The Novice Coach’s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season · 2014. 12. 9. · Basic Practice Games Ohio Youth Soccer Association North Purposes: Creating space. Playing backwards to

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The Novice Coach’s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season

Practical Advice on Coaching a Competitive Youth Soccer Team

Ohio Youth Soccer Association North

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The vast majority of soccer coaches in the United States are still Moms and Dads who volunteer to coach their sons or daughters.



While a growing proportion of these parents have some soccer-playing background, most youth coaches

are new to the sport.

The term “novice” includes those who are new to soccer and also those with a soccer background who

are inexperienced in their role as “coach.”



This self-paced course provides theoretical and practical information for novice coaches working with

the U-10, U-12 and U-14 age groups. For the purposes of this presentation… “U-10” includes U-9 and U-10 “U-12” includes U-11 and U-12 “U-14” includes U-13 and U-14



The information is organized Into six sections.

What is Soccer? Understanding Your Players.

Understanding Tactics and Skills. Team Management.

Practice Management. Parent Management.


Section 5 Practice Management


Practice Management

Transfer from Practice.

The more closely soccer practices mimic the demands of the game, the more likely it is that the players will transfer habits and learning.


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The Four Main Coaching Objectives For Practice Are:

1) Technical Development Maximize individual ball contacts.

2) Tactical Development Expose players to basic game situations.

3) Physical Development Help players become soccer fit.

4) Psychological Development Provide a productive, challenging and fun

soccer experience.


Practice Management

Practice Management

The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are: Combine with another team, or two, to add

volume to your training numbers.

Keep everyone active all the time. Players learn by doing and active participation is fun!


Practice Management

The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are: Keep everything competitive. Tell the players what

they have to do to win and how long they are playing for.

Develop soccer fitness by playing soccer. Soccer is not played in straight lines, nor at constant speeds. Eliminate the laps.


Practice Management

The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are:

Create multiple games. Eliminate the lines. Eliminate waiting to participate. Play uneven teams if necessary.

Keep your practice games flowing. Use natural stoppages and other suggestions from the “Coach’s Tool Kit” to provide information.


Practice Management

The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are:

Eliminate the lectures. Instead, ask questions and allow the players to make decisions. Quick comments and questions are much more effective for keeping the player’s attention.

Let the games do the teaching. Particularly if you

don’t have a strong soccer background, let the players learn through experience.


Practice Management

The Keys To Organizing A Good Soccer Practice Are: Plan games that include lots of transition

moments. Players need to learn to react to turn-overs by attacking or defending, not stopping.

Make it look and feel like soccer. The kids come to play the game. Indulge them!


Practice Management

Warm-Up: Get the players started in multiple small-sided games as soon as they arrive. The game numbers should range between 1v1 and 4v4 to maximize participation.


There are many, many ways to organize a training session. The following suggested outline includes the most important elements.

Practice Management

Organizing a Training Session. Structured Free Play: About 15 minutes into the

practice, play a version of a 4v4 game, such as line soccer or the 4-goal game. Play rounds of between 5 and 10-minutes and change the teams after each round.


Practice Management

Organizing a Training Session. Technique Training: Slow things down for 10-15 minutes with a skill development activity, such as juggling or dribbling moves, or ball control skills, or soccer tennis. Don’t forget the GK need lots of technical repetitions , as well!


Practice Management

Organizing a Training Session Structured Free Play: Increase the intensity with

another 4v4 game, such as the 6-goal game, or the shooting game. Play rounds of between 5 and 10-minutes. Rotate the teams after each round.


Practice Management

Organizing a Training Session.

Large-Sided Game: Finish the practice by playing a game to two large goals (including goalkeepers) with the largest numbers available. Ideally, this practice should replicate the competitive game form (6v6, 8v8, 11v11).


Practice Management

Organizing a Training Session.

