smithwaystacked

Phase 4

Welcome to Phase 4! A few guidelines for how I would like the kids to train to insure as close to an optimum learning curve as possible.

This program is designed in 2 week blocks to make sure the concepts begin to be habit forming.

For maximum results the player should work through the drills a minimum of 3x per week. Preferably on the days that they do not have practice or a game.

REMEMBER, it is always better to work a few minutes a day vs one long session a week.

Work each Phase where applicable using the 3-4-3 principle. 3 minutes Strong foot/side, 3 minutes Weak foot, 3 minutes The 10% or players choice. If short on time keep the ratio 1-2-1.

Strive for 50%-80% success rate, less than 50% decrease the difficulty (speed, complexity, etc.), above 80% increase the difficulty (add defender, increase the speed etc).

Work in PERFECT CONSECUTIVE REPS. 3 out of 5, 5 out of 7, 7 out of 10. Increase difficulty when above 80%.

IF STRUGGLING, break the actions into CHUNKS. Work on one PERFECT CHUNK per section. Try the movement in SLOW MO REPLAY.

BE WILLING TO MAKE MISTAKES!! No progress can be achieved without TRIAL AND ERROR

Remember that HARD WORK and REPETITION are the most valuable tools in a players arsenal!! Lionel Messi, Michael Jordan, Cristiano Ronaldo all are famous for their work ethics.

Always end with a GAME and a HIGH NOTE!

Start every session with Foundation Five Warmup or the Foundation Combos Below. Get started now!

DOWNLOAD PHASE 4 FIELD PAGE

Recommended Footwork

Ball Striking

Putting the PROSTEP into the players natural run up is the next step. Each player will have to find their own rhythm as they approach the ball. The key is to make the PROSTEP long, quick and airborne.

Take an angled run from 3-5 strides back
Focus on the PROSTEP being AIRBORNE and QUICK as you put your Plant foot next to the ball.
Strike the ball with pace with the inside of your foot, TOE UP, HEEL DOWN
Allow your body to go forward past where the ball was, FOLLOW THROUGH

Ball Protection

Protecting the ball while tricking the defender is a bonus. We are going to lead the defender away with the first touch than exploit the space left by the defender with the second.

Use the inside of the foot to chop the ball, leading the defender away from your target
Put your back BETWEEN the defender and the ball
Chop the ball a second time, completing the turn and accelerate away into the space

Offensive Recognition

Again taking advantage of a defender “diving in”, we use a quick sideways movement with the inside of the feet to avoid the challenge and beat the defender.

CLUE: Defender “Diving in” or moving towards us quickly
Move the ball with the inside of the foot across the body
Touch the ball alongside the defender with the inside of the other foot.
Accelerate away

Body Position and Receiving

We step the level up now to exploiting the defender’s momentum towards us. Create space with the Check Run. The defender will be approaching as we receive the ball. The defender is now COMMITTED and we use the CHAIR move quickly move alongside and beat the defender(s).

Check Run to create space
Receive with the Far Foot (Toe up, Heel Down)
Immediately do the “CHAIR”, sole roll across, switch feet and play the ball through with the INSIDE of the foot.
Accelerate away.

Aerial Receiving

The inside of the foot is the most used surface for taking the ball out of the air. It has the more surface area than the outside or top of the foot and therefore a greater margin for error.

Keep the Plant foot, hips and shoulders square to the target
Turn the toe OUT and UP towards the knee
Watch the ball all the way to the foot and away from the foot
Strike the ball firmly