MUNCHKIN/U6/U8
Recreational
Coaching
Manual
www.bereayouthsoccerclub.org
Table of Contents
1 What is Recreational Soccer?
2 Recreational Player Development
Under 6 Developmental Characteristics
Under 6 Practice Objectives
Under 8 Developmental Characteristics
Under 8 Practice Objectives
3 Recreational Coach Development
US Youth Soccer Youth Modules U6/U8
OYSAN State E and D Coaching Courses
Coaching Development Resources
4 Team Management
5 Planning Your Coaching Session
6 Game Day Responsibilities
7 Additional
Resources
8 Games and Activities
U6 Games and Activities
U8 Games and Activities
Organized By Andrew Dickson, Board Member,
www.bereayouthsoccerclub.org
Updated January 2009
*Special thanks to Sam Snow,
Director of Coaching US Youth Soccer Association
and John Paskvalich,
for their help and assistance
with this manual.
1 What is Recreational Soccer?
You have heard the term before, but do
you really know what “recreational soccer” is?
There are no legal definitions, no US
Youth Soccer rules, policies or regulations therefore,
for the purposes of this manual, let’s
use the following basic definition:
Recreational soccer is a soccer program
primarily devoted to the
enjoyment and development of soccer
players without the emphasis on
travel or high-level competition. The
purpose of recreational soccer is to
provide an opportunity for the
participants to have fun, learn the sport and
develop life skills including a
lifelong love of the game.
Therefore:
• Access is open to all
who desire to participate (The Game for ALL Kids).
• Emphasis is on active
participation (minimum of half game playing time).
• Objective is for the
players to enjoy the experience.
• Success and excellence
are measured in players attracted and players retained.
• Recreational soccer is
all about fun, recreation, love of the game, and winning is not a
measure of success.
Model Emphasis
Excellence Body Decisions Opponents
Children benefit in many ways from
participating in recreational soccer and the
chances are good that the children you
coach will have fun and a very positive
experience. However, it is also
important that you understand some of the
characteristics of recreational play
and recreational players. Those
characteristics are as follows:
• Almost every player and
parent will start out in recreational soccer.
• Two-year age groups are
typical of recreational teams so there may be a wide range
between the most skilled player and the
least skilled player.
• Wider age gaps create
greater differences in physical, mental and social development.
• Players new to the sport
are constantly being introduced into the mix.
• Enthusiasm and
dedication varies widely from the highly motivated to the socially
involved.
• Soccer, for the child
who wants to play, is an outlet for energy and enthusiasm.
• Fit and unfit players
often play together.
• Participation
stretches from always there to when it is convenient.
• Recreational
players (especially in the U6 and U8 age groups) generally do not develop
strong feelings against the opposing team because they often have friends on
the opposing team.
• Many
young children start out in soccer. (It has been said that, “Soccer is the
first sport that American children play.”) Soccer is a game, especially at the
very young level, where all skill-levels of children can participate and have
fun.
• Many young children try
out many sports at a young age and may jump from one
activity to another during the year or
even during the same season.
Some of the main characteristics of
recreational coaches are as follows:
• Virtually every
recreational coach will be an unpaid parent volunteer.
• While an increasing
number of recreational coaches played soccer growing up, many
others, especially those coaching the
youngest age groups are
first time soccer
coaches with little or no coaching experience.
2 Recreational Player Development
Recreational Player Development takes
place most effectively in
environments where coaches facilitate
learning in two main ways. The first is
through the use of developmentally
appropriate activities and games; the
second is through the coach displaying a
thorough understanding of how
young players learn and the developmental
characteristics of those players.
Coaching in the Under
Six Age Group
Game Application
Game Form 3 v 3, 4 v 4, 5 v 5, or
6 v 6
GK Status Goalkeeper can be used
but rotated frequently
Field Size Recommended field size
is 20-30 yards long by 15-25 yards wide.
Ball Size 4
Restart Method When the ball goes out
of bounds (sidelines), the game is restarted with a
kick-in or throw-in; club choice.
U6 General Developmental Characteristics
• Short attention span.