Cool-Down: Finish with a tag game or a juggling challenge (100 touches) or simply a slow jog and static stretch (U-14+)


Basic Practice Games


The following slides present examples of free-flowing soccer games that provide for technical

repetition within tactical contexts. The basic purposes, game-specific rules, game times, and

suggested field dimensions are noted.

Each game provides for natural transitions between attacking and defending, and each game

provides for soccer fitness development.



The examples show a range of organizational variations to help the novice coach gain

experience in creating their own practice games.

The basic organizational considerations include the number of players, the size and shape of the

field, the playing time, the method of scoring, and any special conditions or modified playing rules.



1v1 to One Small Goal on Each Short Line

Small Goals 2-yards wide

Field 20 yards long. No touchlines required.

Active Time: 90-120 seconds Rest Time: 60-120 seconds



Purposes: Individual skills and tactics. Transitioning. Fitness.

Key Techniques: Dribbling and Ball Control. Individual defending.

Logistics: No touchlines. Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Dribble in from goal lines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.





Field 20-25 yards long. No touchlines required.

Active Time: 2-4 minutes Rest Time: 1-2 minutes



Purposes: Support in attack and defense. Combining. Transitioning. Fitness.

Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending.

Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Dribble or pass in from goal lines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.



2v2 to Two Targets with Support Players

Field 40 x 30 yards

Target players support their

own team

White scores by passing to the Red target players.

And vice versa.

Target players cannot score.

Active Time: 3-5 Goals

Field 25 x 16 yds



Purposes: Creating space. Playing backwards to relieve pressure. Vision. Ball circulation. Pressing. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Both field players must touch the ball to score – or – goals must be 1- touch.



3v3 to Two Large Goals

Field 25 x 15 yds

Active Time: 4-5 minutes Rest Time: 1-2 minutes



Purposes: Combining and creating scoring chances. Finishing. Transitioning. Fitness.

Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Finishing. Individual defending.

Logistics: All out of bounds restarted with GK possession (hands). Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal.




Field 30 x 20 yards


Active Time: 5 minutes Rest Time: 1-2 minutes



Purposes: Spacing. Combining. Ball circulation. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness.

Key Techniques: Passing, and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending.

Logistics: Corner kicks optional. Dribble or pass in from goal lines. Indirect kick-ins from the touchlines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.



Active Time: 5 minutes Rest Time: 1-2 minutes

Field 30 x 20 yards


3v3 to Two Small Goals on Each Short Line



Purposes: Spacing from to back. Combining and ball circulation. Vision. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Each team defends and attacks two small goals. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score. Goals must be 1-touch. Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines.




Field 40 x 30 yards


Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes



Purposes: Spacing. Combining and ball circulation. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Dribble or pass in from the goal lines. Indirect kick-ins from the touchlines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.



4v4 to Two Small Goals on Each Long Line

Small Goals 2-yards wide Field 40 x 30 yards

Goals close to the center of the touchline




Purposes: Group defending: balance and compactness. Ball circulation. Transitioning. Fitness.

Key Techniques: Passing, and receiving. Dribbling. Individual defending.

Logistics: 1 or 2-touch goals. Goals placed close to the center line. Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Dribble or pass in from goal lines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.



4v4 to Three Small Goals on Each Long Line


Field 40 x 30 yards

Neutral plays for both teams Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes



Purposes: Creating width and depth in attack. Combining and ball circulation. Vision. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: 1 or 2-touch goals. Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Dribble or pass in from goal lines. Pass the ball between the cones on the ground to score.



4v4 + 1 Line Soccer: Short Lines

Field 40 x 30 yds

Dribble The ball between the cones to score

Neutral plays for both teams




Purposes: Spacing. Combining and ball circulation. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Dribble or pass in from the goal lines. Better players: Maximum three touches.



4v4 Line Soccer: Long Lines

Field 40 x 30 yards Field 40 x 30 yds

Dribble the ball between the cones to score




Purposes: Spacing: width and depth. Combining and ball circulation. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Dribble or pass in from the goal lines. Better players: Maximum three touches.



