| As a youth soccer coach, one of the challenges you | | | | 3. Better Understanding of Positioning |
| will have to overcome is finding enough time to | | | | The more your youth soccer players experience |
| spend with individual player development, and also | | | | game play, the better they will understand how the |
| get your players real game experience. While full | | | | different positions work together to support the |
| scrimmages against another team are helpful, you | | | | other positions. They will better understand how to |
| lose the opportunity to pay much attention to the | | | | rotate to create space, or to provide support for |
| individual players. The solution is to incorporate small | | | | other players. |
| sided soccer games into your practices. | | | | The truth is, you can tell players where to go, or |
| One big advantage of using small sided soccer games | | | | how to move, but until they actually get to do it |
| in practice is that you can come up with games even | | | | repeatedly in games, they will not really understand |
| if you do not have many players showing up for | | | | what they are doing. |
| practice. For some of the very young teams you | | | | 4. More Significant Playing Time |
| may not have many players to start with. If a few | | | | Youth soccer players learn by repetition. They learn |
| players don't show up for practice you can still make | | | | to shoot by taking a lot of shots in practice. They |
| sure to have a great practice with the ones that are | | | | learn to play defense by having repeated |
| there. | | | | opportunities to play defense in practice. The more |
| Here are 6 reasons to use small sided soccer games | | | | playing time your players get, the faster they will be |
| in your practices. | | | | able to develop all of the skills necessary for success |
| 1. More Touches on the Ball | | | | in the game of soccer. |
| The more you coach youth soccer, the more you | | | | 5. More Opportunities on Offense and Defense |
| realize that your teams success hinges on your | | | | Many young players are so offense minded that they |
| players ability to move with the ball. The only way | | | | seldom stop to think about playing defense. Other |
| they are going to get comfortable running and turning | | | | players are so comfortable on defense that they are |
| with the ball is to give them more opportunities to | | | | reluctant to take part in the offense. For your team |
| practice that skill in game situations. | | | | to become successful you need to teach all of your |
| When you develop games that use fewer players on | | | | players how to play on both sides of the ball. |
| each side you are creating opportunities for your | | | | When you play with smaller teams there is typically |
| young players to get the touches they need to | | | | more transitions between offense and defense. This |
| develop their dribbling skills. The more they play, the | | | | teaches your players how to make that transition, |
| more comfortable they will become. | | | | and how to contribute to the teams efforts |
| 2. Better Game Decisions | | | | regardless of which side has possession. |
| The only way your players will ever learn to make | | | | 6. More Opportunities to Make Plays |
| good decisions in the course of game play is to let | | | | Some players are naturally aggressive, and they will |
| them in play more games. The more you can create | | | | create their own play making opportunities. Other |
| situations that mimic real games, the more | | | | players may have the talent to contribute, but they |
| opportunities your players will have to develop their | | | | lack the confidence to make the plays even when |
| ability to make critical decisions quickly. | | | | they have a chance. The best way to help those |
| A big advantage of having those kinds of | | | | players is to give them plenty of opportunities during |
| opportunities in practice is that your players can | | | | practice to gain the confidence they need. With more |
| make decisions in situations where the outcome is | | | | touches on the ball, there will be more opportunities |
| not as important. If a player makes a bad decision it | | | | for all of your players to make more significant plays. |
| is not a big deal because it is only a practice game. If | | | | Playing small sided soccer games are a great way to |
| they do not get that experience in practice, they will | | | | really speed up your players development. It allows |
| not take the chance of making a bad decision during | | | | them the chance to try out what they know in |
| a game. | | | | game situations, and they can have fun doing it. |