Coaching youth teams.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

U-10 for both boys and girls at my local elite club.
Varisty and JV High School
Microsoccer [u8, u6]

Okay

[stanaccrington]

I haven't been able to follow this entire thread, but I might be getting into coaching this summer. What age groups do you all coach?

High school,
Club u16-u17 both girls teams, u10-u13 boys.
ODP (when invited:D )
Coaching classes on sunday afternoon for NSCAA.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

I got my first coaching job today, U-10 boys. I think its a good start considering I am young and haven't got any licensing yet. Hoping to get up to my D license by next year.

[liverbird]

I got my first coaching job today, U-10 boys. I think its a good start considering I am young and haven't got any licensing yet. Hoping to get up to my D license by next year.

Good luck. Great to give something back to the game, isn't it.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Good luck. Great to give something back to the game, isn't it.

Yeah most definitely.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Hey another quick question for everyone, just to get some feedback. I was wondering two different things: 1) What formation would be good for U10s? and 2) What should I do to teach them offsides?

For a formation I was thinking
---Striker---Striker--
----------AM----------
----LM----------RM---
----------DM----------
LB-------------------RB
----------SW-----------
or that formation with a flat back three or this formation
---Striker---Striker----
----CM-------CM-------
LB-------CB----------RB--
or
---------Striker--------
LF--------------------RF
--------CM--CM---------
--------CB--CB----------
or just the regular 2-3-2.

Thanks in advance!!!

[Twenty26Six]

Hey another quick question for everyone, just to get some feedback. I was wondering two different things: 1) What formation would be good for U10s? and 2) What should I do to teach them offsides?

or just the regular 2-3-2.

Thanks in advance!!!

To teach them offside, just let them know you cant be behind the last defender until the ball is kicked. That should be simple enough to keep them onsides 85% of the time. Don't address any of the exceptions or intricacies to that rule unless they themselves bring it up first.

For formation, if you have 7v7 + Keepers, play a 2-3-2 standard, NO SWEEPER ;), b.c they won't develop understanding proper defensive roles. As a rule, do not use any tactics that specifically relate to winning. Everything you do should be geared towards individual player development.

For U1s, just as advice, have a simple and straightforward goal for the season. Like, for example, out U10 Elites are focused only on "being comfortable with the ball on their foot under pressure". That is our goal for the season and a pretty acceptable one for a 9yo.

Hope that helps.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

To teach them offside, just let them know you cant be behind the last defender until the ball is kicked. That should be simple enough to keep them onsides 85% of the time. Don't address any of the exceptions or intricacies to that rule unless they themselves bring it up first.

For formation, if you have 7v7 + Keepers, play a 2-3-2 standard, NO SWEEPER ;), b.c they won't develop understanding proper defensive roles. As a rule, do not use any tactics that specifically relate to winning. Everything you do should be geared towards individual player development.

For U1s, just as advice, have a simple and straightforward goal for the season. Like, for example, out U10 Elites are focused only on "being comfortable with the ball on their foot under pressure". That is our goal for the season and a pretty acceptable one for a 9yo.

Hope that helps.
Thanks I figured not to get too complicated with things, I was also worried about the offensive and defensive sides of the game. My coach in club soccer hurt our team a lot when we started playing ll a side cause he played a 5-4-1, and the forward was a target forward. I just want the kids to have fun, have good touch, on the ball and score some goals.

Here was one of my coaches genius formations.

--------------Target Forward------------------
---------------Attacking Mid-------------------
------LCM---------CM------------RM-----------
-LWB---------------------------------------RWB
-----------LCB------CB--------RCB-------------

Wouldn't change strategies...we would dominate possesion and never score. I don't want that to happen with my team.

[Twenty26Six]

You'll do fine. Just keep your sessions focused and simple.

On Sunday, with the U10 Boys [we might do the same for the girls] I am doing a session on receiving only. We'll do some small group passing, or sequential passing, or dutch windows. Then we'll do something with a two touch restriction. Then 4v4 to two goals. Then a 7v7 game at the end for 15 minutes. Practice will last an hour.

My only coaching points for receiving will be:
*Get body in line with ball
*Head up to recognize open space
*Use first touch to control AND prepare
*1st touch should take the ball away from pressure

[stanaccrington]

Last nights u10 session plus a couple of drills I throw in depending how many turn up.

Equipment
1 ball per player, cones, pennies

Warm up

Tag – Create pairs of players and have them link arms, break one of the pairs apart and give one of them a penny, the player with the penny is it and will chase the other player until they link up with one of the pairs, the player on the other side of the link must now leave the link and run

Body

Ghosts – 15 minutes, 20x30 yards, two players without the ball are ghosts, the ghosts object is to get as many balls out of the grid as possible in two minutes, if a player has their ball kicked out of the grid they retrieve their ball and re-enter the grid

Praise the players that work together to trap a player and take the ball away

Its a Knockout – 15 minutes, 20x30 yards, half the players with balls, the other half need to be around the outside of the grid, the players outside the grid will come into the grid and work together to steal balls away from the dribblers and dribble the outside of the grid, once a player loses their ball they can help their team mates out by passing with them, time the team that started with out with the ball on how long it takes to get the ball out of the grid

Application

End Zone – 20 minutes, two 20x30 yard grids, create two games of 3v3 or 4v4, players score by dribbling over the endline with the ball

Scrimmage – 15-20 mintues, two 20x30 yard grids, create small goals on either endline and allow the players to play without any coaching.

http://www.aysohelp.org/coach/U10games/four_goals.pdf

http://www.aysohelp.org/coach/U10games/Dribbling_turn.pdf

http://www.aysohelp.org/coach/U10games/free_for_all2.pdf

Defensive rules. Read these to them everytime you practice, they will soon learn them.

