The Golden years: Average length of practice 60 - 90 minutes. Several breaks must be given to the players during this time. Two practices a week is sufficient. Allow days of rest between games or tournaments.

Techniques: Passing, Receiving, shooting, Ball control, 1v1 work, basics of the game. Introduce new skill moves to continually challenge the players.

Skill:  2v1, 3v1, 5v2, skill games.

Team: Small sided games 3v3, and 4v4, emphasis on passing and support

Fitness: Warm-up, introduction to stretching. 

Free Play: 4v4, 5v5, 6v6 supervised but without over coaching

Practice Time: Technique 15%            Skill 20%          Team 25%
                         Fitness 5%                   Free play 35%                 

Philosophy: During these years a soccer players must be given tasks that challenge the Individual with out destroying their confidence. The player is now ready for small group games that will help with team tactics. These games should have no set topics just the game it self. The player must experience attacking and defending responsibilities. A fun environment is vital during these years.  

How to Establish Good Technique

Development of Individual Skills: put player under pressure of time, space and an opponent.  Increase technical speed.

Dribbling: encourage risk taking!  Moves to beat an opponent: keep possession – shielding/spin turns, change of speed and direction.

Receiving: ground and air balls, all surfaces from partner on the move.

Shooting: proper striking technique with the laces and ankle lock, partner serve from all angles, turns, cut backs, volleys.

Passing: proper technique, laces, inside, outside, short, long, and crossing.

Heading: self-serve, partner serve, jumping to head, turning the ball, partner juggling.

Games

Clear your field: Two teams separated by a line.  Players must keep soccer balls out of their side of the field, after a set period of time the team with the least amount of soccer balls in their half wins.

Street soccer: 3v3 or 4v4 format, keep scores so players now where they stand.

Grid Passing: Players play 3v1 keep away in a 10yd X 10 yd area.

Skill test: Players have to achieve a number of touches or skill moves in set time.

1v1: Two players compete in a set area, they must try and beat the player to get to an end line. Can also make players compete to cones.

Soccer Tennis: (Tennis rules) Two team play soccer tennis. This will improve receiving skills, passing, and ball control while improving team understanding.

Possession: Two equal teams play with a set topic in mind. Small or large goals can be used. Can limit number of touches on ball. Neutral players can be added.

Street soccer: 3v3, or 4v4, format, keep scores so players know where they stand. Give players an update of where they stand.

Grid Passing: Players play 3v1, 5v2, 7v5, keep away in set areas.

Skill test: Players have to achieve a number of touches or skill moves in set time.

1v1 2v2 3v3: Players compete in set area they can be given many different tasks to achieve.

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.

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.

Hospital tag: hold body part that gets tagged, with three “wounds” go to hospital, do activity, return to action.

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.

Small-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.