U14 Passing Session – Xhulio Zeneli
Time: 90 minutes
The learning objectives of the passing session plan is to replicate in game passing situations. The players learn technical aspects like directional control and passing with different feet/parts of the foot. There is also a physical element with an overall objective to practice combinations that will lead to a shot on goal.
Session Plan Part 1
Session Plan Part 2
Warm up 10 minutes: Various exercises/dynamic stretches 
Exercise (5 minutes): Players pair up and each pair has the ball. The player with a ball stands by the cone and the player without the ball stands in between the two cone gate with a starting position slightly behind the cones. The player with a ball passes to the other player, the receiving player takes a first touch toward the cone to their right and passes the ball back to feet.
Variation: The player takes a touch towards the left cone, the player can only take a touch with the outside of their foot choosing either cone to move to.
Exercise: The players pair up with one ball between two. The player with the ball stands by the cone and the player without the ball stands behind the coned gate. The players should be passing the ball back and forth taking 2 touches, one to control and one to pass back.
Variation: If a player passes with their right foot, the receiving player must pass with their left foot. Ball in the air, player must control a chipped pass and pass it back the same way.
Exercise (5 minutes): Players are split into groups of three with two players at the starting cone and one player behind the coned gate at the other end. The starting player passes into the player behind the coned gate and runs around a cone on the right or the left. The receiving player delays a pass and plays a through ball into the path of the running player who passes off to the start line.
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Exercise (5 minutes): Players work in pairs with one ball between two. One player starts with a ball standing next to the cone, the other player starts in the middle of the field between the two cones. The player in the middle must make a wide run towards the cone and turn to receive the ball before passing back and returning to the middle to repeat. Focus on the angle of the run to ensure the passing player can be seen at all times.
Variation: If the player is passing the ball with their right foot, the player should pass the ball with their left foot. 
Exercise: The player works the full length of the field without a ball, using a combination of plyometric exercises over hurdles and speed and agility through cones with a final burst of pace.
Exercise: 20 minutes- Set up two starting cones on the half way line and one cone closer to the edge of the box 25 yards from goal. Use a goalkeeper. Players pass in the sequence shown resulting in a shot on goal. Make sure players rotate stations often and keep the game flowing quickly.
Variation: 1 touch passing and a first time shot.
20 minutes: game 6vs6 with the intention of practicing the passing skills they have applied during the session. 
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My name is Xhulio Zeneli, I am 21 years old. I want to tell my story about football relating to my passion to become a football coach. I started to play football as a youth and my position was a goalkeeper, at a young age, for various reasons, I was unable to continue as a player. I did not want to leave football because it is my passion so I decided to start my coaching path when I was 13 years old. My first job was in Tirana (Albania) with a club called “FK Dinamo Tirana”, I became the assistant coach of the u12 team of Dinamo in 2010 for 3 years. In 2013 I began another important phase of my coaching career, working as the assistant coach for the youth team of “Ks Ali Demi”, in the u14 team.
2015 was a very important year for me, because when I was 17 years old I had the opportunity thanks to my family to go to London to do the “Level 1 Course for Coaching” organized by the English Federation of Football (FA). In the course of 36 participants, I was the youngest. The Coaching Staff and mentors at the FA also believed me to be the first Albanian to take the course, both of these acknowledgements by the staff made me very proud. With my increased knowledge and exposure I became the Coach of the U10 team of Dinamo Tirana, and from 2016 until 2017 I worked with the u12 team. In 2017 I took the “FA Level 2 Course” in London. From 2017 until present day, I am the Coach of the U14 team.
I credit all the Coaches who I have learned from over the years for helping to shape my Coaching experience, this exposure to coaches from different backgrounds and different parts of the world has helped to shape my own coaching methods. My idol is Jose Mourinho. I also thank my family for the support they give to me.
