We're stoked that you care enough to want to have a fantastically well-run team. For a little bit of extra effort, you will be a rock star coach to your players and their families. We recommend you start with a series of short articles that covers every aspect of running your team. Make sure you leverage [...]
Here is the needed equipment and requirements for each age group: 8u and below Soccer Ball - Size 3, properly inflated (it should be about 10 psi, or only slight give when pressing firmly on the ball) Shinguards - Worn completely under soccer socks. Shinguards cannot be worn over socks then folded over Soccer socks - [...]
Did we miss any terms below? Ask us in the comments! Parts of the field (8u and below): Goal Line - The edges of the field on either side (on which the goals rest) Goal Area - The rectangle right outside the goal. Goal kicks are started from here Touch Line - The edges of the [...]
I always like to have at least 10 minutes available at the end of practice available for a fun game, often of the players choosing. My only rule is that it must involve touches on the ball and be physically active 6u Alien Tag Clean Your Room Pirate Treasure Target Practice - Players line up on [...]
Juggling in soccer is the act of using all parts of your body to keep bouncing the ball in the air. Learning to juggle at the 8u age can seem tedious for players, but it's a wonderful skill to incorporate into your practice and pregame warmup. It gets the players comfortable using multiple surfaces of their [...]
As part of your standard “warmup” that you use at every practice and before every game I like to create a ball control progression that combines footwork development with dribbling and turning skills. Think of it as a mini-combine where you’re packing as many elements of ball control as possible into a 10 minute window. Here [...]
Restarts (goal kicks, corner kicks, throw-ins, kick offs) offer up the opportunity to create "set plays". These are essentially scripted plays that all players know what to expect and how to execute. The types, variation, and complexity of set plays increases over time as players get older. For 8u, your set play for a throw-in could [...]
Scrimmages are literally the most important thing you can do to help solidify your players’ understanding of your formation/system before the start of the season. There are just no easy substitutes. I recommend a minimum of two before the start of the season. The biggest gains your team will make will be during the first few [...]
I like to have players come 15 minutes early to the first practice where I host a players-only meeting with the coaches. My overarching goal is to start to establish my team’s culture. As a part of that I want them to get to know me and each other. Here’s a typical agenda: Names - Go [...]
Culture starts at the top but ultimately needs to be bought into by your players and parents. A successful culture is one that allows for faster player development while still promoting the enjoyment of the sport. Coaches all have different personalities but there are some aspects of culture that I believe should permeate every team: Discipline [...]