done drawing they should write on their medal one thing they like about their home.

Curriculum volunteers (or parents) should glue medals to division rings (can do ½ facing one way and ½ facing the other way in order to show both pictures and words)

Older Divisions:
Coaches should split their team into pairs. Curriculum team will come around and hand out paper medals. Kids will be given markers and will have a few minutes to ask their partner the 3 questions about home:
  • What or where is your home?
  • Where is your family from? 
  • What is something you like about your home?


Kids should first write their partner's name on their medal, and then write the answers to the questions.
Halfway through instruct them to switch.


  • Share
Younger Divisions: (optional, only if time)
  Going around the circle, have everyone on your team introduce their drawing by saying “My name is _____ one thing I like about my home is _____________ (Note: If you don’t have time to go around the entire circle, pick a few volunteers) 

Older Divisions: Share/Build a Pyramid/Human Home
Going around the circle, have everyone on your team introduce their partner by saying “This is my friend _____, and their family comes from ____________ and now their home is in ________. One thing they like about their home is _____________

After the first pair shares, they should get on their hands and knees and begin the pyramid.

(Say: we are going to build a human house). The next pair introduces each other and adds to the pyramid. Keep adding to the pyramid until everyone has gone (if there are a lot of kids, start a new pyramid - as many as seem safe, coaches’ discretion).

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Nightly Plan: Wednesday, June 27

6/27/2012

0 Comments

 

Tonight's Schedule

5:30PM: Registration, coaches warm up with kids
5:45PM: Coaching staff meets with Brian at bleachers  to go over daily drills (in 2 shifts)
6:15PM: Large Group welcome – curriculum intro, juggling contest by division
6:30PM: Warm-ups & games in Division, skills demonstration (Skill: Controlling&Throw-ins)
6:50PM: Team Drill Work
7:20PM: Small Group Curriculum (Theme: Trust!)
7:40PM: Scrimmages
8:15PM: Camp Conclusion. Present “Gold Medalists of the Night.” Teach Dance.  
8:25PM: Snack dismissal
8:30PM: Check out
8:45PM: Debriefing in Divisions
9:00PM: Final Group Announcements

Tonight's Ways to “Go for the Gold” for Team Medals

Values Curriculum: Trust
1. Kids add trust ‘medals’ to division ring – team earns one medal if everyone adds a medal to the ring.
2. Teams earn 3 extra medals if they go through Jellyfish Jungle without hitting any jellyfish. Can earn 1 extra medal if they are working well together as a team.


Soccer Curriculum: Controlling & Throw-ins
1. Bring ball to a complete stop 
2. Set up next action (shot, pass, run, etc)
Coaches may award team one medal for participating (as a whole team) in tonight's drill work with effort and teamwork, focusing on the two coaching points above.

Tonight's Skill: Controlling&Throw-ins

Ways to “go for the gold”
1) Bring the ball to a complete STOP
2) Set up the next action (shot, pass, run, etc.)

Controlling: Coaching Points
  • Move the controlling surface into line of the flight of the ball
  • Select early how you will control the ball (wedge or cushion)
  • Good first touch control (protect the ball if needed)
  • Make direct play possible by controlling the ball in direction of choice

Throw-ins: Coaching Points
Hold ball between two hands (hands spread to the side of the ball)
  • Take ball back so that it rests comfortably above and slightly behind the head
  • Keeping feet square and ON THE GROUND, arch backwards
  • RELEASING MOTION: straighten up, bring ball over the head, and release at highest point

Videos to use as reference:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD9DF02717D5214F&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6HGHfR4bYA&feature=fvsr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0kGbG2jOnY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDXqDg4k9gQ&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfiEj1pcfnM&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxpmr1s90dI

1) Pass and Control ..... (set up a 10x10 grid)
  • S plays a pass to X who controls the ball and passes it back

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Have S throw the ball to different parts of X’s body
  • Add a defender behind X to play 50-75% and try to steal anything uncontrolled
  • Have S follow pass and attack X while X tries to shield the ball for 5 seconds

Emphasize:
  • Receiver to be light on feet and quick to move
  • Receiver to make decision quickly
  • Receiver to make a positive first touch - direct play back

2) Pass and Control #2 (set up a 10x10 grid)
  • S plays a pass to X who controls the ball and passes it back. After the pass, X makes a quick run behind O and awaits the next pass from S.

