📋 Session Plan
U12–U13 Shooting Session
A 60-minute session building shooting technique and decision-making — driven shots, first-time finishes, and shooting under defensive pressure.
A 60-minute session building shooting technique and decision-making — driven shots, first-time finishes, and shooting under defensive pressure.
Four target cones around the goal. Player dribbles in from midfield, coach calls a number (1–4) just before the shot — player must shoot toward that cone. Reaction shooting, not set-up shots. 6 reps per player. GK in goal from rep 1.
Feeder plays ball into striker's feet 20 yards out. Striker lays off to arriving midfielder. Midfielder strikes first-time. 8 reps. The striker's lay-off weight determines whether the shot is possible — coach the lay-off as much as the shot. Target: 6 of 8 on target.
Wide player drives to byline, cuts ball back to arriving striker at 10–12 yards. Striker finishes first-time, side-foot into far corner. GK starting on near post. 6 reps each side. The key: striker must arrive late — run starts as the wide player reaches the byline, not before. Early arrival = flagged offside and tracked by defender.
9v9. Bonus scoring: goal from a driven shot outside the area = 3 pts, goal from a cut-back = 3 pts, goal from first-time finish = 2 pts, any other goal = 1 pt. Discourage passing back for a simpler shot — the bonus scoring makes the harder finish worth attempting. Track total shots on target per team.
Clear demonstrations and high energy. Keep the session moving with minimal queuing, and reinforce one or two key coaching points rather than overloading players with information.
Players standing in queues (set up enough stations to keep everyone active) and the session running too long on one activity (keep blocks tight and move on while engagement is high).
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Coaches tip: Post-session recovery nutrition matters as much as the drills themselves — MaxiNutrition's recovery range is built for exactly this.
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