Here’s a really simple way to explain soccer practice; there is no set rule. You are free to test new drills, come up with innovative ideas to create drills and so on. What’s more, be on a lookout for drills that are already in use but need modification as per your requirements. There are tips that can be real helpful in carrying out a plentiful soccer training timetable.
Make flexible plans. It’s natural that not all plans will bring results as per the desired outcome. It could be due to untimely rains, you being unwell, or the kids not showing up. So be ready to face these situations with full force since they have the capacity to ruin your plans.
It’s best to keep in stock a number of soccer practice games ready. There would be few that prove to be useless and therefore get rid of them to go to next. Be a part of the training and you can easily make out things that are best for the kids.
Make the kids warm up before every session. Make soccer ball an added feature in the usual warm up drills that kids practice on a daily basis. Include games such as Fetch and a few other training exercises. It’s a game wherein the coach begins with throwing the ball to the player and gets it in return by the player using one or both the feet.
The kids can be trained to use both their feet to roll the ball and kick it forward and backward stuck between the feet. There are plenty of such soccer drills that help players warm up.
Make sure every player has a separate soccer ball that belongs to him. And in this case, come up with exciting individual games that require use of the ball. The players must practice dribbling, hitting the ball to the wall, shooting and so on. You should see that no lines are involved and the movement remains as free as possible.
In soccer coaching, group activities should happen after the individual activities are done with. In order to practice, passing and receiving are excellent drills. The kids conduct in the group activities should reflect team spirit. It’s natural for the kids to take some time in getting used to the feeling of team spirit from individual play to team play. You need to act like a leader at this stage. Stress on the fact that it’s each other’s support in the team that will help win matches.
Also, weak players must be properly guided in order to be teamed up. These activities can be used to cheer a feeling of belongingness in the team.
Let the kids play soccer in teams and without a goalie. Encourage them to take hits at the goals without any restrictions. In addition, tell them to first attack and then defend. This lets them experiment on their own and play their natural style.
This is the easiest way to conduct a soccer practice. Just let go of your creativity and design methods that teach kids soccer in a natural way. There is no right or wrong drill. The only thing you must ensure is flexibility. For more such tips and tricks, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that has abundance of soccer coaching resources.
Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide visit: Soccer practice.