• Most are individually
oriented (me, my, mine).
• Constantly in motion.
• Psychologically bruised
very easily.
• Little or no concern for
team activities.
• Physical and
psychological development of boys and girls is quite similar.
• Physical coordination is
immature.
• Eye/hand and/or eye/foot
coordination is most primitive at best.
• Love to run, jump, roll
and climb.
• Catching skills are not
developed.
• Can balance only on good
foot.
• No sense of pace — GO
FLAT OUT!!!
U6 Age Group Practice Objectives
Coaching Emphasis Fun!
Technique Dribbling, changing
direction while running with the ball, shooting and
kicking with different surfaces.
Psychology Sharing, fair play, how
to “play”, emotional management.
Fitness Balance; running;
jumping; coordination; movement education.
Tactics Players should be aware
of the direction they are attacking, where
they are on the field and be encouraged
to be ball-orientated (always
wanting to be involved in the action).
Team shape can be addressed
but under no circumstances should players
be put in positions or made
to stay in a certain area. In the U6 age
group, players can be set up in
a triangle shape to start the game and at
other natural breaks (kick off,
goal kicks, etc.)
U6 Coaching Considerations
The qualities of a good coach in the U6
age group are patience, good humor, and the
willingness to see the world through a
child’s eyes. Make sure you are dressed like a coach (no
jeans, no suits) and be prepared to play
with the children, demonstrate activities, act silly and
become involved with the session.
Coaching in the Under 8
Age Group
Game Application
Game Form 4 v 4, 5 v 5, 6 v 6 or 7
v 7
GK Status Goalkeeper is used and
rotated frequently.
Field Size Recommended field size is
25-35 yards long by 20-30 yards wide.
Ball Size 4
Restart Method When the ball goes out
of bounds (sidelines), the game is restarted with
a throw-in.
U8 General Developmental
Characteristics
• Attention span is a bit
longer than U6, but still not at the “team at all costs”
intensity.
• Inclined more toward
group activities.
• Still in motion -
twitching, jerking, scratching and blinking are all second nature
physical movements.
• Still very sensitive…
• Dislike personal
failures in front of peers.
• Ridicule from the coach
in front of the group is very destructive
• Boys and girls are still
quite similar in physical and psychological development.
• Beginning to develop
some physical confidence
• Still into running,
jumping, climbing and rolling.
• More into imitation of
the “big guys”.
• Still lack sense of pace
— Go Flat Out! Will chase the ball until they drop.
U8 Age Group Practice Objectives
Technique Dribbling and running
with the ball are still the main focus. Other techniques can
be introduced, such as receiving ground
balls, shooting with the laces, short
passing, shielding and throw-ins.
Psychology Working in pairs,
sportsmanship.
Fitness Agility, eye/foot and
eye/hand coordination; introduce the idea of cool-down,
movement education
Tactics • Players need continual
reinforcement to stay engaged in practice or
the game.
• Coaches can also focus on those players
who show a willingness to break
from the swarm and encourage teammates to
recognize this behavior.
• Coaches should encourage players to run
with the ball and dribble past
defenders. Players in the U8 age group
must not be punished for dribbling
the ball too much.
• Everyone attacks together and defends
together and coaches can
introduce what players must do when not
in possession of the ball e.g. get
back behind the ball, defend goal side.
• Team shape can be addressed but under
no circumstances should players
be put in positions or made to stay in a
certain area. In the U8 age group
players can be set up in a diamond shape
to start the game and at other
natural breaks (kick off, goal kicks
etc.)
U8 Coaching Considerations
Every aspect of play coached in the U6
age must be reinforced at U8. It is the coach’s
responsibility to encourage a fear free
culture in this age group at practice. Games should
only be considered as another fun
activity that happens to include a soccer ball. Most of the
information you will provide to a U8
player will pertain to each player’s individual relationship
with the soccer ball — to want it, how
to find it, to feel more comfortable with it, to keep it
close, etc.
Consider that kids learn by watching
and copying and a good picture of proper technique can
be a very powerful learning tool in
this age group. Coaches should say things such as, “See if
you can make it look like this, and try
to do most of your teaching by offering a picture and
then set up fun games where the
objective of the game is for players to practice certain ways
to master that technique.
