FUN is the key to player development. All practices include fun games and provide hundreds of ball contacts in a single session. There should be one ball for each player so that warm-up and dribbling activities can be done with every player having his own ball. In this way, players gain hundreds of ball contacts within the first 20-30 minutes of every practice.

An effective practice teaches a basic technique, tactic or concept and then masters it through several stages of development. It starts with simple activities without pressure and ends in a more complex activity with pressure. There should be regular changes of activity throughout practice. The following five steps should serve as a guide for the various segments of the practice.

1. Warming up & Stretching (done with the ball)
2. Individual Technique and/or Tactics (brief demo)
3. Group Tactics (small-sided games)
4. Restarts (every session:5-10 minutes)
5. Team Tactics or Scrimmage (short sided games)

Remember to have special activities for the keeper. The individual Technique to be taught is the focus of the entire session and is evident in every part of the practice, including the warm-up.

I. WARM-UP AND STRETCHING (15-25 minutes)

A. Warm-ups. Generally use the ball. While stretching is static, warm-up is movement-oriented including running, dribbling, juggling and passing. The idea of warm-up is to get an abundant flow of blood through the muscles of the body. This is done by increasing the pulse rate. When the heart is pumping faster and harder, the muscles will get "warmed" up. The stretching activities will increase the athlete's flexibility. Stretching cold muscles can actually break down muscle tissue and RESTRICT flexibility.

1. Youth teams should always include a minimum of 10 minutes of dribbling moves. Most days the dribbling is 20 minutes or more, but the minimum of 10 minutes is a must. Generally each player has a ball, but some of the dribbling activities can be pairs with partner, then changing direction when a yard away from each other. Use many dribbling formats and games to avoid boredom.
2. Have two lines, 10 yards apart, facing each other (if more than 12 players present, set up 2 groups) that carry on ball exchange activities such as dribble and leave, pass two-touch, one-touch, dummy, touch-feint-pass, chip, head ball, collect-from-air serves, etc.
3. Juggling, lifts and drops are still great warm-up activities contrary to opinions versed by some. However, players must move (walk), change directions, use both the left and right side of the body and must drop the ball for a collection. Re-lifting the ball should be done in a variety of ways. In short, juggling is good when it does not use repetition of the same body part in a boring manner, but when used as prescribed here is an excellent warm-up activity. To increase the flexibility aspects of juggling, emphasize the outside and inside of the foot as this stretches the leg muscles beautifully. Finally, have player catch (collect) the ball with various body parts.
4. Circle Activities: passing, one or two balls, add one or two defenders, leave your spot and go where you passed it, wait until defender commits, and other ball exchange activities.
5. Groups of two or three players: collecting, dribbling, shielding, passing, heading, playing keep away, doing wall passes, takeovers and attempting three-man combinations.
6. A grid 20 yards x 20 yards with pairs passing, when near someone go slow and possess; in the open drive (dribble fast); release ball to partner when partner calls for ball which is done by accelerating (running fast). Be certain eye contact is made before the pass.
7. Short sided exercises, 3 on 3 shooting at small goals (or use corner flags, obstacle course markers, grid goals).
8. Dribble in a grid and follow coach's commands: lift ball, feint, inside the foot, outside the foot, turn, scissors, chop, etc.; emphasize looking up and speed adjustments (near someone keep ball close, in open space drive fast).
9. Games such as soccer volley ball or soccer tennis may be included here. Catching games are excellent. You can run without the ball, but not with the ball. This is done with two teams playing keep away.
10. Some day’s warm-ups should include passing and receiving activities such as 4v2. Another good warm-up is short-short-long passing with three players; the long pass is always supported by player who did not deliver the long ball. Dribbling, feints, exchanges and 2-touch passes are all included by the two players who are close to each other. The long ball is sent one touch and is passed on to the player who supports with one touch. This leads towards combination play beginning to set a high-level mentality which is tactically upsetting to any defense.

At some point, the keeper and final defenders separate to warm up together in order to improve communications, build confidences and for carryover to the days of competition. The keeper should have vigorous receptions (fly, rolling and bouncing balls, long throws, volley kicks and dives). The keeper should have the possibility of 100% success in the balls that are given to him/her on the days of games so that he/she not only warms up his/her body, but also builds his/her confidence and becomes mentally ready for the contest.

B. Stretching. The warm-up has provided blood circulation necessary to proper stretching. Often, stretching is incomplete because some basic muscle groups are not stretched. The muscles of all seven basic muscle areas should be stretched:

1. Neck Area-side to side, forward to back. Overcome hand pressure of self or teammate. NEVER omit neck area since the occurrence of injuries in this area can be catastrophic.
2. Upper & lower back forward, backward and sideways.
3. Abdominals-often neglected but widely used in soccer.
4. Groin Area
5. Upper Leg-front and back (thigh and esp. hamstring)
6. Lower Leg-calf and side (esp. Achilles’)
7. Ankles & Arches-ankles rotated; ankles by standing on toes for approximately 10 seconds.

Use static stretching (a slow, controlled movement) as opposed to any ballistics (jerky, bouncy movements). Basically, once the muscle is felt, back off slightly, and hold for a period of time. Generally, three to five repetitions of approximately 15 seconds or more are adequate.