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Have O move to a new spot after each pass
  • Try to have players make as many control and passing movements in one minute!

Emphasize:
  • Receiver to be light on feet and quick to move
  • Receiver to make decisions quickly
  • Receiver to make a positive first touch - direct play back

3) Foot Control from Balls in the Air (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • X players are all in the grid with a ball in their hands
  • On their own time, players should toss the ball and control it with their feet

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Control using outside part of both feet
  • Control using inside part of both feet
  • Control using laces of both feet
  • Control using sole of both feet

Emphasize:
  • Players to control ball as close to ground as possible
  • Players TIMING of foot movement over the ball

4) Control and Shoot (set up a 15x20 grid)
  • In front of a goal, set up players so that the pass they receive must be controlled in the direction of the goal for a shot.
  • Adjust the position of the server (S) so that X must control and shoot through a variety of angles.

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Have X’s start outside the area and run into the area to receive the pass from S and finish with a shot
  • Add a passive defender to run in with X for added pressure

Emphasize:
  • Looking for X to control and set up the shot
  • Looking for X to get shot off with one touch only

5) Throw-ins (set up a 10x10 grid)
  • S throws to X who controls the ball with the feet and passes it back

Progression (for older age groups):
  • Give S the opportunity to have a little run up (drag the back foot!)
  • Have X move away from S initially, then “cut back” to S for the throw
  • Add a defender behind X to play 50-75% and try to steal anything uncontrolled

Emphasize:
  • S to throw with a good technique

CONTROLLING GAMES
  • Around the Clock
  • Head! Catch!

THROW-IN GAMES
  • Get team together and set out markers. See who can...
  • Throw the ball farthest
  • Be the most accurate
  • Soccer Basketball
            --Divide group in half
            --Players may only take three steps with the ball
            --All throws must be using correct throw-in technique
            --One point for a goal scored directly from a throw
            --Two points for anyone who can score the ball from header

Tonight's Value: Trust!

Today's Goals: Go for the gold – Let's trust each other!
  1. Participants learn definition of trust and what it can look like.
  2. Participants learn the importance of trust in relationships.
  3. Participants learn the connection between trust and going for the gold.

Today's Connection to Go for the Gold:
Trusting others and being someone other people can trust is very important both on and off the field. When we can trust people it means we can be in relationship with them and work together, and being in community is always better than being alone. Being someone others can trust means you are honest and dependable, two marks of having good character. Having good character and being community allow us to become better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what going for the gold is all about.


Introduce Today's Theme: Let's Trust each other!
Say: So far this week we have learned how two different things about us are very important - what are those things? NAMES & HOMES. Tonight we are going to learn how to Go for the Gold with TRUST.
Who can tell me what it means to trust someone?
(e.g. if you feel safe with them, if you know they respect and care about you, if you know you can tell them something and they won't tell anyone else, if you know they want you to succeed, etc...). These are all examples of trust. To go for the gold as individuals and teams we want others to be able to trust us and we want to be able to trust others. We can start right now at Soccer Nights. To work together as a team on and off the field we need to be able to trust our teammates.
So we are going to play a game called “Jellyfish Jungle” where it will be very important that we trust each other, and also that we practice using each other's names to encourage one another to succeed!

  • Today's Activity: 
Younger Divisions: Jellyfish Jungle Conga Line
  • Set up an “obstacle course” for each team. You can be creative with this. Use cones, pinnies, balls, etc. to create a course that groups of kids will go through.
  • Within teams kids are divided into groups of fours. These teams of 4 will form a mini conga line where the person in front has to lead everyone through the obstacle course. (Note: for the 2nd-3rd graders, you can make the conga line longer and make everyone but the leader closes their eyes to make it more difficult).
  • Say: “In front of you is an obstacle course. Each group needs to go through their obstacle course together, starting from here where I'm standing to the other side where Coach _______ is standing. Sound easy? But wait. I think I'm forgetting something. Oh, that's right. You are going to be going through the obstacle course in a CONGA LINE. Who knows what a conga line is? (Demonstrate with other volunteers - kids should have hands on the shoulder of the person in front of them, as tight as possible, so they are only looking at the back of the person in front of them.)
  • One of you will be the leader and will lead your line through the course, trying not to touch any of the jellyfish. The rest of you will have to trust the leader's direction. Coaches will be watching to see if you are peeking from the back of the line. Try not to look but instead listen closely to the leader and follow what they do. Trust that they can see and will lead your line through to the other side.
  • Model the course for them with a few other volunteers showing them how to go through or around obstacles (cones, balls, pinnies) without touching them. Tell them that if their WHOLE team goes through the obstacle course without touching any of the“jellyfish,” they will get 3 extra bonus medals to add toward the camp goal of an ice cream party! But they'll only get these bonus points if EVERYONE goes through without touching.

