Urbana Soccer Association Training Curriculum
Training
U6s
Urbana Soccer Association Training Curriculum
Volume 1
Training U6s
Version 1.1
David Ward U6 Coed Coach
Copyright ã 2006 Urbana Soccer Association
12218 S. Debkay Ct.
Monrovia, MD 21770
Phone 301.865.4600
www.urbanasoccer.org
How to Read this Manual
he first time you read this manual, it is meant to be read cover-to-cover. This will allow you to understand the philosophy and ideas behind the curriculum so that you understand why some skills are present and why some are not. The chapters in this manual go over the curriculum, but do not delve into the details of the games used to teach it nor the technical skills being taught. This level of detail can be found in the various appendixes at the back of the manual. Using these appendixes, you should be able to create countless training sessions that stress the outlined curriculum.
After you've read the manual once, you can use it as a reference guide for future training sessions.
Urbana Soccer Association
Coaching Manuals
The full Urbana Soccer Association coaching series is contained in the materials listed below:
Urbana Soccer Association Training Curriculum Volume 1 - Training U6s, Version 1.0, 2006
Urbana Soccer Association Training Curriculum Volume 2 - Training U8s, Version 1.1, 2005
Urbana Soccer Association Training Curriculum Volume 3 - Training U10s, Version 1.0, 2005
Urbana Soccer Association Training Curriculum Volume 4 - Training U12s, TBD
Urbana Soccer Association Training Curriculum Volume 5 - Training U14s, TBD
Acknowledgements
FC Frederick (Football Club Frederick - www.fcfrederick.com) is the travel soccer organization in our area. It has paid coaching staffs and plays in the most highly competitive leagues in the Washington/Baltimore area. It is an ideal environment for those most skilled soccer players who have the desire as well as the time and financial commitment to make soccer their primary yearlong, after-school commitment.
The USA is listed on the select list of Friends of FC Frederick. We are indebted to FC Frederick for allowing us to use many parts of their curriculum. Wherever possible, we try to adopt the FC Frederick terminology for items such as dribbling moves, games and the like so that USA players who move on to FC Frederick will not have to learn an entirely new soccer vocabulary.
Special thanks go to Matt McErlean and the Towsontowne Recreation Council for sharing their U-6 Clinic Soccer Program Coaching Manual. Portions of the Introduction chapter have been taken from that manual.
Finally, many of the games in this curriculum are versions of the games found in the following:
· The Baffled Parent's Guide to Great Soccer Drills by Tom Fleck and Ron Quinn (2002 - Rugged Mountain Press).
· A Practical Guide for Teaching Soccer to 4-6 Yr Olds by Pat McCarry (U.K. Elite Soccer Steps2Success series – www.ukelite.com).
Great books – get a copy!
Revision History
Version 1.0 (April 2006)
Original version
Version 1.1 (January 2007)
Updated Games:
· None
New Games:
· None
Deleted Games:
· Beat the Dummy - not age appropriate (too much standing in “line”)
Major Modifications
· Changed Shake ‘n Bake dribbling move to Switchback. Switchback is much more suited to the tight confines of a U6 game.
his manual details an age-appropriate, curricular approach to coaching under-6 (U6) soccer at the Urbana Soccer Association (USA). As far as we know, the USA is the first recreational soccer organization in the area to adopt and document such a curriculum. We hope that by adopting a standard curriculum across the entire U6 age group, a high and consistent level of coaching can be made available to all players in the age group. This should allow all of our players to progress at an exciting and rapid rate.
It should be noted that this curriculum is only a foundation to what each USA U6 group will be taught. The goal is not to stifle the individual creativity of our coaches, but, instead, to build a base from which coaches can use their own individuality and imagination to encourage the highest-level soccer possible. With that in mind, this manual must be a living and breathing document that employs the best and most successful training techniques of all coaches. This manual can not just be a stick used to draw a single line in the sand. It must be both stick and eraser. First, a stick used to draw a line. Then, an eraser used to erase the line so that we can redraw it further along, as better, more advanced coaching methodologies become evident.
What is a U6?
A U6 is a soccer player who will turn six after the age-group cutoff date of July 31. Remember that this July 31 cutoff pertains to the Fall and the following Spring season. USA requires all U6s to be four-years old by the date of the season’s first training session. In the past, we allowed some three-year olds into the U6 age group, but we found that they were just too young for organized soccer training.
The U6 age group is an incredibly mixed bag. Developmentally, players with the same chronological age may be as much as three years apart. Socially, some of the players have not even been introduced to the concept of school so being part of a group learning environment is something totally alien, and perhaps, even frightening. Soccer-wise, many of the players will have never kicked a soccer ball.
It is important to remember that very few players in this age group begged to be signed up for organized soccer – almost all U6s are at the soccer field because they were signed up by their parents. Very few U6s are even remotely interested in mastering the complications of soccer. Because of this, getting a U6 to a training session can be a very fragile house of cards. Fun and activity are the trump cards in the deck. To a U6, life, and thus, soccer is a continuous loop of shampoo bottle instructions:
1. Play fun game at high speed
2. Rest
3. Repeat
It is hoped that every coach will be able to implement this curriculum in such a child-focused manner so that training sessions are always played at U6 speed. This frenetic, herky-jerky pace will make coaching the fine points of the curriculum difficult. In the end, you may not have a soccer player who can do a Zico with 100% technical precision. Nevertheless, you may have a soccer player who runs with glee from the minivan to your training session with a smile on his/her face.
