UD SUMMER 2025 : TRAINING UPDATE
With the United Dragons FC 2025 Summer Term well underway and with the sun shining, we have been delighted to welcome all of our returning players back as well as all of our newest UD members for a Summer filled with fun and Football!!
Please find below all the relevant information regarding our training programmes and what to expect for the rest of the month ahead...
UD LITTLE DRAGONS TRAINING ROUNDUP
Our Little Dragons sessions so far this Summer term have centred on fostering ball mastery and confidence, alongside incorporating various technical challenges to refine our players' finishing and shooting abilities.
Our cohort of UD Little Dragons coaches have prioritised refining fundamental techniques like ball striking and navigating directional changes while aiming towards a target or goal.
Leveraging the foundation established during the UD Spring term, our focus has shifted to bolstering our players' competence in these aspects through a wide range of stimulating activities and challenges, not only to engage the players but to also prioritise their understanding of the various techniques when in possession of the ball. For the remainder of the month, our youngest UD players will be working on changing direction and speed whilst in possession of the ball and focusing on their ability to control the ball with various parts of their feet.
UD JR FOUNDATION TRAINING ROUNDUP
With April marking our first month of the UD Summer Term, our Junior Foundation players at UDFC have been set on enhancing their skills in finishing and shooting, vital components of their attacking skill-sets in the final third of the field.
Building upon the groundwork laid in the UDFC Spring Term, where the players concentrated on these fundamental techniques, our players have delved deeper into the intricacies of decision-making in front of the goal and utilising teammates to improve their scoring opportunities.
With a strong emphasis on 1v1's, weaker foot techniques and precision in finishing in front of goal, the players have not only elevated their technical abilities but also sharpened their tactical acumen.
Our Summer term sessions so far have aimed at refining shooting accuracy and finishing control with both feet, ensuring our players can confidently convert scoring opportunities into goals and we look forward to seeing this trend continue as the Summer term progresses.
We will also be working on various passing techniques this month using different parts of their feet whilst also teaching the fundamentals on how to upskill their weaker foot to pass with short and mid range too.
UD FOUNDATION TRAINING ROUNDUP
Throughout April and the start of May, our UD Foundation players (aged 6-9 years) have diligently refined their skills, with a strong emphasis on mastering advanced techniques of goal scoring and shooting opportunities, as well as enhancing their ability to position themselves effectively for scoring when in the final third of the pitch.
Building upon the foundational learning outcomes of the previous UD Spring term, our training programmes during the Summer term have intensified their focus on refining these crucial proficiencies. In particular, significant time has been devoted to perfecting shooting precision and finishing under pressure, fundamental aspects of football that demand accuracy and poise when under pressure from defenders and the opposing goalkeeper.
Additionally, special attention has been dedicated to instructing the players on how to strategically position themselves to receive passes and exploit scoring chances, empowering them to convert opportunities into goals and positively impact their team's performance. Alongside our bespoke UD training sessions, notable strides have been made in comprehending the strategic importance of creating and utilising space in the attacking third. Looking ahead to our future technical and tactical goals, the progress achieved during the Spring term provides a solid platform for our Foundation players to continue thriving.
For the remainder of the months, our focus will shift toward incorporating the skillset to pass the ball 'through the thirds' with penetrating passes to give our teams and players the best opportunity to progress through the field and create meaningful attacks and overloads.
UD DEVELOPMENT TRAINING ROUNDUP
We have had an amazing start to all of our UD Development training sessions so far this term. Our UD Development players (ages 10-16) have made significant progress from the former term in refining their skills and tactical understanding, particularly excelling in the realm of advanced shooting and finishing techniques, including heading, volleys, and 1v1 situations.
Building upon the themes outlined in our UD annual training syllabus, our older age groups have demonstrated exceptional comprehension and application of concepts introduced in previous Spring term. Throughout our previous term's UD Development training sessions, players have showcased enhanced proficiency in dribbling and passing, highlighting their ability to construct and identify patterns of play to strengthen our offensive strategies.
Our Development players have now begun effectively implementing collective attacking tactics, displaying creativity and cohesion to unlock opposition defences and create scoring opportunities. This enables our players to anticipate and exploit spaces with precision and coordination.
As UD coaches, we take great pride in the achievements of this group and eagerly anticipate the impact the UD Summer Term session and training topics will have on our players, where we will place a greater emphasis on mastering advanced shooting and finishing techniques to further elevate their game and for the remainder of this month, we will be challenging our players with switching play from one side of the field to the other whether that is utilising a direct long range pass, or using small and intricate passes to open opportunities and spaces to take advantage of across the pitch!