Tips on coaching U-14's

[empennage]

Well I'm going to be a volunteer coach for a mostly U-14 boys with some U-16 players. This is my first year coaching, so I want some help on what types of things I should coach. It seems to me that this is right around the age where players can understand the more complicated parts of soccer. What I mean by this, is that it's no longer teaching players how to kick a ball, but it's teaching players to begin to think tactically.

Some concepts I was thinking of working on this season:

2 touch passing
Formation of the team (ie. 4-4-2)
Responsibilites of different positions
Transition from defense to offense and vice versa
Develop further the skills that they already have

I know these a vague concepts, but each of these concepts probably have at least 5 drills that I can have the team run. So are these concepts too much, too little?

Btw I've played for 14 years, so I kind of know what's supposed to go on, but I'm now making that transistion to coach.

[faizalenu]

Sounds like you have your stuff together, I will give you some things to work on with your players:

1. Defense in 4-4-2
a) The role of the stopper -- stop the first man down the field.
b) Role of Sweeper
c) How to "switch" when the flanks are beat.
d) Roles on free kicks and corners.
e) Off Sides Traps -- if you have the b@ll$
f) Communication
g) Week side drop (also pertains to midfielders.)g) h) Overlaps (also pertains to midfielders.)

2. If you only have 2 forwards, you will need to teach them to hold the ball to build the attack.

3. "Three-man weave is a good drill to reinforce 1- and 2-touch passing as well as off-the-ball movement. (Description upon request)

4. Cross-head/cross-shoot is a good goal scorer's drill and keeper drill. (Description upon request).

5. Don't forget your keeper.

6. 7 on 4 (with full goalie) is a good way to teach ball movement with short side. No excuse for not getting a quality shot with every rep.

HOPE THIS HELPS


Originally posted by empennage
Well I'm going to be a volunteer coach for a mostly U-14 boys with some U-16 players. This is my first year coaching, so I want some help on what types of things I should coach. It seems to me that this is right around the age where players can understand the more complicated parts of soccer. What I mean by this, is that it's no longer teaching players how to kick a ball, but it's teaching players to begin to think tactically.

Some concepts I was thinking of working on this season:

2 touch passing
Formation of the team (ie. 4-4-2)
Responsibilites of different positions
Transition from defense to offense and vice versa
Develop further the skills that they already have

I know these a vague concepts, but each of these concepts probably have at least 5 drills that I can have the team run. So are these concepts too much, too little?

Btw I've played for 14 years, so I kind of know what's supposed to go on, but I'm now making that transistion to coach.

[Richie]

"mostly U-14 boys with some U-16 players."

If you are playing in a league your team is Under 16 because you have some under 16 players on that team.

"It seems to me that this is right around the age where players can understand the more complicated parts of soccer."

Maybe and Maybe not. Never assume anything about what a player knows or doesn't know. He has to show you what he knows telling you means nothing. Tactics are useless without the skill you need to carry them out.

"What I mean by this, is that it's no longer teaching players how to kick a ball"

Don't be so sure about that. Skill work has to come first before anything else. Again you can move on when they can show you they can do things with the ball.

"2 touch passing" Two touch play makes confident players. To play two touch there has to be some thought behind the pass. The receiver needs an easy ball to handle to play two touch.

"Formation of the team (ie. 4-4-2)
Responsibilites of different positions"

Formations are starting points. Who plays at what position is not that important. It just maters that someone is at that position most of the time. Does not have to be one player designated to play that one position.

On attack you attack space. On defense you kill space.

"Transition from defense to offense and vice versa"

That is important but good defense starts when you have the ball. Not after you lose the ball. Your support on attack should leave no spaces ball side and 30 yards from ball side. Then if you lose the ball there is not quick conter near the ball. They have to switch the field on the first or second pass to counter.

Read the thread on first yr coach it has over 230 posts. Some are worth reading especially my posts :-).

Good luck

Richie

[Turk from Pigs Eye]

I would say that at this age you shouldn't work on conditioning. Let them get into condition working with the ball at their feet.

I would stress unbalanced small-sided games of keepaway to teach them movement, positioning, and keeping possession. If they can learn a give and go that would be great. I would stress that after they pass they need to move, not become a spectator. All eleven players play both offense and defense. First, second, and third offenders and defenders is a concept they can learn. This amounts to teaching them to support each other.

To teach finishing I would scrimmage on a short field so they can take more shots from just about anywhere.