| New coaches need to climb a steep learning curve, | | | | 50/50 balls, and attacking or defending quickly once |
| and a basic understanding of drills and practice plans | | | | the ball is won or lost. Cycle through until one team |
| will lessen the learning curve. Soccer drills are very | | | | gets to 10 or some other pre-determined number. |
| simply the key to your coaching success. The drills | | | | The drill should be run quickly, and players should not |
| you choose are going to be the foundation to your | | | | have much downtime between turns. |
| practice plans, and will determine your teams | | | | Shooting/Follow-up and transition |
| progress on building their fundamental skills, or getting | | | | This drill will focus on shooting and the quick follow up |
| passed by other teams. Well designed practices will | | | | on shots on goal. It will also focus on transition from |
| allow you to focus on areas requiring development, | | | | defense to offense, and creation of offensive |
| and will improve the speed which your team | | | | opportunities from a defensive position. Divide the |
| improves on their fundamental skills. When building a | | | | field into two halves. The size of the field will be |
| practice plan, divide the practice into the different | | | | determined by the age and ability of the players. A |
| components, and focus on developing your players in | | | | full size goal will be placed on either side of the field, |
| a systemic fashion where transition is incorporated. | | | | with a goalkeeper in each goal. Taper the sides of |
| The players will be able to start putting the pieces | | | | the field so the angle for shooting will be optimized. |
| together in scrimmage and game situations, and the | | | | Teams will consist of 6 players; 4 defensive and 2 |
| better the fundamental skill development and | | | | offensive players. Each half will have 4 defensive |
| transition flow, the better the assimilation into game | | | | players from one team, and 2 offensive players from |
| situations. | | | | the other team. Once assigned to a half of the field, |
| Here are some offensive drills that can help you | | | | each player must stay on their assigned half. The 4 |
| focus your team on improving their skills around the | | | | defenders will move the ball around and take shots |
| goal. The nice thing about offensive drills is that you | | | | on the opposing goal. Once a shot is taken, the |
| can combine the offense with a defensive transition | | | | offensive players will follow up on the shot, while the |
| where you can teach the kids about the importance | | | | defensive players will try to recover the ball. Once |
| of attacking the ball and recovering once the ball is | | | | the ball is recovered by the defense, the two |
| lost. | | | | offensive players will try to regain possession, while |
| 1v1 | | | | the defense works into position to shoot on the |
| This drill will develop a players aggressiveness for 50 | | | | opposing goal again. Encourage players to take shots, |
| 50 balls, focus on the goal once the ball is won, and | | | | and have an extra ball available for quick turn around |
| defending if the ball is lost. Divide your team into two | | | | when the ball goes out of play. This game should be |
| sides and have them line up on each goal post. Have | | | | kept moving and transition speed encouraged. |
| a cone about 20 yards from each goal post. On the | | | | Focus on solid practice plans that emphasize speed |
| coaches' signal, each player will sprint toward the | | | | and transition. Offensive drills can be used to build |
| cone. As the players approach the cone, the coach | | | | skills around the goal and emphasize the transition |
| will release a 50/50 ball. As the players round the | | | | from defense to offense. The transition game is one |
| cone, they will attack the ball, each trying to gain | | | | of the toughest to teach to children just learning the |
| possession. The player that gains possession tries to | | | | game. The coach that uses transition while teaching |
| score a goal while the player that did not get | | | | offensive soccer skills will build a much higher |
| possession defends the goal. The coach needs to | | | | fundamental understanding of the skills and flow of |
| emphasize speed when rounding the cones, attacking | | | | the game. |