So what is this going to take? We're going to have to TRUST each other. If you are blindfolded you need to trust your teammate leading you through, and if you are leading someone you need to speak to them clearly and lead them in the right direction so that they can trust you.
Ok? Let's play!
Send the first conga line out, and depending on pace and timing you can either wait until they are back to send the next group or you can send the 2nd set when the 1st set is half way out (with the latter the lines will end up crossing paths but this will just increase need for trust and communication). Also if you have smaller teams and want to have your whole team make one line that works too.
If time allows, once the lines go through, switch up leaders.


Older Divisions: Jellyfish Jungle
  • Set up 4 (or however many teams in division) “obstacle courses.” You can be creative with this. Use cones, pinnies, balls, etc. to create a course that kids will have to go through blindfolded led by a partner. (note: if your teams are large, feel free to make more than 1 course per team to save on time)
  • Within teams kids are divided into pairs. Have your team line up in their pairs.
  • Say: “In front of you is an obstacle course. Each team needs to go through their obstacle course together, starting from here where I’m standing to the other side where Coach _______ is standing. Each team in the division will go at the same time and you’ll be racing to see which team can everybody through the course first. Sound easy? But wait. I think I’m forgetting something. Oh, that’s right. ONE person from each pair will be blindfolded and will not be able to see! That means that the partner without the blindfold will have to lead his or her teammate through the obstacle course.
  • Model the course for them with another volunteer showing them how to go through or around obstacles (cones, balls, pinnies) without touching them. Tell them that if their WHOLE team goes through the obstacle course without touching any of the “jellyfish,” they will get 3 extra bonus medals to add toward the camp goal 400 for a surprise! But they’ll only get these bonus points if EVERYONE goes through without touching.
  • Say: So what is this going to take? We’re going to have to TRUST each other. If you are blindfolded you need to trust your teammate leading you through, and if you are leading someone you need to speak to them clearly and lead them in the right direction so that they can trust you.
  • Ok? Let’s play!
  • Send the first group of partners out, and depending on pace and timing you can either wait until they are back to send the next set of pairs or you can send the 2nd set when the 1st set is halfway out (with the latter the pairs will end up crossing paths but this will just increase need for trust and communication).
  • If time allows, once the pairs go through, have them switch who is blindfolded to have both experiences, as this will help them better understand each other and both have the experience of trusting without seeing.
  • Coaches or assistant coaches should give tips to pairs that are struggling on how to better communicate.

5. Ring Activity
Wow! It can be hard to trust each other. Even if we believe they will always try to help and protect us, it is still scary walking through an obstacle course not being able to see. I want everyone to take a marker and write down a word or two that describes how you were feeling either when you were blindfolded or when you were leading.

Curriculum Team should collect medals and glue them to division ring.
0 Comments

Nightly Plan: Thursday, June 27

6/27/2012

0 Comments

 

Tonight's Schedule - **please note some differences in red

5:30PM: Registration, coaches warm up with kids
5:45PM: Coaching staff meets with Brian at bleachers  to go over daily drills (in 2 shifts)
6:10PM: Large Group welcome (starting a bit early tonight)
6:20PM: Warm-ups & games in Division, skills demonstration (Skill: Finishing & Defending)
6:35PM: Team Drill Work
7:10PM: Scrimmages (before curriculum tonight)

7:35PM: Small Group Curriculum (Theme: Encouragement!)
7:50PM: Closing Large Group. Present “Gold Medalists of the Night.” Teach Dance
8:00PM: Dismiss to teams, set up for parents game
8:10PM: Parents Game, kids seated in teams while snack is distributed

8:30PM: Check out
8:45PM: Debriefing in Divisions
9:00PM: Final Group Announcements 

9:15PM: Flatbread/Sacco's Volunteer Afterhours!