II. INDIVIDUAL TECHNIQUES AND TACTICS (Skill. 10-20 minutes)

Whatever techniques are chosen to be done in this segment becomes the focus of the entire practice. However, space, time, movement and pressure are manipulated and activities move from individual to group to a team situation.

Possible skills to be taught include dribbling, passing, collecting, heading, shooting, shielding, tackling and ball turning. Tactics might be square passes, actual runs, overloads, etc. However, you must be very specific. Instead of passing, make it outside the foot passes preceded by a feint, or low trajectory power instep shooting, or volley clearing.

1. Specificity is important to clarify details. For instance, a volley shot on goal received from the wing almost seems to defy basics because the kicker has non-kicking foot off the ground, leans forward and away from the ball, contacts the top half of the ball hip-high. Without the correct details, the skill is almost impossible to execute.
2. See if you can break the technique down to its main parts and demonstrate the various segments. An advanced player can often demonstrate while the coach explains it. Correction will be easier if you can identify segments of the technique. Of course, the entire skill must also be seen. Give a clear picture for the player. Only correct practice makes perfect! If someone makes good progress on a particular technique, have him or her demonstrate. Accentuate the positive: "That's a good steady head excellent follow through... I can see the improvement the crowd will love the goal you score with that power good control"...etc. Correction is vital, but the preponderance of 'COACH TALK' must be POSITIVE. Continue a skill by adding pressure (less space or time, or more active defenders). Some days individual tactics are substituted for technique. All sessions have short-sided games to put to use whatever was taught.
3. Keeper Instruction: Example: Accentuate proper knee bend and hand reception of ground balls. Do not forget the keeper in your planning.
4. The keepers learned techniques must be put into a game-like situation involving decision making and/or practicing the learned technique in match situation.

III. GROUP TACTICS (15-25 minutes)

Observe the individual technique taught in 3v3, 4v3, 4v4, 4v2 situations, or whatever GROUP situation is suited to the skill taught. Generally, the 3v3 is preferred because of the simplicity and increased ball contact. Therefore, a greater amount of practice is achieved in a given amount of time. A simple clue for beginning coaches is that if only one ball is in use for more than 1/2 hour of practice you probably could have had a better practice. Keep the idea of stations, small groups, more than one ball, more than one activity (e.g. keeper doing dives, field players doing 3v3 with emphasis on feints), and positive reinforcement. Remember, you can always make it succeed-if it's not working, reduce the pressure, add space, give more time, make it simpler, or do only part of what you intended. If you're feeling frustrated or angry or find yourself yelling, consider giving more space and time or less pressure. If the skill is altered and permits success, everyone will be happier and learn more. Sometimes it is necessary to completely change the activity and come back to it at a future practice.

IV. SPECIAL SITUATION (10 minutes)

Special situations are kept to a minimum for young (under 12) players. Do only one situation at a practice; 10-minute time limit. Special situations are preferred before scrimmage (team Tactics) and MUST NOT be forgotten or omitted in view of the fact that more than 40% of all goals are scored from restart situations. Be certain to practice all transitions. Examples: goal kick, corner, indirect, direct, penalty kicks, drop balls and throw-ins. Including shoot-outs if used in your league. Practice quick transitions form offense to defense and vice versa. Be sure to do much of this practice in relation to goal with your regular keeper in net. Appropriate keeper instruction should be given for various special situations. Create make believe situations and then practice for that situation.

V. TEAM TACTICS (20-30 minutes)

Scrimmage is 11v11 full field with keepers. (Often omitted with U-12 teams-usually 6v4). However, we will only consider 5 basic positions: Strikers, Midfielders, Defenders, Free backs and Keeper. Anytime we have the strikers supported by midfielders, attacking the final defenders (fullbacks and free back) and the keeper, this is team tactics. This is practical since many coaches have no more players than this to work with at any given practice. Short-sided work can start with restrictions, move forward to coached without restrictions, and end with no restrictions and no coaching. In this way, players learn to think for themselves, just as they must do in a match.

Possible Activities: Establishing a spread on offensive possession, establishing width on an attack, lateral runs, wall passes (1-2 movement), through balls, mid-field shooting, final defender overlaps, etc. other possibilities include what various players (strikers, mid-fielders, final defenders) must be doing on offense and defense in each third of the field. The emphasis is still on the technique or concept taught that session. Any drill worth doing is worth doing several times-repeating drills avoids wasting time on instructions (and other talk) and keeps players moving and in contact with the ball. Every practice cannot be the major teaching of something new, but one major idea a week is reasonable. Encourage watching games in the community, on TV, attendance at pro games, etc. The coach if present, may want to ask the players questions while watching or point out special features of the games. Do not talk continuously. The keeper can generally go in goal for the team tactics part of the practice.

High aerobic activities should be alternated with less active components. Players must be forced to remain active for reasonable periods and then permitted to recover. Transitions must be smooth and quick.

With youth teams, EVERY practice involves player development. This generally means dribbling instruction in addition to other basic player development aspects such as passing and receiving, shooting, etc. Player development must exist in every practice and for the majority of the practice. This is true simply because the role of the youth coach is development, fun and sportsmanship, not trophies and wins. Of course, we play every match to win, but not sacrificing development, fun and sportsmanship. The second reason we always put the priority on development is because youth teams frequently are not capable of team tactics due to lack of technique and lack of understanding of small group tactics. Development precedes team tactics.