There are four areas coaches need to train in order to develop individual players and hence their teams:
- Technical Skills
- Tactical Skills
- Physical Fitness
- Mental Fitness
The coaching approach and time spent on each of these areas in practice and throughout the season depends on the age and competitive level of the team. below are some suggestions.
Technical Skills
Ball control (receiving and controlling), passing, finishing, heading, tackling, etc. are the fundamental skills each soccer player needs. The younger the player, the more time needs to be spent in practice and outside of practice.
- Ages 4-8: 80% of practice time
- Ages 9-12: 60% of practice time
- Ages 13 +: 40% of practice time
- Competitive: 25% of practice time
As players get older and more competitive, the intensity and complexity of drills must be increased.
Tactical Skills
Areas of training are combining with team mates, playing in units (defenders, midfielders, attackers), transitioning and combining between units, playing in a specified formation as a team.
- Ages 4-8: 5%
- Ages 9-12: 20%
- Ages 13+: 30%
- Competitive: 40%
The requirements for the youngest group should start with the basic idea of scoring goals and preventing goals and the direction of the goals.
Physical Fitness
An aerobic base is essential for all soccer athletes. With the youngest groups this is easiest developed in fun games that involve some running. As players get older, we believe fitness is trained best in conjunction with technical plays, sprint and shoot drills for example. Only at the competitive, senior and professional level would fitness training without soccer balls be appropriate. This would involve strength development (weight room), resistance sprints (held back by elastic cord or parachute), etc.
- Ages 4-8: 10%
- Ages 9-12: 15%
- Ages 13+: 20%
- Competitive: 20%
Mental Fitness:
The mental fitness aspects again vary as children and players develop. The key for the very young ones is to get them to enjoy the sport, develop social interaction with others and instill a love for the sport such that they want to come back. With the next age group, coaches need to start on focus, discipline, communication and interaction for the purpose of achieving team results. In these younger groups, the coach builds mental training into practices in such a way that the players are passively trained, i.e. they may not be aware that they are being trained. Monitoring behavioural results and adjusting techniques are the coach's job.
As we progress to older age groups and more competitive play, the coach still develops the mental training program, however, players are now actively engaged. Open discussion about expectation, measurements, results and improvement plans are held with individuals and the team. Players receive their own exercises such as visualization, goal setting, performance self monitoring, team environment building events, etc.
- Ages 4-8: 5% - largely within drills and team pizza party
- Ages 9-12: 5% - some instruction, team events
- Ages 13+: 10%
- Competitive: 15%
All of these elements are carefully trained and balanced in the practices you can obtain by clicking on the links below:
Our Practice Books And Resources
Kids Soccer Drills & Practices
Youth Soccer Drills & Practices
Competitive Soccer Drills & Practices
Soccer Goalie Drills & Practices
Indoor Soccer Drills & Practices