4v4 Line Soccer: Short Lines


Field 40 x 30 yds

Dribble The ball between the cones to score

All players must be over the half way line when a goal is scored.

Penalties: Attacking team: No Goal

Defending Team: Goal = 2



Purposes: Staying connected in attack and defense. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Kick-ins from the touch lines. Dribble or pass in from the goal lines.



4v4 +1 to Multiple Small Goals

Field 40 x 30 yards

Score by passing to a teammate through any small goal.

Field 40 x 30 yds

Goals 2 yds wide

Neutral plays for both teams


Goals are two-sided.



Purposes: Moving off the ball. Vision. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Kick-ins from the boundaries.



5v5 to a Target Player on the Short Lines

Field 40 x 30 yards

Red scores by passing to the White target player.

And vice versa.

Target players cannot score.

Target player supports their

own team.

Field 50 x 30 yds Active Time: 5-10 minutes Rest Time: 2 minutes



Purposes: Penetration. Vision. Spacing and ball circulation. Playing backwards to relieve pressure. Group defending. Pressing. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ point. Kick-ins from the touch lines.



7v7 to Two Large Goals with Goalkeepers on Each Touch Line

Goals in the middle of each half field

Field 50 x 35 yards

Active Time: 10 minutes / Rest Time: 2 minutes



Purposes: Combining and ball circulation. Vision. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Throw-ins from short lines. 1-touch goals count double.



6v6 to Two Goals. First Team to “21 Points” wins.

Field 55 x 40 yards

Goals = 3 Pts Shots on Goal = 1 Pt Passes to Teammates = 1 Pt

Active Time: 10-15 Minutes Rest: 1-2 Minutes



Purposes: Spacing. Ball circulation. Vision. Using the goalkeeper in the build-up. Pressing. Transitioning. Fitness.

Key Techniques: Passing (long and short). Receiving. Individual defending.

Logistics: Regular soccer rules. No offside for U-10’s. Scoring system encourages passing.



Teaching Offside Tactics

Teaching offside tactics to U-12’s is most effective when offside lines are added to any game played between two large goals. Repetition is important to develop situational awareness.

For practice, the offside line can be placed anywhere in the attacking half, as noted in this and other examples.



4v4 to Large Goals with Offside Lines.

Regulation Goals

Field 40 x 30 yards

Offside Lines 10 yds from each goal

Field 35 x 20 yds Active Time: 5-10 minutes

Rest Time: 2 minutes



Purposes: Combining and creating scoring chances. Offside tactics. Group defending. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: Indirect kick-ins from the touch lines. GK possession (hands) for goal kicks. Offside lines are GK boxes.



6v6 to Offset Goals on Each Long Line

Field 50 x 35 yds

Goals 10 yds from each corner



Purposes: Spacing and ball circulation. Wide play. Vision. Transitioning. Fitness.

Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. Dribbling. Finishing. Crossing. Individual defending.

Logistics: Regular soccer rules. Offside lines may be added 10 yards from each goal.



Field 36 x 44 yards Active Time: 10 Minutes

Rest: 1-2 Minutes


Offside lines 10 yds from

each goal (U-12)

Shots on Target = 1 Pt Goals = 2 Pts 1-Touch Goals = 3 Pts



Purposes: Combining and ball circulation around the box. Vision. Using the goalkeeper in the build-up. Transitioning. Fitness.

Key Techniques: Passing and receiving. 1st touch. Dribbling. Finishing. Individual defending.

Logistics: All out of bounds restarted with GK possession (hands). Corner kicks (not taken) score ½ goal. Goalkeepers can score from their own half.




Offside lines 15 yds from the half-way line.

Active Time: 15-20 Minutes Rest: 5 Minutes

Field 80 x 55 yards



Purposes: Spacing in the build-up. Combining and ball circulation. Vision. Using the goalkeeper in the build-up. Offside tactics. Transitioning. Fitness.


