Coaching Concepts

Grades Pre K – K

Important Coaching Concepts

• Have Fun
• Encourage Players with positive feedback and celebrate all forms of success
• Develop basic soccer skills
• Dribbling
• Kicking and Trapping

• Let the players score goals

Practice Drills

• Kicking & Trapping

• Pairs Passing
• Two Headed Monster

Scoring

• All Players Shoot on Coach (Everyone gets to score at least occasionally)
• All Players Shoot on Open Net (To begin or end a session)

Grades 1-2

Important Coaching Concepts

• Have Fun
• Encourage Players with positive feedback and celebrate all forms of success
• Continue to develop basic soccer skills
• Dribbling
• Situational Drills (Decision making)

• Make sure all players have opportunities to score goals
• Understanding Offense and Defense

Practice Drills

• Dribbling
• 1V1 to goal

• Kicking & Trapping
• Pairs Passing (add more movement and longer passes)

• Situational Drills
• 2 v 1 to goal (w/goalie)
• 3 v 2 to goal (w/goalie)

• Crossing and Shooting

• All Players Shoot on Coach (Everyone gets to score at least occasionally)
• Free Shooting to begin practice
• Cross to the hat
• World Cup

Grades 3-4

Important Coaching Concepts

• Have Fun
• Encourage Players with positive feedback and celebrate all forms of success
• Everyone plays in every position, including goalie
• Positional Play (Wings, Center, Stopper, Sweeper, Goalie)
• Continue to develop basic soccer skills
• Dribbling
• Situational Drills (Decision making)
• Heading
• Passing

• Make sure all players have opportunities to score goals

Practice Drills

• Dribbling

• Kicking & Trapping
• Pairs Passing (add more movement and longer passes)

• Situational Drills and Transition Drills

• 2 v 1 to goal (w/goalie) – Add a “defensive goal” (defense scores a point for a clear outside of penalty box)
• 3 v 2 to goal (w/goalie)  - Add a defensive goal (set two defensive goals toward outside of field.  Defense scores w/ a pass into the goal)
• 3 v 3 – Small designated field w/ small goals (constant play)
• 3 or 4 v 1

• Crossing and Shooting

• All Players Shoot on Coach (Everyone gets to score at least occasionally)
• Cross to the hat – add a defensive player  or coach playing at “half speed”

Grades 5, 6, 7

Important Coaching Concepts

• Encourage Players with positive feedback and celebrate all forms of success
• Have Fun
• Insist on good sportsmanship
• Everyone plays in every position, including goalie
• Continue to develop basic soccer skills
• Dribbling
• Situational Drills (Decision making)
• Heading

• Make sure all players have opportunities to score goals
• Transition Play (converting from offense to defense to offense)

Practice Drills

• Dribbling (Use all 7 & 8 Drills)

• Kicking & Trapping (Use all 7 & 8 Drills)
• Pairs Passing (add more movement and longer passes)

• Situational Drills and Transition Drills (Use all 7 & 8 Drills)

• 2 v 1 to goal (w/goalie) – Add a “defensive goal” (defense scores a point for a clear outside of penalty box)
• 3 v 2 to goal (w/goalie)  - Add a defensive goal (set two defensive goals toward outside of field.  Defense scores w/ a pass into the goal)
• 3 v 3 – Small designated field w/ small goals (constant play)
• 3 or 4 v 1

• Crossing and Shooting (Use all 7 & 8 Drills)

• All Players Shoot on Coach (Everyone gets to score at least occasionally)
• Cross to the hat – add a defensive player  or coach playing at “half speed”