Thou shalt get behind the ball - recovery into a defensive position is the first priority.
Thou shalt pressure ball but not get beaten by the attacker with ball - slow down or stop the attacker with ball and force into a more predictable and controllable situation.
Thou shalt support the player pressuring ball or other supporting defenders - depending upon defensive positioning in relation to ball and teammates; spacing is critical.
Thou shalt not allow any through balls to get behind the defense by taking away passing angles--this is the key to off-ball defending.
Thou shalt identify and mark ball side the most dangerously positioned off-ball attackers.
Thou shalt look to apply double-team pressure to the ball when available.
Thou shalt compress the attackers away from the goal when possible by moving towards ball while still maintaining defensive depth behind ball.

[usscouse]

I went to the highschool last night. It was home game night with JV at 5:30 and Varsity at 7:30.
I was a little embarrassed at the reception I got, seems everyone knows this Limey coach. Well I have coached 90% of both the teams.

Wasn't a good night for either of them though, both were down 1-2 at the half and both looked like they were going to pull it back with some nice football and good pressure and both let in 2 breakaway goals by over committing and leaving the goalie stranded.

I sat with the crowd who had the best pizza and hot chocolate, and the rowdiest and had a good time.

Interesting that the players were in totally different positions than when I played them. Attack in defense and defence in attack and seemed to look uncomfortable. They didn't seem to know who was around them as support. I saw a few defensive boo boos when the defender should have passed back to his keeper to take pressure off them once the defender got hurt trying to turn when he was looking right at his keeper and another resulted in a goal. I got told by one of the dads that they're not allowed to do that.

My mantra was "don't get caught in possession and pass before you're tackled" well that's obviously changed.

Different coaches, different methods......and I've retired......which automatically makes me a better coach ........ D :D

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Just had my first team meeting with the parents and the players. I also just found out that my team will be playing in tournaments where the competition is 6 v. 6, a change from the 8 v. 8 I previously thought. So I am probably going to run a formation like this...

Winger--------Forward---------Winger
---------CB-------------CB----------
---------------Keeper----------------

My team is the Capitol City Soccer Club U-10. They are named the Wild, and from what I saw at the meeting I am going to have my hands full. One of the kids pickpocketed his mom, and went and bought Jones Soda for his teammates.

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

Got my first practices in the next two weeks, I also decided to play for a U-19 team. Kind of have mixed reactions about U-19 soccer, some of the dirtiest stuff ever, but I will be playing with a good team.

I think the biggest test for the team that I am coaching and playing will be when we go to the USA Cup Weekend tournament in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

[usscouse]

U19 We called it league of hard knocks...!
Survive that and you'll do well.

I've asked English coaches when they coach here. What's difference between the UK and the US.
Answer always is that the UK game "Is more physical" Ouch!

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

U19 We called it league of hard knocks...!
Survive that and you'll do well.

I've asked English coaches when they coach here. What's difference between the UK and the US.
Answer always is that the UK game "Is more physical" Ouch!

Yep, I have heard the same thing from UK coaches that come to our town for our club. You realize this when they are telling American U10s to "get stuck in" :D .

[usscouse]

I used to do a newsletter that the kids and parents loved and I used quotes from the likes of Shankley and other as fillers.

One the defenders liked was: "You can get by me...the ball can get by me...but you 'and' the ball will 'not' get by me!".. :)

[Twenty26Six]

I used to do a newsletter that the kids and parents loved and I used quotes from the likes of Shankley and other as fillers.

One the defenders liked was: "You can get by me...the ball can get by me...but you 'and' the ball will 'not' get by me!".. :)

Consider that one stolen... ;)

[CCSC_STRIKER20]

I used to do a newsletter that the kids and parents loved and I used quotes from the likes of Shankley and other as fillers.

One the defenders liked was: "You can get by me...the ball can get by me...but you 'and' the ball will 'not' get by me!".. :)

Possibly one of the greatest football quotes of all time. It is the easiest thing to teach a defender, all of my coaches have used it....Definitely a classic.

[liverbird]

MiniLB made a goal and scored one as his side won 3-0. "Top of the table and having a laugh". 9 points from 3 games. 7-0 in goals.

[Twenty26Six]

MiniLB made a goal and scored one as his side won 3-0. "Top of the table and having a laugh". 9 points from 3 games. 7-0 in goals.

From one red-haired Irishman to another [am I right?]... KUTGW!