Logistics: U-12 only. Regular soccer rules with deep offside lines.

The Coaches’ “Tool Kit”


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The Coaches’ Tool Kit

In 2005, US Soccer released “Best Practices for Coaching Soccer in the United States”.

One of the key messages from that player development blueprint was that the youth soccer

environment needed to become much more “player-centered” and far less coach-driven.



Central to that notion was the desire to move coaching away from the traditional Anglo-German approach of stopping and starting training games

whenever breakdowns occurred.

As an alternative, coaches were encouraged to find less intrusive opportunities to provide information to

players. Those methods, the Coach’s “Tool Kit,” are explained in the following slides.


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1. Coach the Individual within the Flow of the Game. Individual players can be given information while

the game is in flow.

This information should be given when the player is not involved in the immediate action.


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1. Coach the Individual within the Flow of the Game. The best information will help players understand

how to recognize and perhaps deal with standard game situations.

Players will attend to information when it is delivered sparingly.



1. Coach the Individual within the Flow of the Game. Players will tune out or

ignore information that is distracting or delivered in a constant stream.


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2. Coach the Group within the Flow of the Game. Group coaching should seek to address strategic

objectives, such as how to attack and defend as a team.

Group coaching may also address the overall rhythm of attacking play and the success or failure to defend relative to the cues coming from the game.


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2. Coach the Group within the Flow of the Game. Essentially, group coaching should seek to address

the positioning and organization (balance) of one or more lines (defenders, midfielders, forwards).


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2. Coach the Group within the Flow of the Game. The group coaching approach can become more

player-centered by working through designated players who are responsible for standard game situations. For example, the goalkeeper can help organize his/her defenders when there is a goal kick at the other end of the field.


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3. Coach during Natural Stoppages. Information can be exchanged between coach and

player(s) when the ball is not active.

Natural stoppages include balls out of bounds, injuries, goals, fouls, and the end of time periods.


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3. Coach during Natural Stoppages. The length of any coach-player exchanges during a

natural stoppage should be proportional to the duration of the time-out. Flow and continuity are important.


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4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. Conditions are rules of play that can shape learning

and performance.

The use of conditions offers one of the most effective player-centered teaching tools.


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4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. Once the conditions are explained and understood

by the players, there is no need to actually “coach” during the allotted playing time.

Conditions can reward good play by assigning bonus points when, for example, there is a successful pass to a teammate.


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4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. Conditions can penalize non-compliance, for

example, by awarding indirect free kicks, when players fail to take more than one touch.


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4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. There is a danger that using unrealistic conditions,

such as “Do X (5 passes) before Y (score a goal)” hinder tactical development. The use of conditions must be balanced by periods of free play.


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4. Use Conditions to Promote Learning. Scoring schemes should always value goals more

highly than extra points. The objective of the game is to score goals, not, for example, to keep possession.


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5. Use the Freeze Method. Because of its impact on

enjoyment and flow, freezing (stopping) play should be the last option in the coaches’ arsenal.

The use of the freeze method is most relevant when the players are positionally organized and likely to face the same game situation again.


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5. Use the Freeze Method. In the communication during a freeze, it is more

important that the players to begin to understand the tactical cues (player-centered approach) related to the immediate situation than the “perfect” solutions (coach-centered approach).


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5. Use the Freeze Method. Contrary to common practice, it is not necessary

for the game to be restarted with a successful performance. It is more important for the coach to relay the necessary information and restart the game as quickly as possible.


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5. Use the Freeze Method. Freezes should include information on the “cues”

(words) the coach might use to help the players read similar game situations later on.

The freeze method is least relevant for technical mistakes.


End of Section 5


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The Novice Coach’s Guide to a Successful Soccer Season · 2014. 12. 9. · Basic Practice Games Ohio Youth Soccer Association North Purposes: Creating space. Playing backwards to

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