3 Recreational Coach Development
“Coaching development
takes and lasts a lifetime. Coaches who are forever
open to the ‘new’ will
always create, grow and improve their understanding
of coaching and the
player development process.”
A coach’s influence on a young child is
very important. The effect that a coach has on a child’s
development can last for an extended
period of time and a lack of effective coaching is one of the
main causes of player attrition.
Therefore, it is vital that every coach improve their understanding of
coaching and the player development
process. The best way to achieve that is through
participation in a variety of coach
education courses.
The Ohio Youth Soccer Association North
(OYSAN) and the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) offer a number of coach
education courses. The OYSAN strongly recommends that every coach
undertake a coach education course prior
to the start of their first season of coaching, and take
additional training courses as the coach
progresses through the age groups with their team. This
recommendation is true for beginning
through experienced coaches.
OYSAN
recommends that every U6 or U8 coach take the U6/U8 Youth Module.
An outline of the curriculum is listed
below:
U6/U8 Youth Coaching Module — Curriculum
• Course Length: 3 - 4 hours
• Philosophy of Coaching
and Characteristics of U6/U8 Children
• Prevention and Care of
Injuries
• Team and Risk Management
• Laws of the Game
• Field Sessions for U6
Players
• Field Sessions for U8
Players
• All candidates receive a
coaching manual, games book, rule book and certificate
upon completion of the course.
Other coach education opportunities for
coaches who wish to expand their knowledge of the
game are as follows:
U10/U12 Youth Coaching Module — Curriculum
• Course Length: 3 - 4 hours
• Philosophy of Coaching
and Characteristics of U10/U12 Children
• Prevention and Care of
Injuries
• Team and Risk Management
• Laws of the Game
• Field Sessions for U10
Players
• Field Sessions for U12
Players
• All candidates receive a
coaching manual, games book, rule book and certificate upon
completion of the course.
E-License
The “E'' certification course consists of
eighteen (18) hours of instruction. This course normally
includes three and one-half (3½) hours of
theory (tactics, methods, team management, Laws of
the Game, prevention of injuries) and
thirteen (13) hours of practical sessions (technique,
tactics, principles of attack and defense
and goalkeeping). The emphasis of the “E” License is
toward coaches working with players U10
-14 years of age.
D-License
The “D'' certification course is a
continuation of the “E” course and offers more advanced training in
all areas. The “D” License is a pass/fail
course. It consists of thirty-six (36) hours of instruction. This
course normally includes ten hours of theory
and twenty six hours of practical sessions. The
emphasis of the “D” course is geared
toward coaches working with players U12 – U18 years of age.
OYSAN Coaching Course Registration
Online registration for all OYSAN
coaching courses is available at:
Coaching Development Resources
Coaching information is abundant on the
internet and is usually the easiest way for coaches to
access additional coaching information.
Some of the better websites with information relevant
to coaching in the U6/U8 age group are as
follows:
4 Team Management
Effective communication and coordination
with the parents of your players
will make the job of coaching a lot more
enjoyable. The first step is to
organize a parent-coach meeting prior to
each season.
Your parent/coach
meeting should include the following:
Identify your Philosophy of Coaching
and Goals for the Season
At the U6 and U8 age group your
philosophy should be something similar to, “Success and
excellence for this team will be measured
in the number of players who continue playing next
season, and how much fun they have during
the season. Winning is not a measure of
success.”
Collect Player Information
Medical information (asthma, allergies,
etc.), family situations that may affect the child’s
participation or the ride home.
Collect Parent Information
It is important to be able to reach a
parent in case of inclement weather or an injury. Coaches
should obtain work and cell phone numbers
and e-mail addresses of all parents.
Identify Player Responsibilities
Players must bring an inflated soccer
ball and water to every practice. Discuss expectations of the
players concerning attitude and
sportsmanship.