U6 – Psychomotor (Movement) Development
Following are some important aspects of the psychomotor (movement) development level of a U6 player:
· Progress in motor development starts with the head and moves downward to the feet and from the center of the body outward.
· Players are easily fatigued, but recover rapidly.
· Body segments grow at different rates and center of gravity might be high. Both factors lead to a lack of balance.
· Players develop self-concept, body awareness and self-image through movement.
· Differences between boys and girls are marginal.
U6 – Cognitive (Mental) Development
Following are some important aspects of the cognitive (mental – memorization, creativity, problem solving, etc.) development level of a U6 player:
· Players are very literal.
· Play consists of a high degree of imagination-based and pretend activities.
· Players are only capable of understanding simple rules and instructions.
· Players can only focus on a single task at a time.
· Players have an undeveloped and immature understanding of space (e.g., understanding the concept of out-of-bounds) and time. For most U6s, space consists of only the immediate space in which they are currently residing.
U6 – Psychosocial (Relationship) Development
Following are some important aspects of the psychosocial (relationship) development level of a U6 player:
· Players are egocentric – me/my/mine. A 3v3 game is perceived as a game of 1v5. The player with the ball will try to keep the ball away from opponents and teammates alike. Most U6 players are unable to comprehend the concept of “team”.
· Players need generous amounts of praise. The need for positive reinforcement can not be overemphasized!
· Players will NOT respond well to pressure from coaches and parents.
· Effort equals ability. If a player tries hard and ends the session sweaty and dirty, he/she will think he/she played well (and they are right!).
· Groups play is, in reality, parallel play.
U6 Equipment
The curriculum depends on coaches and players having the correct equipment for every training session. Having the proper equipment ensures that each game can be played in an efficient, understandable, consistent and safe manner.
Players need the following equipment for every training session:
· Properly inflated size 3 soccer ball
· Cleats
· Shin guards
· Soccer socks (or any socks that completely cover the shin guards)
Players should not have any of the following:
· Chewing gum
· Jewelry of any kind including earrings, watches, etc.
· Metal hair pieces or any hair piece with sharp or exposed edges
· Other clothing accessories that could cause injury to the player or his/her teammates
Players should be properly attired to play soccer at every training session - jersey (or t-shirt) and shorts (sweatshirts and sweatpants when it is cold). Players shouldn't come to practice wearing school clothes, jeans, long pants, dresses, etc.
Since all U6 training sessions are group training sessions, individual coaches do not have to bring specific soccer training equipment to the session. However, the following equipment needs to be available to all coaches:
· Extra size 3 soccer balls (for players who forget their own ball)
· Disc cones
· Pinnies
· Agility equipment – hoops, hurdles, rings, etc.
· Corner flags
· First aid kit
· 3v3 goals
· Session plan for this session
A quick note on soccer balls - try to get the players to bring a ball to each training session. You can never have too many soccer balls at a training session. Plus, this makes certain that each player has a soccer ball to use to practice with at home.
he main goal of the U6 training curriculum is simply to introduce the concept that soccer is fun - lots of fun. For many of our U6s, this will be their first exposure to organized soccer – we want it to be a good one. If the players have smiles when they get to a training session and smiles when they leave the training session, then we have done our job. Perfecting the technical aspects of soccer is something we can leave to the older age groups.
Of course, it is a soccer training session, so we do need some minimal soccer goals:
· Ball mastery
· Striking the ball
· Mobility skills
That's it. What may be more noteworthy is what is missing from these simple goals:
· No emphasis on passing
· No emphasis on goalkeeping.
· No emphasis on team play.
· No emphasis on tactics
The reasoning as to what is a goal and what is not at the U6 level is very simple. At this tender age, soccer players are me-centric. The game is about me and the ball. The game is not about being properly positioned to execute that perfect wall pass with Super Annie. The game is about me and me only. Me, me, ME! For a U6, sharing is something that is done sparingly. For the most part, a U6 wants the ball and wants it for him/herself only. So, all of our goals are focused on individualistic activities that many times only involve a player and a ball or just the player him/herself. Many times a player's body or just the ball is enough of an obstacle. Additional obstacles such as defenders, goalies and teammates are unnecessary until the basic obstacles of me and my ball have been overcome.
Ball Mastery
For a player, ball mastery is just making the soccer ball do what he/she wants it to do. It is the most important of all soccer skills and takes the longest to master. This is why it is so important to start the teaching of this skill at the youngest age possible. It also aligns well with the U6 mindset since it is, for the most part, an individualistic skill - just me and my ball!
This U6 training curriculum stresses the following areas of ball mastery: ballnastics and dribbling.
Ballnastics
Ballnastics (i.e., ball gymnastics) are simple exercises with a ball used to promote eye-foot coordination, balance and rhythm. All of these lay the foundation to a player being successful in mastering the dribbling moves presented later in this chapter. Of course, U6 players usually have very little of these qualities so doing ballnastics at this level is a rather amusing adventure of falling over and giggling!
We will stress the following ballnastics exercises for the U6 age group (detailed descriptions of each can be found in the appendixes):
· Foundation
· Step-ups
· Push-Pull
Remember to make the exercises fun - have the players make video game noises as they progress through the exercise, have them call out silly words every time they make a successful move, etc. Also, keep the exercises short and sweet. They may look easy, but players will expend a large amount of energy doing these at a fast pace - remember to give them at least as much rest time as the time they spent doing the exercise.
