Coaching Young Children

Coaching YoungChildren
This site was last updated on 03/27/07

Coaching Young Soccer Players
and Age Specific Lesson Plans

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These articles are on the DecaturSports.com website:

New US Youth Soccer Small Sided Games Program Manuals - The manual is an overview of of the US Youth Soccer Small Sided Games Program, answering questions ranging from 'What Size Should Fields Be', 'How May Players Should Be on the Field' to 'Benefits of Small Sided Games' Click on the Handbook to download the handbook.
Oregon Youth Soccer Manual
Fun Dribbling Drills for Young Players
Preventing Bunching
Coaching Corner: Youth Training - Focus on Technique (Part 1 of 3) By Klaus Pabst, German Staff Coach (Courtesy of Success in Soccer)
(from the NSCAA Coaching Newsletter - March 30th, 2005)
Coaching Corner: Youth Training - Focus on Technique (Part 2 of 3) By Klaus Pabst, German Staff Coach (Courtesy of Success in Soccer) (from the NSCAA Coaching Newsletter - April 13th, 2005)
Lane Soccer
Goalkeeping - It's All About Angles (.PDF) - Youth Soccer Goalkeeping Article by Graham Harrison of http://www.savegoals.com
Helpful Tips to Get Your Players to Finish Their Shots (Especially Very Young Players)
Warm-Up Drills for Younger Children
Getting Your Child Started in Sports
Soccer Tennis - A Fun Game for First Touch, Receiving and Movement
Bowling with Headers - A Fun Competitive Game
Activity Suggestions for Rainy Day Practices by Bruce Brownlee
AYSA Small Sided Games - A comprehensive Manual: the what’s, how’s, why’s,
and when’s of small sided games in youth soccer
Practice Tips for Youth Soccer Coaches
USYSA Blank Lesson Plan - from Matt Callahan
US Youth Soccer Practice Plans- from Matt Callahan
Windows Drills - One drill that can be used as the basis for many other drills.
Helpful Tips to Get Your Players to Finish Their Shots
Early Skill Development By Steve Sampson (from the NSCAA Coaching Newsletter - September 28th, 2005)

U19

U19 Possession from September 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (PDF)

U18

U18 Heading Practice from the March 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U18 Heading Practice from the August 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)

U17

U17 Back to Middle Third - April 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U17 Finishing from the September 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U17 Combining from the September 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U17 Defensive Third to Midfield Third from the February 2006 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)

U16

U16 Vision - August 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U16 Possession from September 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (PDF)

U15

U15 Goalmouth Position from the July 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U15 Combine with Strikers - April 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U15 Possession from the March 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U15 Expansion and Contraction from the February 2006 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)

U14

Coaching Manual for U-12 and U-14 - Gavin J. Spooner
Coaching U-14 Players
U14 Passing For Possession - April 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF) NEW April 2005
U14 Penetrating Passes - Coaches Connection Lesson Plan (.PDF)
U14 Passing - Coaches Connection Lesson Plan (.PDF)
U14 Volleying Techniques - Coaches Connection Lesson Plan (.PDF)
U14 Defending from the March 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U14 Covering Defender from the August 2005 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U14 Passing 2v1 by John Thomas - December 2005 Coaches Connection Lesson Plan (.PDF)
U14 First Defender by Sam Snow - January 2006 Coaches Connection Newsletter (.PDF)
U14 Boxing (PDF)