By Bruce Brownlee

Teaching Methods for Back to Goal Turning Moves

• Start with individuals with ball following coaches demonstration in free space.  Move on to partners with one ball, partners changing roles every 60 seconds with the objective of achieving as may correct technical repetitions as possible in time available. Then play with a server to provide a realistic live ball with an opponent pressuring, then play small sided games. 
• Coach can provide technical repetitions in a tactical setting by playing 2v2 in a small area in midfield with defenders behind this, and allowing midfielders attacking to find the right moment to play the ball into space behind the defenders and to pursue the ball, allowing the defenders the opportunity to turn the ball against pressure in a realistic setting.
• Progress to an 8 v 8 or larger game and play. Watch for and encourage good turns.

Teaching Methods for Attacking Moves

• Teach a few basis moves, letting players repeat them individually in free space.  Then throw down cones randomly spaced in a big 20 x 20 area, let each player with a ball take on and beat stationary cones. Move to partners with one ball between them, let them take turns attacking each other, with one partner providing light pressure.
• Continue with groups of three, two players, one with ball, facing one attacker.  Player with ball serves to attacker, steps out to defend. Attacker beats defender, passes to next player in line, who becomes new defender. Original attacker joins line behind new defender, and original defender becomes new attacker.  
• Play two attackers v two defenders in a 15 x 15 space with four wall players around outside to help. Encourage attackers to keep ball, use attacking moves to take on defenders, play wall passes with other attacker or wall players.  Change roles after a few minutes.
• Play 4 v 4 to goals with goalies in a small field, perhaps 40x30. Encourage players to attack on the dribble.
• Play 8 v 8 or larger, look for your attacking moves and encourage them.

Bruce Brownlee coached boys soccer from 1978 to 1988 in Marietta, Georgia.  Coached girls teams from 1988 to 2003 for Tophat Soccer Club in Atlanta and AFC Lightning Soccer Club in Fayetteville, Georgia.  Served as a staff ODP recruiter and coach in 2002-2003.  Returned in 2010-2011 to help coach his granddaughter’s U11 team.  Won 4 state cup championships at Tophat.  Proud of his four children who played top-level club soccer and amateur and college soccer later. His site Soccer Coaching Notes.com is a terrific resource for club and amateur soccer coaches.