Dribbling
At the U6 level, we will only focus on basic dribbling skills. Players will be introduced to the various surfaces of the foot that can be used for dribbling – inside, outside, sole and instep. In addition, the following basic moves will be part of the curriculum (detailed descriptions of each move can be found in the appendixes):
· Zico
· Spin
· Screw
· Switchback
Striking the Ball
In regard to striking the ball, the U6 curriculum focuses simply on striking the ball with the inside and instep of the foot. Work is done with both the dominant and non-dominant foot. By training both feet at this early age, it is hoped that the dominant/non-dominant designation will be unnecessary when the players reach the older age groups.
In the U6 curriculum, striking the ball is usually taught as a shooting technique since this lends itself nicely to the U6s egocentric mentality. However, the same techniques apply to passing, and it is hoped that some of this "shooting" training will be seen on the playing field as the genesis of passing. Technical details of striking the ball can be found in the appendixes.
Mobility Skills
Mobility skills are a vastly overlooked area of soccer training. And, for a group that loves moving around as much as U6s, mobility skill training is just a lot of fun.
Running, jumping, agility - all are crucial to the success of every soccer player. Many coaches believe that mobility skills are taught to children at school. Many coaches believe that mobility skills are simply learned over time. Neither is totally true. Mobility skills must be part of our curriculum just like dribbling and shooting. U6s love to run, jump and evade obstacles so why not start mobility skills training now. If we ignore mobility skills training, by the time the players are U14s their bad habits (poor running form, improper jumping form, etc.) will be ingrained in their brains and will be almost impossible to eradicate.
The U6 curriculum touches on the following mobility skills:
· Running forward
· Running backward
· Moving from side to side
· Jumping
· Agility
Like many of the skills taught in the U6 curriculum, emphasis is placed on doing the skill and not on the minute technical aspects of the skill. These technical aspects will be explored further in the older age groups.
Whenever possible, mobility skill training should be done with a soccer ball in order to kill two birds with one stone!
ike the other age groups, there are two training seasons for U6s. The Fall Season starts the Saturday after Labor Day and runs for eight weeks; the Spring Season starts the first week in April and also runs for eight weeks. Unlike the older age groups, U6s have an incredibly high turnover rate – each season, 50-75% of U6s will be playing for the very first time. Because of this, there is no buildup of training skills from Fall Season to Spring Season as there is for the older players. For U6s, each season is an entity unto itself. The other unique aspect of U6 training is that U6s only train once per week (on Saturday mornings). Each training session is in an age group format with all U6s present at the same time and lasts for 60 minutes.
Teams
Each season, the 80+ U6 players are broken up into teams of approximately 8 players. Each team is assigned a coach for that season. Since U6s can’t really grasp the “team” concept, teams are really only used for organizational purposes.
Unlike the older age groups, U6 teams are created in a rather random fashion because they only will exist for a single season. Because of all the new faces each season, there is no advantage to trying to keep teams together as is the case with the older players. So, to be honest, not a lot of thought goes into the creation of U6 teams. The only organizational guidelines for teams are age (see next section) and neighborhood. Using neighborhood as a team criterion helps greatly at this age since a training session can be intimidating to a 4 or 5 year old – knowing a few of the players on your team can help immensely.
4s with 4s; 5s with 5s
There is a big difference between a 4-year-old and a 5-year-old. One year represents 25% of a 4-year-old’s entire life! That creates a huge psychomotor, cognitive and psychosocial gap. Also, many 5-year-olds have started (sometimes all-day) kindergarten and have been exposed to large-scale group environments. That’s not the case for the 4-year-olds. For them, their first training session may be the first time they’ve ever seen that many children at the same time.
Because of the large differences between 4s and 5s, teams are created along age boundaries – 4s with 4s and 5s with 5s. There are exceptions to this rule to satisfy special requests, keep siblings together, and when the numbers just require it. However, we try to keep a pretty firm boundary between the 4s and 5s. When playing small-sided 3v3 games, teams of 4s will play other teams of 4s; teams of 5s will play other teams of 5s.
Games Not Drills
U6s are not adults. U6s play soccer for one reason only and that is to have fun. If you want to get the most out of your U6s, you have to adjust your attitude toward training. Whereas adults will tolerate 20 minutes of technical drills, U6s will not. U6 training sessions most revolve around games and not drills.
So, what makes a great soccer training game? No lines, no lectures and no boring sitting around doing nothing! A great soccer training game for U6s involves lots of action, very few rules, and the opportunity for every player to participate and “win” the game. Remember that effort equals ability for U6s – being active equates to being a “winner” in each game.
A few final notes on training session games. The best games are ones that anoint one or more winners. You will always have "losers", but try to stay away from games where one player is the single loser. If there are multiple losers, at least they can share their misery J If you assign a silly task for the losers to do, the pain of losing gets lost in the laughter of doing the task. Whatever you do, try to adapt games so that a single player (or small number of players) is not always losing. Adjust teams, adjust the dimensions of the game, or simply cheat so that the players who seem to be losing all the time have a better chance. For example, in Get Outta There, you can always put the ball into play closest to the player having the most difficulty.
Lastly, elimination games should be avoided at all costs! Hospital Tag is a great example of a game that has been modified to eliminate the elimination. Instead of knocking out players who have been tagged three times, players are “repaired” and put right back into the game. Everyone gets to play the entire time.
Small-Sided Games – 3v3
Research is showing that 3v3 (no goalies) on a field approximately 15x20 (or 20x25) yards is an optimal game for the U6 age group. Using only six players minimizes the number of players around the ball. And, since passing will be a very rare event, additional teammates are not warranted.
