How much to practice - Boys U10?

[soulman]

I'd like to get a sampling of how much other U10 and U12 teams are practicing each week. I'm trying to figure out how much to practice this coming spring, and going back and forth between:
1) 2-2 hr practices per week (4 hrs/week)
2) 2-2 hr practices plus 1- 1 1/2 hr practice (5 1/2 hrs/week)

[JohnR]

Typical schedule for a high-level boys team is 2 x 1.5 hours for U10s, 3 x 1.5 or 3 x 2 for U12s.

If you are in an area that requires indoor winter training, the indoor schedule would typically be a bit reduced.

[Scarecrow]

Boys U-10 I give em 2-3 practices a week for 1.5 to 2 hrs. Make sure that you are keeping it interesting for them though. Work on skills, conditioning, but also keep it light and give them time to just play soccer. Take the last half hour of the practice and have them scrimmage.

For U-12 I would go 3-4 times a week for about 2 hours depending on weather of course. At that age you still want it to be fun, but you also start working more and more on skill development. Small sided games such as putting a 5 v 5 game of one or 2 touch where 5 passes equals 1 pt. Put them in the penalty area to start, then you can expand the size of the field.

One other thing, when making your practice schedule, take into account the parents, you want to make sure that the players can be there so make sure the parents can get them there.

[JohnR]

For U-12 I would go 3-4 times a week for about 2 hours depending on weather of course

I am unaware of any U.S. soccer club that practices 8 hours weekly, at any age.

[htafc]

I am unaware of any U.S. soccer club that practices 8 hours weekly, at any age.
i only practise 1 hour

[Stan Collins]

i only practise 1 hour I don't need to practice at all:

http://ca.yimg.com/i/cf/cp/20020912/1946837043.jpg

[IASocFan]

My U10s practiced twice a week for 1 hour. After the first hour, you're just baby sitting. At U14, we were up to 90 minutes.

[Scarecrow]

I am unaware of any U.S. soccer club that practices 8 hours weekly, at any age.

I can name quite a few teams in OVYSA (Ohio) that would practice tues, thurs and sat. Some teams went mon, wed, thurs, sat. Though Sat. were scrimmage games mostly. So there are teams out there that do practice that much.

[GROVESHSCOACH]

I can name quite a few teams in OVYSA (Ohio) that would practice tues, thurs and sat. Some teams went mon, wed, thurs, sat. Though Sat. were scrimmage games mostly. So there are teams out there that do practice that much.


That is only because the coaches want to get paid more. I understand going three times weekly for a premier state cup level team at that age, but anything more is just overkill. If you're into practicing that much send the kid to a soccer academy.

[Scarecrow]

That is only because the coaches want to get paid more. I understand going three times weekly for a premier state cup level team at that age, but anything more is just overkill. If you're into practicing that much send the kid to a soccer academy.


That would be nice if their club paid, only Centerville paid as far as I know, the rest are vol.

U-12 and U-14 teams I had I went 3 times a week with a vol. Friday session and I almost always had a full team there, of course I tried to make it fun, so it was something they wanted to do, not had to do. If they want to be there, they will be there.

[GROVESHSCOACH]

That would be nice if their club paid, only Centerville paid as far as I know, the rest are vol.

U-12 and U-14 teams I had I went 3 times a week with a vol. Friday session and I almost always had a full team there, of course I tried to make it fun, so it was something they wanted to do, not had to do. If they want to be there, they will be there.

I agree. It is unfortunate but in today's world kids are not making the decisions. I coach Highschool and travel soccer in the Detroit, Michigan area. The parents are making the decisions for the kids, when it comes to sports and playing/practice time.

1) In my area good luck finding a coach or trainer to work for less than 35 dollars a hour. The top level trainers get 100 or more an hour.

2) Most good soccer players at the u12 and u14 levels are innately good athletes. Therefore, they are playing multiple sports a year and multiple sports a season. Some of my best soccer players are also top level hockey players, and these are girls.

3) No parent is going to pay me, at the rate of $100 a session, to have practice 3 or 4 times a week. The elite level teams in my area VARDAR, Mich WOLVES Mich HAWKS etc. practice three times a week and that is with two more days being games and with multiple tournaments.

4) while I admire any Volunteer coach who is willing to have a u12 team practice 4 times a week, no parent wants to drive a kid, in rush hour, to practice 4 times a week without some kind of payoff. If they just want their kids to exercise and have fun, OK. If you seriously pay attention to the parents in today's youth sports you will know that if a PARENT is going to make a committment, which believe me that is how they see it, they want to win

[Scarecrow]

I agree. It is unfortunate but in today's world kids are not making the decisions. I coach Highschool and travel soccer in the Detroit, Michigan area. The parents are making the decisions for the kids, when it comes to sports and playing/practice time.

1) In my area good luck finding a coach or trainer to work for less than 35 dollars a hour. The top level trainers get 100 or more an hour.

2) Most good soccer players at the u12 and u14 levels are innately good athletes. Therefore, they are playing multiple sports a year and multiple sports a season. Some of my best soccer players are also top level hockey players, and these are girls.