Tonight's Ways to “Go for the Gold” for Team Medals

Values Curriculum: Encouragement
Kids add trust ‘medals’ to division ring – 
team earns one medal if everyone adds a medal to the ring.

Soccer Curriculum: Finishing & Defending
1. Bring ball to a complete stop.
2. Set up next action (shot, pass, run, etc).
Coaches may award team one medal for participating (as a whole team) in tonight's drill work with effort and teamwork, focusing on the two coaching points above.

Coaches may award medals to team throughout the night in instances where kids are demonstrating the values of "go for the gold." Coaches should keep track of team medal count and report to division leaders at the end of the night.

Tonight's Skill: Finishing & Defending

Ways to “go for the gold:”
1) Shooting with the instep (pass the ball into the goal)
2) Shooting with the laces (low driven shot with power)
3) Knowing when to defend an attacker vs. space
4) Preventing the ball being played forward on defense

Finishing / Shooting: Coaching Points:
•  Have a positive attitude
•  Select type of shot (instep or laces)
•  Select vulnerable part of goal (corners)
•  Accuracy first; power second
•  Ankle locked and toe down (for laces)
•  Head down and steady
•  Non-kicking foot should be well up to the ball
•  Strike through the middle to top half of the ball
•  Land on kicking foot
•  Follow up shot for potential rebounds

Defending: Coaching Points:
• Be aware of where other attackers are
• Challenge the player with the ball ASAP and at an angle that will cut off a forward pass
• Stay low to the ground and balanced
• Concentrate and watch the ball
• Be patient and stay on feet
• If you are further away from the ball, you may want to defend space by being goal-side of the attacker in a position where you can see both the ball and other attackers

Videos to use as reference:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD9DF02717D5214F&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrzfmkGtnYE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbdedDgzEsQ

1) Shooting Technique (set up a 20x20 grid)
•  Have the group form two lines, each player with a ball
•  First line set ball down and prepare to shoot
•  On coaches command, players shoot one-by-one
•  As line one collect their balls, line two step forward, place their ball and prepare to shoot
•  Line one goes to the back

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Have players switch positions on the line

Emphasize:
• Walk through the coaching points above

2) Shooting a moving ball (set up a 20x15 grid)
•  S (coach) has the balls while players form a line. S plays a pass for X to run on and shoot on goal.  X must collect ball and return to S.  Initially have the players “pass” the ball into the goal.  Move onto shooting with the laces.  Think about placement rather than power.


Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Switch sides to work on both feet.
➡ Add a defender to chase X.

Variety of shots (for older age groups):
• Balls moving away from the attacker (S1)
• Balls moving across the attacker (S2)
• Balls moving towards the attacker (S3)

3) Continuous shooting (set up a 20x20 grid)
•  S1 and S2 are set up on the sides with plenty of balls at their feet
•  X1 runs to meet pass from S1 and shoots
•  X1 then turns, goes around the cone in the center ready to shoot the pass from S2
•  X1 has five or six shots, then X2 takes over

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ S can lay the ball off in various ways...left, right, in the air to thigh or chest.

4) Slalom (set up a 30x20 grid)
•  S is a server and has all the balls.
•  X1 and O1 are competing - try to match players according to speed.
•  On servers command they “slalom” through the cones to see who can be first to get to the pass from S and shoot on goal.
•  The player who does not gain possession of the ball will try to then defend against a shot.

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Have players start from various positions...sitting, lying, star jumps, etc.

5) Defending: Practice one (set up a 10X20 grid)
• A1 hits a low driven pass to A2
• A2 must try to get the ball back to A1 by making a forward pass while D closes down to block any forward initiative by A2

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Serve balls in the air to A2
➡ A2 to have as option to take on D

6) Defending: Practice two (set up a 20X15 grid)
• A3 passes to A1 or A2 who work together to beat D1  and D2 with a forward pass back to A3.
• D1 and D2 seek to block any forward pass back to A3, win the ball, or force A1 and A 2 out of play.

Progression (for older age groups):
➡ Allow A3 to come into the field of play

SHOOTING GAMES
1) Captain catapult - Set up a 20X10 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
Team X shoot continuously for 2 minutes.  Players cannot begin their run until previous player has shot.  For each goal that is scored, team X win a point.  Team O must not let any ball stop behind the goal line.  If so, another point is scored for team X.  After two minutes, tally up points for team X then switch for team O.  If the goal is large enough, the team behind the goal provides their own goalkeeper.