Even though each team has three players, during games it is important to continue to focus on the individualistic skills we are training – ball mastery, striking the ball (i.e., shooting) and mobility skills. Don’t let the 3v3 game get you caught up into coaching passing, positioning, defense, tactics, etc. Those concepts are beyond the grasp of almost every U6. Just let them have some fun playing some soccer and, hopefully, scoring lots of goals.
Also remember that these 3v3 games are a time for the players to just play the game as they see fit. Each coach should be reduced to the role of cheerleader during these games. Lots of praise and very little coaching. And, that goes for the parents as well!
3v3 Game Rotation
Ending each training session with every team playing a 3v3 game amongst its own players would probably get pretty boring. The following game rotation will be used to get some fresh faces in the mix every week:
· Teams will be paired to play each other (the pairings will vary from week to week).
· Each team will split into two teams of three or four players. For example, Team A will split into teams A1 and A2, and Team B will split into teams B1 and B2.
· Team A1 and Team B1 will play each other. At an adjacent field, Team A2 and Team B2 will play each other. Each game will be played at the same time and will last 8-10 minutes.
· After a short break, Team A1 and Team B2 will play each other. At the adjacent field, Team A2 and Team B1 will play each other. Once again, games will be played at the same time and will last 8-10 minutes.
Team A’s coach can run one of the games while Team B’s coach can run the other. If there are enough coaches/parents, each team (A1, A2, B1 and B2) can be assigned a “coach” for the small-sided games.
A few notes on the small-sided games are presented below:
· DO NOT PLAY a 4v4 game if both teams have four players. If you have four players, simply substitute every minute or so. U6s tire quickly and need a short break anyway. Plus, 4v4 increases the number of players on the field by 33%!
· If you do not have enough players for 3v3, see if you can simply borrow a player from another team.
· Don’t play the same players together on a team every week – we don’t want cliques to form (between parents and players). Variety is the spice of life.
Session Plans
Every training session needs a plan. These session plans should revolve around a central theme - ball mastery, striking the ball or mobility skills - and should flow from the warmup at the beginning of the session to the small-sided game at the end of the session. All of the games played during the session should be related to the theme for the session. This will promote the necessary repetitions for learning. For example, if striking the ball is the focus of the training session, the basic 3v3 game would make a poor choice since it does not maximize shooting opportunities. A better choice would be 3v3 Over the Edge.
You should try to keep to the following proportions when planning your sessions:
· 50% ball mastery
· 25% striking the ball
· 25% mobility skills
Thus, in a run of eight sessions, four should be devoted to ball mastery, two to striking the ball and two to mobility skills.
You should also plan for some sort of pre-session game to be played as players are arriving. Some players may arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the start of the session. It's nice to give them a fun activity to play while they are waiting for the others to arrive. That's much better than having them all stand around for 5-10 minutes waiting for the warmup to start. Since U6 teams are very small (usually eight players), teams can combine as needed during this pre-session time to play whatever game is chosen.
An outline of a basic 60-minute session plan is shown below.
Theme
What is the central theme around which all session activities will revolve?
Pre-Session Game - N minutes
A short game to be played as players are arriving. The game should be one like Retriever that can be played with any number of players. Don't pick something that is too strenuous - you don't want to wear them out before training even begins!
Warmup Activities - 10 minutes
These should be short and fun activities that get all players moving and in the mood for a great training session. Note that at this young age, there is no need to do any organized stretching activities - U6s are plenty bendable even coldJ Warmup activities should naturally lead into the main activities that follow.
Main Activities - 25 minutes
These can be of longer duration and address the theme of the session in detail. If the theme is dribbling moves, these activities will require players to do lots and lots of dribbling moves. If it's striking the ball you're after, these activities should have lots and lots of shooting.
Small-Sided 3v3 Game - 20 minutes
Usually some type of 3v3 game that emphasizes the session's theme.
One very important note for this part of the session: You've done your work - let the players play. If the main activities were well planned and executed, you should see the results of your labors during the small-sided game you chose. You shouldn't have to keep coaching. Explain the game, get it going and then sit back and watch. If there is a problem that occurs repeatedly, stop the game and correct it. If you need to stop the game to remind players what the theme is, do it. But, don't interrupt the game every 15 seconds to make a coaching point. Let the game be the players' teacher. Get out your pom-poms and be a giant cheerleader!
Wrap Up - 2 minutes
Once the 3v3 game has concluded, don't just let your players run off to their waiting minivans. Gather your players and ask them what they learned today. Hopefully, they will repeat the same things you have been preaching for the last hour. This is also your time to recognize any great accomplishments - great play during the session, an upcoming birthday, etc. Make sure you spread the praise around. You can also remind players of upcoming events (picture day, tournament day, etc.), schedule changes, etc.
Clean Up - 3 minutes
You are the coach - not the cleaning lady. The players should clean up after the training session. Have them pick up cones, gather balls, etc.
Safety note - do not let them bring back the corner flags!
If you make clean up time into a game itself, you'll get great participation and it will serve as the necessary cool down after an energetic training session. Have the players balance the disc cones on their heads while they dribble their ball. Disc cones make great earrings - have each player put on a pair and bring them back while dribbling his/her ball. See who can dribble the most balls at the same time. How many balls can you carry at once?
If you make clean up time a fun time, the field will be cleared in no time and you won't have lifted a finger. Too bad the same doesn't apply for your child's room J
Sample Training Session - Ball Mastery
Theme
Ball mastery
Pre-Session Game - N minutes
Retriever
Warmup Activities - 10 minutes
Ballnastics (2 minutes) – Foundation, Step Ups
Tail Tag (4 minutes)
Cars (4 minutes)
Main Activities - 25 minutes
Demonstrate Spin
Freeze Tag (10 minutes) - Spin as move to be made
Get Outta There (10 minutes) – extra point for a successful Spin move
Small-Sided Game - 20 minutes
3v3 Line Soccer - award extra point if player does a successful Spin!