3) No parent is going to pay me, at the rate of $100 a session, to have practice 3 or 4 times a week. The elite level teams in my area VARDAR, Mich WOLVES Mich HAWKS etc. practice three times a week and that is with two more days being games and with multiple tournaments.

4) while I admire any Volunteer coach who is willing to have a u12 team practice 4 times a week, no parent wants to drive a kid, in rush hour, to practice 4 times a week without some kind of payoff. If they just want their kids to exercise and have fun, OK. If you seriously pay attention to the parents in today's youth sports you will know that if a PARENT is going to make a committment, which believe me that is how they see it, they want to win

Isn't it amazing how many parents want to live vicariously through their children?? Some of the parents I have had on my teams have asked me why I don't get too caught up in how my kid is doing compared to some of the other parents and coaches, and I told them that when I want to stoke my ego, I put on my cleats and go play. But when I am coaching, I am not out there for me, I am out there cause I have something to pass on. Sure I play and coach to win, but not at the expense of the kids. Some of the best games I have coached, and had the most fun were games we lost, either 1-0 or 5-4, it didn't matter cause the team I had played hard the whole game and when it was over, they knew they put out their best effort and frankly, what more can you do?

The only trainers I have had that I brought in and paid were 2 college players from Dayton and they only got 20 per session each. The team learned alot, the players earned some cash, and everyone had a good time.

[GROVESHSCOACH]

Isn't it amazing how many parents want to live vicariously through their children?? Some of the parents I have had on my teams have asked me why I don't get too caught up in how my kid is doing compared to some of the other parents and coaches, and I told them that when I want to stoke my ego, I put on my cleats and go play. But when I am coaching, I am not out there for me, I am out there cause I have something to pass on. Sure I play and coach to win, but not at the expense of the kids. Some of the best games I have coached, and had the most fun were games we lost, either 1-0 or 5-4, it didn't matter cause the team I had played hard the whole game and when it was over, they knew they put out their best effort and frankly, what more can you do?

The only trainers I have had that I brought in and paid were 2 college players from Dayton and they only got 20 per session each. The team learned alot, the players earned some cash, and everyone had a good time.


The league you coach in, is it rec or travel? How many of your players are playing other sports? How are you able to practice that much? Especially if you are a lower level team where the parents are not all expecting their kid to be the next Pele. Most of my parents would kill me if I tryed to hold practice that often. The homework load alone for a 6th or 7th grader these days is killer.

[Scarecrow]

The league you coach in, is it rec or travel? How many of your players are playing other sports? How are you able to practice that much? Especially if you are a lower level team where the parents are not all expecting their kid to be the next Pele. Most of my parents would kill me if I tryed to hold practice that often. The homework load alone for a 6th or 7th grader these days is killer.


I have coached both. My rec teams only practiced twice a week, and once the season got under way we had games through the week so the practices basically went away.

With select, in the Fall when we had games on weekends, we had a mon wed fri schedule with games on Sat and at the end of the year on sat and sun. Of course as the season progresses the practices begin to taper off.

Now that I have moved back to Oak Forest, Il. I have spoken to the local areas about rec and select and will see what the turnouts and schedules are like here.

I know what you mean about homework, I have twins that are in 6th and 1 that is in 8th and they get hit pretty hard on the homework. Makes you wonder why the teachers can't teach more in the class and not rely on homework so much. But that is another thread...

[stucknutah]

Some suggestions...you don't know me or my level of experience, so take them as you will.

Practice for the same length of time as your games.

If your U-10's are 30 min halves...have them show up 15 minutes early to the "practice" to get their shoes on and get the bs out of the way. At the beginning of game-practice time, go hard for the 30 minutes...take the 5 minute half-time/water break, then another 30 minutes hard. At the end of practice, a few minutes to cool down and coach talk...then they are off for home. The secret/challenge is to have all your drills pre-planned and prepared, so you can go from one to the other with little or no down time for the players...Make coaching points as you play...only stop the whole group for a coaching point if it is vital because it interrupts the flow.

By making the practice "game-realistic" the kids will have more fun with no time to be bored (a challenge with u10s or 12s)...

I agree with others who have stated that how many days you practice depends on the level...rec = 1, travel = 2, high level club = 2 + 1 specialty practice with club coach maybe every other week.

Have fun!

[GROVESHSCOACH]

Some suggestions...you don't know me or my level of experience, so take them as you will.

Practice for the same length of time as your games.

If your U-10's are 30 min halves...have them show up 15 minutes early to the "practice" to get their shoes on and get the bs out of the way. At the beginning of game-practice time, go hard for the 30 minutes...take the 5 minute half-time/water break, then another 30 minutes hard. At the end of practice, a few minutes to cool down and coach talk...then they are off for home. The secret/challenge is to have all your drills pre-planned and prepared, so you can go from one to the other with little or no down time for the players...Make coaching points as you play...only stop the whole group for a coaching point if it is vital because it interrupts the flow.

By making the practice "game-realistic" the kids will have more fun with no time to be bored (a challenge with u10s or 12s)...

I agree with others who have stated that how many days you practice depends on the level...rec = 1, travel = 2, high level club = 2 + 1 specialty practice with club coach maybe every other week.

Have fun!


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