Progression - Adjust distances depending on age of kids.

2) Shooting numbers - Set up a 20X10 grid (appropriate for older age groups)
Divide the group in half and assign each person a number (try to match them up according to speed).  Coach places a ball between the center cones and shouts out a number - or a combination of numbers - and the players in turn must sprint around the box on the outside of the markers to reach the ball first and get off a shot. 

Progression - Adjust distances depending on age of kids.  Feed the ball into different areas of the box.

Tonight's Value: Encouragement!

Today's Goals: Go for the gold – Let's be encouragers!
1. Share with the group something a teammate of yours is good at.
2. Encourage a teammate during a scrimmage or a drill.
3. Add to the division rings something that you like about your team, your coach, your family, or Soccer Nights!

Today's Connection to Go for the Gold:
Encouraging others is an important part of going for the gold because part of being in relationship with other people, whether they're on your team, in your class at school, or in your family, is being kind to one another and cheering each other on to succeed. Just like you root for a team who you want to see win a game, we should root for each other to do well in all things. When we encourage each other we become better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what going for the gold is all about.


Introduce Today's Theme: Encouragement
Say: Tonight, we are going to go for the Gold together to be better encouragers! Can anyone tell me what it means to encourage? It's a pretty big word! Exactly - to say something kind to someone, to remind them that they can go for the gold, try their hardest, to cheer someone on so that they will succeed. Just like we root for a team who we want to see win a game, we should root for each other to do well in all things. When we encourage each other we become better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what going for the gold is all about. Now we are going to do an activity in our teams where we'll get to practice encouraging each other AND add to our division ring!


Tonight's Activity: Soccer Nights Olympian (all ages):
Pass out a cut-out of the ultimate Soccer Nights gold medalist to each team.
  • Say: we are going to make him or her the ultimate Soccer Nights Gold Medalist by giving them all of the great qualities that each person on our team has.
  • But the trick is we aren't going to add things about ourselves, but instead things about our teammates. So to start out, I think that Halima has a really great team attitude and is always very helpful. I think this is a GOLD quality. I'm going to add it to our gold medalist! Johnny has been working hard on his trapping skills and he's getting really good!
  • Can someone else add something nice about someone else on our team?
Younger Divisions modification (if necessary):
This might be more difficult for the younger kids, but try to get them to say something nice about someone on their team. If this doesn’t seem effective, try asking them about someone they look up to: it could be someone in their family, a friend, or even a superhero or princess character they love. Ask them why they think that person is strong or why they like them, and then add those things to the Olympian. In this situation, however, encourage coaches then to direct those qualities back to the team (e.g. Oh you like Superman because he is strong and he helps people? That’s great - you know what? I think there are some supermans on this team. When Isabelle made that long shot in the game yesterday, she showed how strong she was. And when Vincent poured water for the team earlier tonight he showed how he loves to help others)



Share.
    • After something has been added about everyone, hold the “gold medalist” up for the team to see and share all of the great things about your team.
    • “Wow! Together we make the ultimate Soccer Nights Olympian!”
    • Doesn't it feel good to encourage others and to be encouraged? Let's try to keep doing this even when we're not at Soccer Nights.
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Nightly Plan: Tuesday, June 26

6/26/2012

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Tonight's Schedule:

5:30PM: Registration, coaches warm up with kids
6:15PM: Large Group welcome – curriculum intro
6:30PM: Team name review, welcome new kids, review team expectations

6:35PM: Warm-ups & games in Division, skills demonstration (Skill: Dribbling!)
7:55 PM: Team Drill Work
7:25PM: Small Group Curriculum (Theme: Homes!)
7:40PM: Scrimmages
8:15PM: Camp Conclusion. Present “Gold Medalists of the Night.” Teach Dance.  
8:25PM: Snack dismissal
8:30PM: Check out
8:45PM: Debriefing in Divisions
9:00PM: Final Group Announcements

9:10PM: Volunteer Scrimmage!

Tonight's Ways to “Go for the Gold” for Team Medals:

Values Curriculum: Homes!
1. Kids add home ‘medals’ to division ring – team earns one medal if everyone adds a medal to the ring.
2. Coaches may award their team one extra medal if players demonstrate excellent implementation of going for the gold themes (e.g using each other's names during scrimmage, working together during 'home' activity).