Identify Parent Responsibilities
Discuss expectations of the parents
concerning communication with the coach e.g. what is
required if their child cannot attend a
practice or game. Emphasize that although you will always
remain behind with players if a parent is
late; the expectation is that parents pick up their child
immediately at the end of practice. In
addition clarify schedules, snacks, uniforms, etc.
Address Communication Issues
If parents have concerns, encourage them
to call or e-mail you on a non game or practice day and
definitely not immediately after a game.
Appoint a team coordinator and determine how all team
communication will be undertaken.
Parental Sideline Behavior
Identify appropriate and inappropriate
sideline behavior and decide together how inappropriate
adult behavior on the touchlines will be
addressed. Some topics of conversation concerning
sideline behavior are as follows:
• Children want
cheerleaders to applaud their success, not adults yelling instructions.
Think of the soccer field as a playground
and not as a sports venue.
• What’s appropriate at a
sport stadium with adult athletes is NOT appropriate for young
children at play.
• Focus on the process of
playing and not the outcome.
• Unlike the adult game,
kids playing soccer do not see the other team as the enemy.
The other team is full
of their friends – friends from their school or their neighborhood.
They are likely to be
playing together in your backyard or in your den after the game.
• Cheer ANY and ALL
success on the field. It DOES NOT matter which player OR team.
• Don’t keep score, the
kids don’t regard it as that important.
• Don’t care who wins or
loses, they are having fun and that is the objective NOT winning
or losing.
Sportsmanship
Here are six things you can discuss with
your parents to show what sportsmanship really
means:
• Cheer for all the
children, even those on the other team. What a surprising difference it
can make on the sidelines and in the
stands when parents make an effort to applaud a
good effort or a fine play — no matter
who makes it.
• Talk to parents of the
other team. They are not the enemy.
• Be a parent, not a
coach. Resist the urge to critique. Children dread their parents going
over their performance in detail,
pointing out all their mistakes. Sometimes just being
there shows your children what being a
good parent is all about. Leave the coaching to
the coaches
• Thank the officials.
Find a few moments to compliment the officials for their hard work
after a game (especially if your child's
team loses) you will be rewarded with the
pleasure of seeing a surprised smile in
return.
• Keep soccer in its
proper perspective. Soccer should not be larger than life for you. If
your child's performance produces strong
emotions in you, suppress them. Remember
your relationship will continue with your
children long after their youth soccer days are
over. Keep your goals and needs separate
from your child's experience.
• Have fun, that is what
the children are trying to do!
Four Red Flags for Parents
• Living Out Dreams — A parent who is
continuing to live personal athletic dreams
through his/her child has not released
his/her child to the game.
• Too Involved -— If a parent tends to
share in the credit when the child has done well
in sport or has been victorious, the
parent is too involved.
• Trying Too Hard — If a parent is trying
to continue to coach his child when the child
probably knows more about the game than
the parent does, he has not released the
youth athlete.
• Too Serious — A parent should
realize that he is taking everything too seriously and
has not released the child to the
activity when the parent:
• is nervous before
his/her child’s game.
• becomes verbally
critical of an official.
• has a difficult time
bouncing back when the player’s team suffers a defeat.
• makes mental notes
during a game so he can give his/her child advice at the
conclusion of the game.
• is evaluating his/her
child’s performance on the car ride home. Your child is
playing to have fun, not to earn a grade!
If he or she had fun, the day was a
success
5 Planning Your Coaching Session
The U6 Coaching Session
• Session duration: 45 –
60 minutes
• All players must have a
ball
• Necessary coaching
equipment — Cones, pinnies, pump, extra Balls
• Session progression -
Warm up, fun games, small-sided games
• Player equipment - Ball,
cleats, appropriate clothing, shin guards, water bottle
The developmental characteristics of U6
players will have a major impact on the design and
content of your training session. The
session should include fun activities that encourage
children to explore their physical
abilities as well as emphasizing exploration and
experimentation with the rolling,
spinning and bouncing qualities of the ball. There should be no
activities where players wait in line to
perform an activity or movement.
