Overall this age group is about fostering a continuing love and appreciation for the game. Focus is still very much on individual skill and 2 players 1 ball type activities. We want players excited about practices and games and results should not matter to whether a player has fun or not.
Technical Outcomes – The vast majority of all training will be technical based with a little bit of tactical application (good shape to support passing, if you can’t go forward, go backward and to an open area – penetration vs. possession, the application of pressure cover in zonal defending.
Passing
- Players will be able to recite key coaching points – plant foot points at your target and use your brick wall.
- Players will be able to demonstrate both right and left footed inside of the foot pass and will attempt some passing in the game.
- Players will accurately pass between 8-10 yards with left and right foot in both practices and games.
Dribbling/Ball Control/Sheilding
- Players will be able to perform Toe Taps, Tic-Tocs, Inside Cuts, Outside Cuts, Pull Backs, Step Overs, Maradona, and Cryuffs with both feet in practice.
- They will attempt to take on players in games.
- Players will be able to play Kick and Catch with themselves with at least 5 kicks in a row before a catch. Players will be able to play Kick and Catch accurately with a teammate over a distance of 10-15 yards.
- Players will be able to take balls out of the air from a self-toss.
- Players will be able to recite the key coaching points of shielding – Body Body Ball, get low and strong on your standing leg, move the ball with your other foot, look for your way out, pass or explode out.
- Players will demonstrate in practices and games an ability to shield and maintain possession for short periods of time.
Shooting
- Players will be able to recite the key coaching points for an inside of the foot shot – take a look at the goal, plant foot pointed towards the target and use your brick wall. Player will be able to demonstrate both right and left inside of the foot shots.
- Players will be able to recite the key coaching points for an instep drive – take a look at the goal, plant foot pointed towards the target, toes down, ankle locked, hit the ball with your laces.
- Player will be able to demonstrate both right and left instep drives.
- Players will know the meaning of shooting ‘near post’ and ‘far post’
1v1 Attacking
- Players will be encouraged to take players on in practice and games and will demonstrate an attacking mentality.
- Players will have frequent 1v1 training opportunities throughout each season.
- Players will be able to recite the key coaching points for taking a player on 1v1 – attack under control, do a fake, change direction or cut, explode past the defender.
- Players will be able to recite when to take on a defender 1v1 – when there is space behind the defender and you are 1v1.
Turning
- Players will be able to demonstrate turning by receiving with the inside of their right and left foot.
- Players will know to communicate when they pass to their teammate to turn based on the time and space the receiving player has.
Receiving
- Players will be able to recite key coaching points – get into the path of the ball, open up to the field, cushion it, keep it in your ring of life (or shower curtain or tub – just keep it close), and play it in the direction you want to go.
- Players will be able to demonstrate both right and left footed inside and outside of the foot traps.
- Players will be able to take balls out of the air from a tossed or kick ball into the air.
Heading
- Players willbe able to properly head a self-tossed ball.
- Players will be able to recite key coaching points for heading – get into the path of the ball, hold your arms out to defend your space, keep your mouth closed, eyes open and head the ball with your forehead (hairline).
Tactical Outcomes – Only a little emphasis should be placed on tactics. It can be tempting to try and coach the players into playing “real soccer” and hold positions etc. but we want players to develop tactical awareness within the game and not through set positions. Technical ability will determine tactical choices so the more technically skilled the players become the more tactical options they’ll have.
Attacking Tactics
- Players will demonstrate an understanding of creating proper attacking shape (height, width, depth, someone in the hole) from dead-ball situations including a coach’s freeze.
- Players will be able to recite that the first goal of attack is to penetrate and score goals and that if we can’t score, we keep it until we can (possession).
- Players will be able to recite and demonstrate immediate support in both practices and games – angle and distance of support (be open, and be close enough to get the pass, but far enough that the same defender can’t chase you).
Defending Tactics
- Players will be able to recite that defense is pressure and cover.
- Players will demonstrate proper pressure – close the distance fast, slow down, angle or push the attacker one way, stay in front (boxer stance), tackle the ball – “fast, slow, angled low, defend and go”
- Players will demonstrate in practice the ability to transition roles between pressure and cover
- Players will be able to demonstrate the proper positioning for a cover defender in a 2v2 and 3v3 dead ball moment in scrimmages.