Soccer Curriculum: Dribbling
1. Coaches may award team one medal for participating (as a whole team) in tonight's drill work with effort and teamwork, focusing to practice dribbling with confidence, quick feet, different parts of the feet, and awareness.



Coaches -- report your team's medal count to your division leaders.

Tonight's Skill: Dribbling

Ways to “go for the gold”
1) Confidence - Having a positive attitude
2) Quick feet / Close control
3) Different parts of the feet
4) Awareness - Keeping your head up

Dribbling: Coaching Points
  • Positive attitude - confidence
  • Keep the ball close to your feet
  • Head up - awareness of what’s around you
  • Change of speed and change of direction

Videos to use as reference:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDD9DF02717D5214F&feature=plcp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb8kKHJaQJQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iDtaSE25Is
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb6jlHgj7tc&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QDqXO8g8Qs

1) Dribble and .... (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • X players are all in the grid, dribbling freely.
  • On the coach’s signal, players must perform the given command:
  • use only left or right foot
  • use only the inside, outside, or sole of any foot
  • move the ball quickly between both feet
  • crazy stuff (i.e. sit on the ball, head on the ball, ball b/w knees)
  • dribble in area and on whistle, do a certain MOVE
  • dribble in area and on whistle, do a certain TURN

Emphasize:
  • Quick feet
  • Good stance - knees bent, moving on the balls of feet

2) Lines (set up a 10x30 grid)
  • X players dribble to the various lines and back.
  • Coach should vary what players do:
  • use only the laces of left or right foot
  • move the ball quickly b/w both feet
  • use only the inside, outside, sole of foot
  • zig-zag
  • drag the ball with the sole of foot
  • pull the ball with the sole of foot
  • dribble freely
  • be creative!

Emphasize:
  • Use both feet
  • Use different parts of feet

3) Colors (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • Place two differently colored cones in the corner (e.g. red and yellow).
  • Coach must hold in hand something that is also yellow and red (e.g. pinnies)
  • X players dribble in and around grid.
  • Without saying anything, the coach lifts either of the pinnies in the air.
  • Players must now dribble the ball to the corresponding color cone.
  • Coaches could use 4 different colors.

Emphasize:
  • Keep heads up (awareness)
  • Be quick to change speed and direction

4) Crabs (set up a 15x15 grid)
  • Each player has a ball except for three or four players who are “crabs.”
  • “Crabs” have to be sitting on his/her backside but is free to move anywhere only on hands and feet.
  • Players with the ball dribble in and around the area trying to avoid the “crabs.”
  • Switch “crabs” every 2-3 minutes.

Emphasize:
  • Keep heads up (awareness)
  • Be quick to change speed and direction

5) Multi-goal soccer (set up a 30x30 grid)
  • Each player has a ball and must dribble the ball through the goals.
  • A goal can be scored from any side.
  • After scoring on one goal, the player must then move to a different goal.
  • No passing through the goal.

Emphasize:
  • Encourage players to keep heads up (awareness) and attack a new goal after going through a goal and to avoid other players.
  • Be quick to change speed and direction.
  • See how many goals each person can score in one minute.

DRIBBLING GAMES
1) Wickets - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
There are two teams. Divide players into 1’s and 2’s. Have all the 1’s spread around the designated area and stand with their feet spread well apart as “Wickets.” Have the 2’s dribble the ball in and through the “Wickets.” The objective is to see how many wickets they can dribble through in a given time. Switch teams.

2) Freeze Tag - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
Similar to the game “Wickets” combined with traditional freeze tag.

3) King of the Castle - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all age groups)
All players have a ball at their feet. On the whistle, all players are to dribble around while attempting to kick a teammates ball out of the grid. Once a ball has been knocked out of the grid, the player collects his/her ball and waits on the sideline. He/she is out for that round. That last player with a ball at his/her feet is King of the Castle.

4) Thieves - Set up a 20X20 grid (appropriate for all older groups)
Create 4 safe zones with the cones. Each player has a ball except for the 3-4 “Thieves” who will wear pennies. It’s similar to a traditional tag game with safe areas. If you get tagged by the “Thieves,” you lose the ball and become the “Thief.” When the play is stopped, at coach’s command, any player without a ball must do a “Fun Exercise” (i.e. 5 star jumps, 5 push-ups, etc.). Maximum of 2 players are allowed in each safe zone at one time. The 1st person who was in the zone must leave when the 3rd person enters the safety zone.