Children at this age love to use their
imagination when they play, therefore keep this in mind
when designing your session. Activities
should be short and simple as a U6 player’s ability to stay
focused is very limited. Give brief
directions and repeat them when necessary. The main focus of
every session should be individual
activities with the ball, especially dribbling. A U6 player thinks
about themselves 100% of the time and
cannot conceptualize passing the ball or working with a
teammate.
The U8 Coaching Session
• Session Duration 60
minutes
• All players must have a
ball
• Necessary coaching
equipment — Cones, pinnies, pump, extra Balls
• Session progression -
Warm up, fun games, small sided games
• Player equipment - Ball,
cleats, appropriate clothing, shin guards, water bottle
U8 players are still very young and
although they can now remember what they tried at the last
practice it is still very much about
having fun.
The main emphasis of the session should
be dribbling and shooting games that allow each
player plenty of opportunity to
experience the ball at his or her own pace. Games where there
are multiple goals are perfect for this
age group. Also encourage activities where there are
multiple opportunities to change
direction and to vary how fast the players run.
U6 and U8 Coaching Session — General
Considerations
• The coach should arrive
prior to the players and set up the practice area.
• Make sure the size of
your training area is appropriate to the number of players at
training and the physical capabilities of
the players.
• No theme is needed in
these age groups. A selection of different games and
activities works well.
• Make sure you have
pinnies, cones, ball pump, flags or larger cones for goals
(or pop up goals) and extra soccer balls.
Start your session with simple ball and
body movement activities to warm up (individually U6; in
pairs U8) stretching is not necessary in
these age groups, progress to fun games and finish
your session with small sided games and
an unconditioned 3 v 3 game (U6) and 4 v 4 game
(U8).
Coaching Session Checklist
• Are the activities fun?
• Players learn better in
an enjoyable environment
• Are the players involved
in the activities?
• Players enjoy activities
that present an achievable challenge. Activities
that are too difficult will frustrate
players and activities that are too easy
will cause boredom. Players should be
engaged at all times, and not
waiting in lines to perform an activity.
• Are the activities
specific to the game?
• Sending the players to
run around the field to warm up prior to the
practice is not developmentally
appropriate and, in addition, boring.
• Warm up activities
should include lots of movement and numerous
touches on the ball.
• Is the coach’s feedback
appropriate?
• It is important to
encourage young players. Positive feedback will
encourage players to continue to try.
6 Game Day Responsibilities
• Arrive at the field at
least 15 minutes prior to the time you told the players to arrive.
• Make sure you bring
player cards, emergency medical information and medical release
forms for each player. A link to a sample
medical release form is listed in the additional
resources section on page 32.
• Check the playing
surface and equipment for safety e.g. objects on the field, goals are
secured. Make sure you have a game ball
that is properly inflated.
• Confirm the number of
players available.
• Organize a warm up for
your players – lots of movement – not just kicking on goal.
• If you have a referee
organize the players for referee check- in if not arrange which
coach or parent will be the referee.
• The parent should act as
a referee but only to help point players in the right
direction and to help with in and out of
bounds.
• Let the players play.
• Coordinate your player
rotation to make sure all players receive equal playing time.
• Make sure all your
comments are very positive.
• Make sure each player
drinks water and stays hydrated.
• Players should be aware
of the direction they are attacking and team shape
can be addressed.
• The players can be set
up in a diamond shape in U6 and in U8
to start the game and at other natural
breaks (kick offs, goal kicks) however,
during the game players must be allowed
to run around freely – bunch ball is a
natural occurrence in these age groups
• Positions are not
necessary and although you may be tempted to leave a player back
to defend the goal this is
developmentally inappropriate.
• U6s and U8s must learn
to attack as a team and defend as a team.
• Under no circumstances should
children be made to stand in a position, stand on a line
or in a certain area.
7 Additional Resources
U.S. Soccer’s Coaching Education
Department has released a new publication designed to
give youth and junior level soccer
coaches in the
help open up the game of soccer to young
players in ways that celebrate the sport’s
spontaneous qualities. The 70-page Best
Practices for Coaching Soccer is available at:
www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_280734.html
A medical release form and coaching code
of ethics, as well as many other team management
resources are available at: www.oysan.org
Section 8
U6 and
U8 — Games and Activities
The
following chapter includes games and activities for U6 and U8 players. The
activities
shown are age specific but in many instances the U6 activities can still be
used for
U8 players and vice versa. Therefore, coaches are encouraged to review
both
sections to find appropriate games and activities for their players.
