The Beginner: Average length of practice 30 – 45 minutes. Several breaks must be given to the players during this time. Once a week would be sufficient.
Techniques: Learning how to kick and dribble the ball. Basic passing skills can be shown. Individual skill moves should be shown i.e.: Drag back, Toe taps, Foundations
Skill: Fun practices while working in pairs or small groups.
Team: Small sided games 2v2 and 3v3.
Fitness: Not a consideration at this age group.
Free Play: Very important at this age. Supervised but not coached.
Practice Time: Technique 15% Skill 15% Team 25%
Fitness 5% Free play 35%
Philosophy: During these years a soccer players must be given time to develop. A coaches patience
and leadership during these early years will be rewarded later in the player’s career.
Fun is the main component to training this age group. Any games with or without the ball will help build trust and friendship. A positive environment is vital. Individual ball control should be the main emphasis during these years.
Games
Body part dribble: (Coach calls what body part a player must stop the ball with)
Red light, Green light: (Coach calls Green light- players run or dribble a ball, Red light players must stop)
Shadow dribbling: (One player has a ball while his partner follows a closely as he can)
Street soccer: (3v3 on a small field with no stoppages from the coach)
Head / Catch: (In pairs one player serves to their partner and calls head or catch, if head their partner must head the ball back)
Like Magnets: Players dribble around when they come towards each other they must repel turn away by changing direction 180 degrees and sprint away.
Dribbling: (move on balls of feet, low center of gravity, head up, keep ball within playing distance, use instep most of the time – but be able to use all surfaces of feet; advance to concepts of shielding ball “sideways on”, changing pace of play to beat opponent)
Red light green light: hold up different colors of jerseys one for stop, one for go, and hold both up to return at the starting line. This game helps with keeping their head up while dribbling and to keep control of the ball so they can stop on a red light.
Body part dribble: stop ball with body part indicated by coach; modify to include other commands (“turn”, “yellow light”, etc.) active game, multiple stimuli, listen to coach’s voice, begins teaching skills.
Math dribble: team begins dribbling in a grid, coach gives the team a number they then dribble into groups of that given number. This helps to work on teamwork, socialization, and technique. If you have 12 players and the coach calls 4, players would make 3 groups of 4. Do not always call even numbers.
Shadow dribble: groups of two, what one player does with the ball the other must follow. This helps the player to keep head up to see the field.
Everybody’s It: tag others, dribble, and collect points in “magical point bag”.
Hospital tag: hold body part that gets tagged, with three “wounds” go to hospital, do activity, return to action.
Knee tag: tag knees while dribbling, call left knee right knee while players are dribbling.
Knockout: dribble, try to kick others’ ball out of area, get to ball before it stops rolling, return immediately; if ball stops rolling, do activity (ball touches), then return.
Like magnets: all dribble, “repel” each other, when coming close, turn and speed dribble away 3-5 yards, balance control, acceleration, using instep to turn quickly, agility, creativity of turning moves. Add stop and go so players keep control.
1 v 1: Play 1v1 to a cone
Short-sided games: incorporate conditions that reinforce dribbling (such as dribbling with five touch minimum before passing or shooting; “taking on” an opponent before shooting on goal.
Encourage players to come to you and demonstrate their new moves
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