5) Alien attack - Set up a 20X30 grid (appropriate for older age groups)
This game is basically, the “Humans vs Aliens” warm-up with soccer balls.

Tonight's Value: Homes!

Today's Goals: Go for the gold 
  1. Participants will learn about their teammates’ homes.
  2. Participants will learn why “home” is important.
  3. Participants will learn the connection between knowing about someone's home and going for the gold.

Today's Connection to Go for the Gold:
Where we are from, where we live, can tell us and others a lot about ourselves. Our home is where we feel safe and loved and the most ourselves, and when we share that with someone else they know us better and when we hear about someone else's home we can begin to understand them better. Knowing more about and understanding each other are steps to becoming better friends, better teammates, better members of our families, and better neighbors, which is what Going for the Gold is all about.

Activities:
  • Re-introduce rings activity. 
Ask:

--Who can tell the new people what we're making this week? What did we add yesterday?
--Respond to answers.
--That's right, all week, each night we are going to decorate our Soccer Nights “Green” Division Olympic Ring, and at the end of the week we are going to combine all the rings to make the Soccer Nights Olympic Rings. Each day we will learn how we can “Go for the Gold!” together as a team, to become better friends and better soccer players!

  • Introduce Today's Theme: Homes!
Say: What is a home? When you say “this is my home,” what are you talking about?
- home can be lots of things - it can be a house, the place you live; it can be a city or town where you live or where you were born, it can be a place you don't live but maybe your family is from there. As we grow and get older, we might have more than one place we call home, but each of these places has a place in our hearts and is filled with memories and importance to us. For example, if you asked me what my home is, I would say: North Cambridge, because that's where I live now and where my life is, and I want to stay here. But I'd also say Maine, because that's where I grew up and it's where my Mom and Dad are and I will always love it there and have memories of home.

Yesterday we learned that knowing someone’s name is a great first step to buildingfriendships and community, to working together to go for the gold. Well believe it or not but knowing about each other’s HOMES is just as important! Why? Well where we are from, where we live, can tell us and others a lot about ourselves. My home is where I feel safe and loved and I love to be, so when I share that with someone else they know a little more about me and when I hear about where someone is from I can begin to understand them a little better. Especially at Soccer Nights, where so many of us come from so many different states and cities and countries, learning about those places is so cool! And it makes us more connected to our teammates and our community. So tonight we are going to learn something about each of our teammates’ homes.

  • Division Ring Activity
Younger Divisions:
Curriculum team will come around and hand out ½ sheets of paper and paper medals. Kids will be given markers and will have a few minutes to “draw home”on the ½ sheet. Encourage them to be creative and draw whatever home means to them. This could be a picture of their family, their house, their room, the country they are from, etc.

1st grade: When they are done drawing they should write their name on the medal and tape the medal to their ½ sheet.

2nd/3rd grade: When they are done drawing they should write on their medal one thing they like about their home, and then tape the medal to their drawing.

Older Divisions:
Coaches should split their team into pairs. Curriculum team will come around and hand out paper medals. Kids will be given markers and will have a few minutes to ask their partner the 3 questions about home:
  • What or where is your home?
  • Where is your family from?
  • What is something you like about your home?
Kids should first write their partner's name on their medal, and then write the answers to the questions.
Halfway through instruct them to switch.


  • Share
Younger Divisions:
Going around the circle, have everyone on your team introduce their drawing by saying “My name is _____ one thing I like about my home is _____________ (Note: If you don’t have time to go around the entire circle, pick a few volunteers)
Have kids stick their drawings to the division ring.

Older Divisions: Share/Build a Pyramid/Human Home
Going around the circle, have everyone on your team introduce their partner by saying “This is my friend _____, and their family comes from ____________ and now their home is in ________. One thing they like about their home is _____________

After the first pair shares, they should get on their hands and knees and begin the pyramid.
(Say: we are going to build a human house). The next pair introduces each other and adds to the pyramid. Keep adding to the pyramid until everyone has gone (if there are a lot of kids, start a new pyramid - as many as seem safe, coaches’ discretion).


Curriculum Team should collect medals and glue them to division ring.

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