No training area sizes are listed on the
activity diagrams; however as a
general guide use a 25/20 X 20/15 yard training
area for your practices.
Adjust the size of the training area
accordingly to make sure your practices
work.
Activity Key
U6 —
Warm Up Activities
1 Ballnastics
Organization: Ballnastics exercises
should be performed individually with or without a ball.
Ballnastics examples: Movement
Education: Running forwards and
backwards, hopping,
bouncing, skipping, crab crawling or bear crawling through and
around the balls. Ball
Movements: Figure eight around legs,
round the waist, throw and catch, thigh and catch.
Toe taps on the ball: On top or side to
side (play a game to see how many you can do in 10
seconds).
Roll the ball around with the balls of your feet, jump back and forth over the
ball.
2 Multi Goal Game
Organization: The coach places cones
throughout the training area in pairs 3-4 yards apart.
Make sure
that there are at least 3-4 more goals than the number of players
participating.
The coach
then challenges the players (for a set period of time 15-30 seconds) to get as
many goals
as possible by moving through the cones in various ways e.g. running forward,
running backwards, ball stuffed up shirt, ball above the head,
bouncing the ball, hopping,
skipping, dribbling.
3 Identifiers
Organization: Players move around the
training area in various ways — jogging forwards,
backwards,
hopping, skipping, running fast, slow etc. At random the coach calls out an
identifier
of a group of players or player, who then try to tag as many of the other
players in a
set period
of time. Identifiers examples: t-shirt color, blond hair, sock color, names etc. You
can play
this game with or without a ball.
4 Tunnel Soccer
Organization: Each player has a ball. The
coach moves around the field with the players and
from time
to time stops and spreads his legs to form a tunnel. The players dribble after
him
and try to
shoot the ball through the tunnel whenever he stops. After a set period of time
the
coach
moves again. The player who scores the most goals wins the game.
5 Ouch
Organization: Each player has a ball. The
coach moves about the field with the players.
Each
player dribbles with their ball and tries to hit the coach with the ball.
Whenever the
coach gets
hit he/she yells “ouch”. The player that causes the most ouches wins the game.
6 Ball Retrieve
Organization: The coach kneels in the
middle of the training area with the players around
him in a
circle, with their ball in their hands. The coach takes one ball at a time and
throws it
away. The
players must retrieve the ball and bring it back to the coach as quickly as
possible.
The coach
then adds various conditions on how the players can return the ball e.g.
balanced
in one
hand, with right or left hand, rolling the ball along the ground, ball between
the knees,
bouncing
the ball, dribbling etc.
U6 — Fun
Games
What time is it Mr. Wolf?
Organization: Each player has a ball and
stands on one side of the grid opposite the
coach/wolf.
The coach/wolf has their back to the players. The players ask Mr. Wolf “What
time is
it, Mr. Wolf?” If Mr. Wolf says “
o’clock, 6
steps forward, etc. If Mr. Wolf says “Its dinner time,” the Wolf attempts to
tag the
players
before they can get back to the starting line. If a player gets tagged they
become a
wolf.
2. Shark Pool
Organization: Half of the players (sharks)
sit on the ground without balls. Each of the other
players
has a ball and they stand on one side of the training area. The players with a
ball
dribble
from one end of the grid to the other. Each crossing scores one point. If a
player loses
a ball to
a shark, the two players immediately switch roles. Sharks must stay sitting but
can
stretch
and bend to try and steal a ball. See who can score the most points in a set
time
period.
3. Bingo
Organization: A number of cones are
distributed throughout the training area. One player
and the
coach are the “replacers.” Each player has a ball. The players with the balls
try to
knock down
as many cones as possible with their balls. The “replacers” (all players take
turns
in this
role) set up the cones as fast as they are knocked down. When a player knocks
down
a cone
they yell bingo. The player who scores the most bingos wins the game.
