I coach an U15s B team. The standard is generally quite poor, but we are trying to improve, currently 5th in the league out of 10. We have lost our last 4. Question is, our passing seems to be letting us down constantly. I have tried different sessions but they can't seem to make it work during a game. Has anyone got any ideas at all? It makes me feel a bit useless sometimes. We are definitely good enough to be top 2. Thanks.
Hi Benjamin great question.
Can I ask do your kids play out from the back, does the goalie mainly kick it long. The reason I ask is when we experience the 2v2's, 3v2's in training the players are close together so success is easier. If on game day the ball is sent long alot it pulls everybody apart and stretches the game making the passing interactions they are experiencing in training very tough to replicate, so the game day becomes a completely different experience and we don't get any transfer from our training sessions.
I would maintain the very small SSG's and overloads in training with experiences of 7 v 4, the 7 playing out from the back from the goalie to 3 separate targets on the half way line, rotate them continuosly as will be much higher success for the 7 and alter the level of overload dependingon success to progressively make it more challenging. I would also apply the same constraint in game that we play out from the back keeping everybody closer connected and engaged and offering higher success in passing interactions as the players are closer together.
Search for sessions on breaking lines as well and encourage the kids to keep it short but give them the freedom to exploit an opportunity to go long if they see an opportunity and coach the elements of not forcing the pass but trying to find the right opportunity/moment. Only experiences can help them develop so we want consistency in their training to match day to aid transfer.
If the league position is important then maybe organise some friendlies against opposition a year down to make the close connection passing combinations and playing out from the back easier to achieve but make the focus in these games the passing combinations and staying connected rather than turning the game into a cricket score for your kids, so apply constraints throughout the game if it is far to easy for your team and treat it as a pro active ball retention game to break into the correct areas of the pitch, rather than the focus on scoring goals but more being creative to get into the right areas. Communicate with the other coach so he understands before you go into any friendlies what your outcomes from the experience are.
Have a great end to your season Ben 
️
Hi Benjamin great question.
Can I ask do your kids play out from the back, does the goalie mainly kick it long. The reason I ask is when we experience the 2v2's, 3v2's in training the players are close together so success is easier. If on game day the ball is sent long alot it pulls everybody apart and stretches the game making the passing interactions they are experiencing in training very tough to replicate, so the game day becomes a completely different experience and we don't get any transfer from our training sessions.
I would maintain the very small SSG's and overloads in training with experiences of 7 v 4, the 7 playing out from the back from the goalie to 3 separate targets on the half way line, rotate them continuosly as will be much higher success for the 7 and alter the level of overload dependingon success to progressively make it more challenging. I would also apply the same constraint in game that we play out from the back keeping everybody closer connected and engaged and offering higher success in passing interactions as the players are closer together.
Search for sessions on breaking lines as well and encourage the kids to keep it short but give them the freedom to exploit an opportunity to go long if they see an opportunity and coach the elements of not forcing the pass but trying to find the right opportunity/moment. Only experiences can help them develop so we want consistency in their training to match day to aid transfer.
If the league position is important then maybe organise some friendlies against opposition a year down to make the close connection passing combinations and playing out from the back easier to achieve but make the focus in these games the passing combinations and staying connected rather than turning the game into a cricket score for your kids, so apply constraints throughout the game if it is far to easy for your team and treat it as a pro active ball retention game to break into the correct areas of the pitch, rather than the focus on scoring goals but more being creative to get into the right areas. Communicate with the other coach so he understands before you go into any friendlies what your outcomes from the experience are.
Have a great end to your season Ben ️
