PSW Coaching Library 2.10 - Dribble or Pass and Far Post Defending

Through a partnership with Soccer Source 360 and the Animated Coach\'s Library, Potomac Soccer Wire brings you one new library entry per week addressing common areas of youth development. Each issue is authored by John Dingle, after he and other Soccer Source 360 staff members evaluate weekly practices and games. They pick two common issues from the weeks evaluations and then address them in a way that coaches can introduce the topic to their team. Then, they add a coaching progression to the Animated Coach\'s Library to correspond to each topic addressed. This week’s newsletter addresses .

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PSW Coaching Library 2.10  - When to dribble or pass, and defending the far post

This week’s newsletter comes from observations of youth games at a recent tournament. The Soccer Source 360’s staff observed some of the best U13 and U17 teams in the country. Two common problems in most of these games were the player’s decisions on to dribble or pass and protecting the far post. In every game observed one or more goals were scored at the far post. Coaches at all age groups and levels can use the When to Dribble? When to Pass? suggestions. The far post suggestions are limited to U12 teams and above.

Observations
Players do not recognize opportunities to dribble. These same players dribble the ball when they have little chance to succeed and the payoff is small. This topic is now a testing topic for the National ‘D’ course.

Suggestions:

• Tell your players the best places to dribble. The attacking third offers a huge payoff when successful while little consequences with failure. The flanks are also a good place to dribble as players are often in a 1v1 situation. The defensive third is not a good place to dribble.
• Show your players the visual sign to dribble. Space behind the opponent. When space is limited behind the opponent the dribbler can not expect success.
• Show the players passing options when space is not available behind the opponent.
• Put players in situations that present both situations and recognize good decisions and bad decisions through coaching moments.
• Follow the progression below:

Animated Progression:

• 1v1 with pass back option
• 2v1 ladder
• 2v2 to a line
• 4v4 to corner goals
• 8v8 on a wide field

Observations

Outside defenders get sucked into the middle and leave the far post unprotected. This happens in the middle third and the defensive third. This is a functional tactical topic.

Suggestions:

• State the importance of protecting the back post to your team.
• Make sure your outside defenders and goalkeepers are aware of the proper positions to balance the field. The outside defender should never occupy a position past the penalty marker.
• Have you goalkeeper monitor and communicate with the outside defenders on the non ball side.
• Show you’re outside defenders the body position that allows for them to keep the ball and opponent in view when possible.
• Make sure your outside defenders take glances to track the opponent when they are not able to get in a position to see the ball and the wide opponent.
• Follow the progression below

Animated Progression:

• 3v2 to wide goals. Defensive team numbers down.
• 4v4 to multiple goals
• 4v4 One goal game
• 6v6 One goal game
• Even numbers two goal game.

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About the Author: John Dingle has been active in youth coaching for the past twenty years.  He began his career in coaching conducting summer camps while finishing his playing career at Central Connecticut State University. When returning to Baltimore, John started his soccer company, Soccer Source 360.  Soccer Source 360 is a company devoted to player and coach development.  At this time he began to take licensing courses through MSYSA and USSF.  John now holds a USSF ‘B’ license and the National ‘Youth’ License.  John serves as the Director of Coaching for the Soccer Association of Columbia, an organization of 6000 players.  He started with SAC under John Ellinger as the assistant director of coaching in 1995.  John has been an instructor for licensing classes with MSYSA since 1997.  He has been a featured clinician at coaching workshops throughout the region and in 2006 launched the Animated Coach’s Library.  This electronic coaching education tool now contains over 1000 animated activities and over 100 articles on coaching.  Each animated activity is placed in an age appropriate coaching progression labeled by topic.  The members only site boast over 1000 members worldwide.
 
While coaching teams, John has shown a commitment to player development.  He has coached numerous players that have gone on to play at the ODP, region 1, Youth National, and college level.  In fact, his previous boy’s team now has 17 players participating as student athletes in colleges.