Wrap Up - 2 minutes
Review Spin - ask players to demonstrate
Clean Up - 3 minutes
Sample Training Session - Striking the Ball
Theme
Striking the ball
Pre-Session Game - N minutes
Cross Country
Warmup Activities - 10 minutes
Hit the Cone (5 minutes) - right foot first and then left foot!
Superman (5 minutes)
Main Activities - 25 minutes
Demonstrate instep shooting technique
Step on the Crack (10 minutes) - right foot, left foot, either foot
Clean Up Your Room (15 minutes) - right then left
Small-Sided Game - 20 minutes
3v3 Over the Edge
Wrap Up - 2 minutes
Review instep shooting technique - see if players can remember key phrases (run through the ball, laces, etc.)
Clean Up - 3 minutes
Sample Training Session - Mobility Skills
Theme
Mobility Skills -running forward and backward
Pre-Session Game - N minutes
Pac Man
Warmup Activities - 10 minutes
Around the Cones (3 minutes) - no ball
Cars (5 minutes) – no ball
Main Activities - 25 minutes
Demonstrate proper running form forward and backward (emphasize arm movements)
City Game (10 minutes) - forward to 2 cities; backward to 2 cities
Parental Obstacle Course (10 minutes)
Small-Sided Game - 20 minutes
3v3 Multi-Ball
Wrap Up - 2 minutes
Ask players to demonstrate proper running form.
Clean Up - 3 minutes
You Must Have Fun, Too!
Enthusiasm is a contagion that can spread like wildfire. An enthusiastic coach will have enthusiastic players. Players are quick to pick up on the mood of their coach. That means that each training session must be fun for you, too. Leave all of the stresses of home and work behind, and just come prepared to have a fabulous hour with a whole bunch of knuckleheadsJ.
When to Arrive, When to Leave
You should plan to arrive at your training session approximately 30 minutes prior to its scheduled start. At this time, you should set up as many of the games as possible so you don't have to do that during the training session. This also gives you some time to think about and visualize what you want to accomplish during the session. You'll need some time to get into the proper frame of mind for dealing with a bunch of energetic 4 and 5 year olds.
You shouldn't leave after the end of the training session until all players have been picked up by their parents or responsible parties. If you have to leave immediately following the end of the training session, make sure there will be a parent who can wait until all players are properly accounted for. Under no circumstances should players be left unsupervised at the training facility.
Tournaments
The last (eighth) training session is a fun 3v3 World Cup style tournament. All of the 5-year old players are grouped together, and then randomly divided into teams of 3-4 players (this can be done by simply picking names out of a hat). Each team is assigned a country to represent. A parent will be needed to “coach” the team. Teams are then equally divided into two divisions. A round-robin round is held whereby teams play four 8-minute games against teams in their division. Following the round-robin round, a position round is held whereby the first place team from each division plays each other; second place teams play each other; and so forth. A mighty cheer from all of the players crowns the winner of the first-place game as world champions!
Similarly, all of the 4-year old players are grouped together and play a similar tournament for their age group.
At the conclusion of the tournament, all players are given their participation trophies so that everyone is a winner!
Some important notes to keep in mind:
1. Even though each team has a “coach”, NO coaching should be done during the tournament. Let the players play! The “coach” just makes sure the team gets to the right field and handles substitutions.
2. You’ll need to keep score this time (this is the only time we keep score of a 3v3 game at this age). Don’t make a big deal out of it.
3. Tell all of the parents to watch calmly and cheer positively – NO COACHING! It should look like and sound like a game being played by 4 and 5 year olds. It shouldn’t sound like an English Premier League game being played before 60,000 British hooligans! You may need to bring an ample supply of Valium for those parents who just can’t reign themselves inJ.
What to Do with Non-Participants
For a first-time player, a U6 training session can be frightening. There are a lot of people there. The player probably doesn’t know his/her coach. It’s scary, sometimes, too scary.
Every season has a few players who do not want to participate in the fun of a U6 training session. The players’ parents made them come to the session – the players certainly don’t want to be there. Sometimes, they’ll be very quiet just holding on to the leg of their mom/dad. Sometimes, they’ll be crying sitting in mom/dad’s lap. Sometimes, they’ll be screaming their heads off.
Regardless of the player’s attitude, your job is the same – try to get the non-participant to stay close to your session where he/she can watch all of the fun. Hopefully, that will be enough to convince him/her to join in the fun (if not during that session then at the next session).
Make yourself as small as possible (get down on your knees or sit on the ground) and ask quietly if the player would like to play. If they say “no”, then ask if they’ll at least just watch for awhile. Be calm and reassuring. Don’t do what I did once and pick the player up, twirl him/her around in a helicopter and then see if he/she wants to play. That particular player cried for another 30 minutes and probably hasn’t been near a soccer field since!
You also need to remember that you have a bunch of other players who need your attention so don’t spend very long with the non-participant. If they don’t want to play, that’s fine. Get on with the training session with the other players.
Late, Later, Latest
Parents of U6s are notorious for showing up late for training sessions. Of your eight players, you’ll probably have 4 who are there on time ready to play. Two more will show up just as you get started. Another will show up five minutes late and the last one will show up 15 minutes late. It’s also likely that two will be sick and miss the session altogether.
