Serving Long Balls

A Session of How to Cross a Ball from the Flanks into the Eighteen Yard Box

Purpose:	Often during a game the ball will end up on the outside in the flanks near the corner flag. This session will train players in the proper fundamentals of serving a ball into the eighteen yard box with accuracy and precision. By the time they finish this session they will understand where to place the ball, how to properly strike the ball and what to do when under pressure. The team that is proficient in serving long balls is dangerous as they finish from all places on the field.
Equipment:	Cones, pinnies, balls.
Progression:	Fundamental: The fundamental stage is for no to low pressure practice on the placement of long serves. Begin with three a group passing and moving while working on striking high bending balls as well as low hard driven balls. Match Related: The session moves to a game like format with low pressure service in the flanks. The pressure of defenders is slowly added to become more game like. This then progresses to a wingers game with neutrals playing in free range flanks. Match Condition: The session ends with unrestricted seven versus seven play in the half field where the players are looking to create opportunities and incorporate effective services from the flanks as well as creating from the middle.
Coaching Points:	Receive first touch forward into space, receive across body, carry the ball endline,, serve the ball. Curve the ball back and away from the defense on far post serves. Hard low driven balls work best to the near post. Runner, time your run, server find the runner. On the serve keep head still, get a look, then look back to ball. Serve balls high and curving to second 6 for far post keeping it away from defense and keeper. Get the body behind and hips around to get a good angle Get a look to find runner, then watch ball on service for accuracy. Missing high on the top of the eighteen is rime for a counterattack so place balls carefully. Score it to be competitive, play to a time limit Play a ball early when the runner is ahead of the defense. f high pressure turn out with a Hogi (four turns) and serve or play back to support for long cross

THE SESSION

Activity	Setup
short-short long passing-groups of three This warm up is to work on short connecting passing. In a large grid player pass in groups of 3; two short passes followed by a third long pass. The long pass can be low hard driven or a higer bending ball. Progression short-short-long: stretch passing, s-s-l- play the way you face– long ball in air to third person: stretch passing, s-s-l, receive across body, push to space, then find third person in air: stretch
Serving and finishing Begins without pressure Two groups of 7. Three players in the middle, two in the flanks on the side. One group on each side. Player in the middle plays a ball to t he flank player, he gets a touch and serves into the eighteen yard box. Alternate sides of service Coaching Points: Receive first touch forward into space, receive across body, carry the ball endline,, serve the ball. Curve the ball back and away from the defense on far post serves. Hard low driven balls work best to the near post. Runner, time your run, server find the runner. On the serve keep head still, get a look, then look back to ball. Serve balls high and curving to second 6 for far post keeping it away from defense and keeper.	Progress to one of the wings pressuring the server after the reception (shown with green arrow)

2v1 to frame Same game but add one blue defender to red side and one red defender to blue side Progress to two defenders v two attackers. After a pass you become the server. Coaching Points: Receive quickly across body, serve Get the body behind and hips around to get a good angle Get a look to find runner, then watch ball on service for accuracy. Bend ball away from D. Missing high on the top of the eighteen is rime for a counterattack so place balls carefully. Score it or play to a time limit. Losers suffer.

Wingers Game 5v5 + 2 N's Five versus five in a half field between the eighteens. The flanks are neutrals zone (green) and they cannot be marked. Neutrals can and should be challenged after first touch. To score ball must be served from a neutral into the eighteen yard box. Coaching Points: The game should be fast paced with plenty of serves Play a ball early when it is on. If high pressure turn out with a Hagi (four turns) and serve or play back to support for long cross

7 v. 7 End with seven versus seven in the same field. Find the ally for free passage to serve Progress to seven versus seven unrestricted.	Play this game in a half field with two large goals.