The shooting range – practice
in Shooting
This three-part session will have your team peppering the opponents’ goal. By TRISTRAM BISGROVE MORE
Ready, fire, aim
The goal doesn’t move, so when your forwards receive the ball with their backs to goal they should know where to shoot without aiming.
What this session is about
- Playing with your back to goal.
- Turning.
- Shooting quickly and accurately.
- Scoring goals.
- Gaining confidence to shoot with both feet.
What to think about
- Communication – is it verbal, by signal or through movement?
- Create space before the ball arrives.
- Accuracy and weight of pass.
- Quick control to set up immediate shot. Take a second touch if necessary.
- What type of turn – e.g. inside/outside hook? Let ball travel across body?
- Sharp body swivel.
Set-up
- 25 by 20 yard playing area.
- 2 forwards, 2 keepers, 4 servers.
| Warm up | Session | Developments | Game Situation | Warm Down |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 10 minutes | 15 minutes | 15 minutes | 10 minutes |
What you get your players to do
Two forwards stand centrally, back-to-back, with their back to the goal they are attacking. A server stands in each corner. The first forward receives a ball from one of the servers facing them, then turns and shoots. The second forward does the same. Repeat with the second server.
Make sure forwards turn both ways and practice using the inside and outside of both feet to control the ball.
Now rotate players so servers become forwards and vice versa.
Turn and shoot. It’s that easy.
Development
This time the forward not receiving a pass acts as a passive defender.
Make the defender more active, and then fully active.
Under pressure, the forward controls and spins in one movement, to get a shot in.
Game situation
On a pitch 35 by 25 yards with two end zones, 10 yards in from each goal-line, play 4v4, with 2v2 in the central area and 1v1 in each of the two end zones.
Each team has a goalkeeper protecting a goal. Encourage attackers in the end zones to turn and shoot by awarding bonus points for hitting the target.
Players from the central area can only enter the end zones once the attacker in that zone has touched the ball.
Regularly switch forwards so everyone has a go in the end zone.
Take too long and the other players can recover to make a tackle.
What to call out
- “On your toes to receive”
- “Get the “weight” of pass right so the attacker can focus on turn and shot technique and accuracy”
- “The goal doesn’t move so eyes on the ball!”
- “Hit the target with all shots”