That means that flexibility is imperative during the warmup part of the session. Any game that is played at the beginning of the session needs to be one that can be started with a small number of players and can absorb the latecomers easily.
This appendix is an alphabetical listing of ballnastics exercises suggested for U6 training sessions.
Foundation
Start with your feet shoulder width apart and the ball directly under you. Push the ball back and forth with the inside of the feet. Foundation resembles a game of Ping Pong played with the insides of your feet.
T1: Players should be light on their feet moving the ball back and forth as fast as possible. When done properly, the heels of your feet never touch the ground.
T2: Knees should be slightly bent, and players should try to develop a rhythm moving the ball back and forth. Players should NOT look like stick figures with straight legs and an awkward flow to the ball movement.
T3: Excitement is not this exercise's strong point so keep it short. It helps if you have players make video game noises every time they touch the ball or some other suitable distraction to make it more fun. You can also time them for 15 seconds and see how many touches they can make in that time. See if they can beat their first score on the second try.
Push-Pull
Start with your feet shoulder width apart and the ball directly in front of your right foot. With the instep of your right foot, push the ball until it is 1 to 2 feet in front of your left foot. Return your right foot to its original starting position. With the sole of your left foot, pull the ball back so that it is directly in front of your left foot's original starting position. Put your left foot down so that your feet are shoulder width apart again. Repeat by pushing with the left foot and pulling with the right foot.
T1: The key to being successful is a light and accurate touch with the instep of the pushing foot. Push too hard and the ball will go too far away. Push too lightly and the ball won't move.
Step Ups
Start with your feet shoulder width apart and the ball directly in front of you. Touch the top of the ball with the sole of your right foot, and then return your right foot to its original position. Then, touch the top of the ball with the sole of your left foot, and then return your left foot to its original position. Keep alternating feet with no pause in movement.
T1: Players should be light on their feet moving as quickly as possible. When done properly, the heels of your feet never touch the ground.
T2: The ball should not be moving.
T3: Expect a lot of falling down in this exercise. At the U6 level, this is half the fun J
T4: To increase the difficulty, have the players rotate around the ball in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction as they do their step ups.
T5: Excitement is not this exercise's strong point so keep it short. It helps if you have players make video game noises every time they touch the ball or some other suitable distraction to make it more fun. You can also time them for 15 seconds and see how many touches they can make in that time. See if they can beat their first score on the second try.
This appendix is an alphabetical listing of dribbling moves suggested for U6 training sessions.
Screw
The Screw is a sequence of three turns to make a 360° move using the outside of one foot
Start with the ball just to the right of your right foot. Step forward with your right foot turned about 90° to the right. Using the outside of your right foot, cut the ball behind you. Repeat this two more times using only the outside of your right foot. You should have now made a complete 360° turn. Accelerate away.
T1: It is important that this move be made with the defender on the correct side so that you can use your body to shield the defender from the ball.
Switchback
The Switchback is a relatively simple move that is great at changing directions 180°.
Start by dribbling the ball forward so that it is approximately 2 feet in front of your right foot. Step forward with your left foot. As you step forward, turn your left foot 90° to the right so that your left toes are pointing at the ball. Step on top of the ball with your right foot. Using the sole of your right foot, drag the ball backward 180° at the same time that you spin your body 180° to the right. During the spin, your right foot should remain in contact with the ball. Accelerate away.
T1: Turing your pivot foot so that your toes point at the ball is vitally important if the move is to be made in the most efficient and quickest way possible.
T2: Many players will drag the ball backward and lose contact with the ball leaving it out in the open for a defender to steal easily.
T3: Many players will stop the ball by stepping on it and then step on the ground with that foot. Then, they will turn 180° and complete the move. This is not as efficient as stopping and turning with the ball in the same step.
Spin
The Spin is the kissing cousin of the Screw - just done in the opposite direction. The Spin is also a sequence of three turns to make a 360° move this time using the inside of one foot
Start with the ball in front of your left foot. Step forward with your right foot turned about 90° to the left. Using the inside of your right foot, chop the ball behind you. Repeat this two more times using only the inside of your right foot. You should have now made a complete 360° turn. Accelerate away.
T1: It is important that this move be made with the defender on the correct side so that you can use your body to shield the defender from the ball.
T2: This move is essentially three Chop moves made with the same foot - Chop-Chop-Chop!
Zico
The Zico is the simplest of moves being taught. It is usually the first move you'll see used successfully during games. It is named after the famous Brazilian player of the late 1970s and 1980s, Zico, who many experts refer to as the "white Pele".
Start by dribbling the ball forward. Run over the ball so that the ball goes between both of your legs. Quickly pivot 180° and push the ball away with the outside of the near foot.
T1: Sometimes players will run two or more steps past the ball and then pivot and dribble. Try to make sure the players keep closer to the ball. They should pivot and dribble away in the same step.
This appendix briefly discusses the proper technique to be used when striking the ball with either the inside or instep (laces) of the foot. We will concentrate on these two surfaces at the U6 level.
Inside of the Foot
The following progression should be followed to ensure an accurate pass or shot with the inside of the right foot (reverse it for the left foot):
1. Place the left foot about one foot to the left of the ball. Toes of the left foot should be facing the target.
2. On the backswing, rotate your right hip and right foot outward so that the right foot is at a 90° angle to the target (and to the left foot). You should pull your toes up so that your toes are higher than your heel. Lock the right ankle. This position should be maintained all the way through the ball strike and follow through.
3. Strike the ball through the center of the ball using the middle of the inside of your right foot.
4. Follow through the ball into the air maintaining your foot position (90° angle with heel down and toes up). Do not place your right foot immediately on the ground after striking the ball. The follow through should be in the air and toward the target.