4. Red Light/Green Light
Organization: All players gather on a line.
The object is to dribble their ball from one line to
the other
line. The coach calls out either green light or red light. Players dribble
their ball and
go when
green light is called and stop when red light is called. If a ball is not
stopped and
controlled
immediately, the player is sent back even with the last player, but not all of
the way
back.
Progress to the coach holding either a green or red cone, or t-shirt. The coach
now
doesn’t
say anything, simply holds up a color and the players have to look up and react.
5. Body Parts
Organization: All players have a ball
dribbling inside the training area. When the coach
calls out
a body part the players must control the ball with their feet and then put that
body
part on
the ball. Last player to put that body part on the ball does three toe taps.
6. Disney Game/Sponge Bob Game/ Thomas the
Organization: Two teams of equal numbers
stand at either side of a goal. Give each player
a cartoon
character name and make sure there is a matching character on the other side.
The coach
places two balls in the playing area and then calls out a cartoon character.
The two
players run around the cones into the playing area and the first one to score
wins
one point.
Progression: Place one ball in
the training area and create a 1v1 situation.
U6 —
Small-Sided Games
Moving Goal Game
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. Two coaches or parents hold a practice
vest
between them forming a goal. The players must then try to kick their ball
through the
goal (any
side) while the goal is moving around. Both teams score into the same goal.
2. One Goal Game
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. Place a goal in the middle of a playing
area.
Teams can score from any direction. A variation would be to have teams score on
opposite
sides of the goal.
3. End Line Game
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. A player scores a goal dribbling the ball
over the
other team’s end line. Players do not get a point if they just kick it over the
line.
There are
no throw-ins or kick-ins and if the ball goes out of bounds the coach feeds in
a new
ball. Progression: Give the players an extra
point if they can stop the ball on the other
player’s
end line.
4. The Game — 3v3, 4v4, 5v5
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. Play a regular 3 v 3 game with no
conditions.
Rotate Goalkeepers frequently.
U8 —
Warm Up Games
Tail Tag
Organization: Each player has a tail
(pinnie tucked into the back of their shorts). On the
coach’s
command, each player tries to steal the other players’ tails and if they win a
tail they
throw it
on the ground. When a player loses their tail they continue to play as the
winner is
last
player left with a pinnie. A variation is for player to keep the pinnies they
steal and see
who can
collect the moist pinnies. Players cannot steal a pinnie from another player’s
hands.
Progression: Play the same game while
dribbling a ball.
2. Defrost Tag
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. One team starts on the outside of
the
training area, each player with a ball and the other team starts inside the
training area
without a
ball. On the coach command the team outside the area dribbles into the area
and tries
to hit players form the other team below the knee. Players without ball do all
they
can to
prevent being hit. Once a player is hit, they become frozen and must stand with
their
legs
apart. The objective is freeze the entire team as quickly as possible. A frozen
player
can only
get defrosted when a teammate crawls through their legs. When a player is
crawling
through a player’s legs they are safe until the crawl is over. See which team can
freeze the other team fastest.
3. Ball Retrieve in Pairs
Organization: Each pair has a ball which in
turn they give to the coach. The coach tosses
the ball
away and each pair must retrieve the ball as quickly as possible and bring it
back to
the coach.
The players must bring the ball back a different way each time, e.g. balanced
between
two backs, balanced between two heads, throwing the ball to each other, passing
the ball
to each other. The coach can also limit the number of touches a pair may have
when
returning
the ball. Variation: The coach may move and change position which encourages
players to
look up.
4. Pacman
Organization: One player with a ball
(Pacman) outside the area and the rest within a 20 x 20
yard area.
All the other players run freely within the area. On the coach’s command the
player
with the ball dribbles into the area and tries to hit the other players below
the knees by
passing
the ball at them. Once a player is hit, they go outside the area to get a ball
and
become the
second Pacman. Game continues until all but one player is left who is the
Pacman for
the next game.
5. Musical Balls
Organization: Place 4 cones outside the
playing area. Players dribble in the playing area
and on the
coach’s command, players stop their ball and then run around any of the four
outside
cones. The last player to get back to a ball scores a point or loses a life.