Keeping the heel down and the toes up is very important to keeping the pass/shot on the ground. If the toes drop down and the strike is towards the toes, the ball will pop up in the air.
The follow through is also vital to success. Have the player freeze at the end of his/her follow through. The foot right foot should be off the ground, turned at a 90° angle with the heel down and toes up.
The following games are good for training inside of the foot passing/shooting:
· 3v3
· 3v3 Movable Goal
· 3v3 Multi-Ball
· Clean Up Your Room
· Hit the Cone
· Pac Man
· Pong
· Superman
Instep (laces)
The following progression should be followed to ensure an accurate and forceful pass or shot with the instep (laces) of the right foot (reverse it for the left foot):
1. Accelerate on the approach to the ball. The approach should be at a very slight angle (about 10°)
2. The last step should be a long and powerful stride. On the last step, place the left foot about one foot to the left of the ball. Toes of the left foot should be facing the target.
3. On the backswing, the toes on the right foot should point down with the right foot stretched tight and the ankle locked.
4. On the swing, propel both the right knee and foot towards the ball
5. Strike the ball through the center of the ball with the instep of your right foot. At the strike point, the right knee should be directly over the ball.
6. Follow through by continuing to propel both the right knee and foot through the strike zone. Keep the toes of the right foot pointing down as long as possible during the follow through and keep your right foot close to the ground. At the end of the follow through, your right foot should be no more than about one foot off the ground.
7. Continue your momentum through the strike so that you will land on your right (shooting) foot.
8. Your follow through and momentum should be toward the target.
Keeping your toes pointing down as long as possible is extremely important. Many players will flick their toes upward through the strike. This will send the pass/shot high over its intended target. It is also vital to have the player continue his/her momentum through the ball. Many players will stop as they strike the ball. This robs them of necessary power since they are decelerating and leads to passes/shots high above the intended target. Train players to take at least three or four steps after their shot.
The following games are good for training instep of the foot passing/shooting:
· 3v3 Over the Edge
· 3v3 SHOOT!
· Clean Up Your Room
· Cross Country
· Dribble and Shoot
· Step on the Crack
This appendix briefly discusses the proper technique to be used in the various mobility skills stressed in the U6 curriculum.
Running Forward
There are many components required for the most efficient and skillful running forward technique:
· Arm motion
· Stride motion
· Landing foot position
· Stride length
· Paw back
· Follow through
· Head/torso position
Many of these aspects are different depending on the type of running being done - sprinting, middle distance, long distance, jogging, etc. We will focus on sprinting technique since it is most relevant to soccer. In addition, at the U6 level, we will only concentrate on the first three items - arm motion, stride motion and landing foot position.
The following games are good for training sprinting form:
· City Game
· Dogs 'n Rabbits
· Relays
Sprinting - Arm Motion
The biggest problem with the arm motion of most players is that it is not conducive to the result of sprinting as fast as possible in a forward direction. Many players swing their arms across their bodies, which leads to momentum being spent in directions other than straight ahead. This also causes the head to bob from side-to-side and causes excessive shoulder movement. In a qualifying heat in the 1,500m at the 2004 Summer Olympics, the American runner was doing surprisingly well and was running in second place. As the runners moved into their sprints on the last lap, the American's form deteriorated with his arms swinging across his body and his head moving from side-to-side. It was obvious that his race was over. He finished in last place.
While arm motion across the body is probably most common, there are some players who are too stiff in their shoulders and arms, and barely generate any arm motion at all. This isn't that much of a problem in distance running, but it is tremendously detrimental to sprinting.
When sprinting, the proper arm motion should be a relaxed yet powerful arm swing. Your hand should start just behind your hip. As you start your stride with your opposite leg, your hand should start swinging forward. It should almost feel like your arm is pulling your opposite leg forward. As your opposite leg finishes its stride and makes contact with the ground, your arm should be bent with your hand just to the side of your head. As your opposite leg pulls forcefully back, your arm swings back to its original location just behind your hip.
The hip and head are good reference points for the starting and finishing points of your arm swing since that will force the arm swing to be in a straight forward direction. Beneficial side effects of this forward arm swing are that your head and shoulders will be quiet and always facing in a forward direction.
One easy way to teach proper arm swing is by skipping. When you skip, you are naturally very relaxed. This relaxes the shoulders and arms and allows you to create a technically correct arm swing. You can have the players exaggerate the arm swing until they get the hang of it.
Sprinting - Stride Motion
The stride motion of most players is usually acceptable at this age. You want to stress that the thigh and knee should be propelled forcefully forward for a powerful stride. Like the arm motion, the stride motion should be straight ahead - you don't want to spend any energy going in any other direction.
Sprinting - Landing Foot Position
Like arm motion, landing foot position is often poor in players at this age. Many players will land on their heels. This is actually a braking motion. Proper landing foot position should be on the balls of your feet. That provides for a powerful paw back and follow through.
To prove your point, have your players do the following:
1. Stand on their heels without any other part of their feet touching the ground. See how high they can jump just using their heels.
2. Stand on the balls of their feet without any other part of their feet touching the ground. See how high they can jump just using their balls of their feet.
It won't even be close. The power you can generate from your heels is almost non-existent. That is why it is so important to land on the balls of your feet while sprinting.