Make sure
all
players are moving in the playing area not staying by the sides.
6. Moving Marbles
Organization: All players have a ball and
are inside a playing area. Each player tries to pass
and hit
another players ball while they are moving. If they pass and hit someone else’s
ball,
they get a
point. Variation: Divide into two teams. One team is trying to hit the other team’s
ball. One
team is designated as the passing team; the other is the dribbling team. After
time,
they
switch roles. Play 3 rounds and see which team has the most total amount of
hits.
U8 — Fun
Games
Braveheart
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. All players have a ball and start on
opposite
end lines. When the coach shouts “charge,” they each dribble towards each other
and try to
get to the opposite end line and stop the ball on the line. The team that has 3
players on
the line first gets a point. Start by walking with the ball, then progress to
running
with the
ball.
2. Everybody’s It
Organization: Each player has a ball.
Players dribble around trying to tag as many people
as
possible while maintaining control of their own ball. Players get a point for
each time
they tag
another player. Play each game for 30 seconds.
3. Multi Goal Dribbling and Passing
Organization: Set up random goals (cones
2-3 yards apart). Divide players into pairs with
one ball
between each pair. On the coach’s command the players try and score as many
goals as
possible by passing the ball through the goals to their partner and then moving
to
another
goal. Play 30-60 seconds each round. Players loose a point if they knock over a
cone. Add
conditions to the game such as pass with right foot only, outside of foot only,
etc.
4. Bulldog
Organization: The coach starts as the
bulldog in the middle of the playing area. All the
players
are at one end of the playing area with a ball. On the coach’s command of “go
bulldogs”
the players must get to the opposite side of the playing area without their
ball being
kicked out
by the coach. If a players ball is kicked out they become a bulldog . The last
player
with a
ball wins the game and becomes the bulldog for the next game.
5. Pong
Organization: Although passing should not
be focus at U8, Pong is a fun way to introduce
passing to
your team. Two players play against each other and share a ball. They place two
cones
anywhere from 2-8 yards apart. They choose! Players pass back and forth to each
other. The
rules are the ball must never stop, it must always stay on the ground, and it
must
go through
the two cones without touching them. Whenever this is violated the other person
receives a
point. Because of the rule that the ball must never stop, players have to play
1 or 2
touch. The
closer the two cones are, the closer the pairs are probably going to be. The
farther
apart they
are, the more they will have to move laterally and look more like the old
arcade
“Pong”
game. Play and see who can become the PONG Champ!
6.
Organization: Divide the team into 4 groups
of 2. Each group of two starts in their own
corner.
Eight balls are placed in the center of the training area. On the coach’s
command
players
run to the middle and dribble one ball back to their own corner. Players cannot
defend
their corner or tackle other players. After all the balls are gone from the
middle,
players
can then raid the corners of the other teams. After a set time period the team
with the
most balls
in their corner wins the game.
U8 —
Small-Sided Games
Multi Goal End Line Game
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. Place three goals on each end of the
training
area. Players score by dribbling through one of the multiple goals on the
opponent’s
end line.
2. Corner Gates
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. Make diagonal goals with flags or cones
in each
corner of the field. When a goal is scored or the ball goes out of bounds, the
coach
plays in a
new ball to keep the game flowing. The object of the game is to score through
any
of the 4
corner goals by passing or shooting. Progression:
Assign each team two goals to
attack and
two goals to defend.
3. Change Game
Organization: Divide players into two equal
teams. Create two goals on each end line. Two
players
from each team play out on the field, the other 2 players go into a goal. Play
like a
normal
game. When the coach yells “Change” the players who are on the field switch
with the
players
who are in goal. The players simply leave the ball where it is when the coach
yells
“Change”.
Goals must be scored below shoulder height. The goalkeepers cannot use their
hands to
stop the ball, cannot step off of the goal-line and cannot score.
4. The Game
Organization: Divide players into two equal teams. Play a regular 4 v 4, 5 v 5, 6 v 6, 7 v 7, etc., game with no conditions. Rotate Goalkeepers frequently.