Running Backward
At the U6 age, running backward is an extremely amusing endeavor. When you first practice running backward, at least half of the players will fall over. There will be lots of laughter, but very little success. Running backward is just not a natural skill for humans. Remember, when we were toddlers, no one ever asked us to walk backward J
Most players will become efficient at running backward just through simple repetition of the skill. Like running forward, there are many aspects to running backward. At the U6 age, we will simply stress two:
1. Arm motion should be very similar to that when sprinting forward.
2. Strides should be smallish and quick. The faster your feet are moving, the faster you will go backward. Small strides also mean your feet hit the ground more often, which means you can change direction faster. Very few times will you have to make a 40-yard sprint running backward.
Landing foot position (balls of your feet) and torso position (leaning slightly forward) are also important when running backward. However, repetition should remedy any problems in these aspects of running backward.
The following games are good for training running backward form:
· City Game
· Parental Obstacle Course
· Relays
Moving from Side to Side
Oftentimes, moving from side-to-side is an overlooked skill in soccer. There are two fundamental ways to move from side to side:
1. Shuffling
2. Cross-overs
Shuffling is used for short distances and when changing of direction is vital. In basketball, this is the essential movement when defending a player who is dribbling the ball. In soccer, it is an essential skill for trying to stay in front of a dribbler.
Crossovers are used when side-to-side movement has to be faster and cover greater distances. Crossovers are rarely used in basketball. In soccer, they are used to keep pace with a dribbler.
In the U6 curriculum, we will only teach shuffling technique. The reasoning for this is that the skills are somewhat contradictory (in one, you don't cross your feet over while in the other you do). To prevent confusion, we will focus on shuffling at the U6 level and add in crossovers in the older age groups.
There are two usual detractors in a player's shuffling form. The first is that the player lets his/her feet cross over one another. The second is that the player bounces up and down instead of focusing on moving side-to-side.
For proper shuffling technique, players should start with their feet approximately shoulder-width apart. Their hands should be out to their side for balance. Knees must be bent for agility and power.
As players shuffle, their feet should never cross over. In fact, their feet should never even touch. Strides should be very small and very quick. This leads to more foot contact with the ground and more chances to change direction.
In addition, the players should feel like they are skating across the ground sideways. There should be very little up and down motion. All of their motion should be sideways.
The following games are good for training side-to-side movement:
· City Game
· Parental Obstacle Course
Jumping
Jumping is fun for U6s. It gives them the chance to leave the Earth even if it is only for a split second. In training, we will not focus too much on jumping technique, but will let repetitions do our training. There are some technical points that may be useful for players who are jumping challenged.
First, feet should be approximately shoulder width apart on takeoff. Players should be on the balls of their feet. The knees should bend and then extend powerfully to create maximum takeoff velocity. A powerful upward arm swing is also necessary if the players are going to reach their maximum jumping height. When landing, players should land on the balls of their feet with their knees slightly bent. Like takeoff, feet should be shoulder width apart on landing.
As players get older (especially girls), proper jumping form is essential to the prevention of ACL injuries. You can get more in depth information on this from the Santa Monica Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Research Foundation - http://www.aclprevent.com.
The following games are jumping friendly:
· Ballnastics - Step Ups
· City Game
· Parental Obstacle Course
Agility
Agility is the ability to move quickly and fluidly while changing directions. Agility is critical to being a successful dribbler. Almost all of our games stress agility in one form or another. Probably the most important facet of agility is staying on the balls of your feet. Another, oftentimes, overlooked facet is keeping your torso vertical. This leads to quick transference of your weight in a different direction since you don't have to move your torso. If you look at the very best NFL running backs, they keep their torso vertical, as their legs make quick cuts back and forth. They don't lean to the left and to the right - doing that would rob them of their quickness in changing direction.
We will leave the technical details to the older age groups and just let repetition do its magic for the U6s. Thus, it will be vital to have agility as a feature in almost all training sessions.
While almost all of our games have an agility component, the following games are most focused on training agility:
· Ballnastics
· City Game
· Parental Obstacle Course
This appendix is an alphabetical listing of games suggested for U6 training sessions.
3v3
This is the standard 3v3 game with each team attacking a goal. It teaches directional play toward a single target just like in 7v7 and 11v11 soccer.
Use your disc cones to set up a 15x20-yard field. Place one Pugg goal halfway along each 15-yard line. Have one team put on pinnies.
Select a team to kick off from the midfield and let the fun begin. If the ball goes over a touch line (the 20-yard lines), restart play by having a player kick the ball in instead of a throw in. Use corner kicks, goal kicks and kickoffs as in a normal game. No goals can be scored directly off a restart.
Play a short 3-5 minute game and have a water break. You can then divide into new teams or just start a new game.
T1: If you have 8 players, divide into teams of 4 with one substitute. With 10 players, divide into teams of 5 with two substitutes. Rotate players so that all players take turns being substitutes. Substitute frequently - watching is boring!
T2: Let the players play. You should be relegated to the role of big cheerleader. Only stop the game if the players repeatedly make the same mistakes.
T3: Discourage players from being goalies and standing right in front of the goal.
T4: Scoring a goal should be a big deal. After each goal, devise some sort of celebration that involves the players from both teams. Let the goal scorer pick a silly word and have everyone yell it aloud. Count off the total number of goals that have been scored so far (in Spanish!). Just do something so that all the players know that scoring a goal is what it's all about.
3v3 Line Soccer
This 3v3 game is all about dribbling so it makes a nice session ending game when dribbling was the theme of the session.
Set up a 20x15-yard field using your disc cones. Note that the field is wider than it is long (so that there is more space in which to score a goal).
The game is played the same as the standard 3v3 game except that the method of scoring a goal is different. To score a goal, a player needs to dribble the ball and stop it anywhere on the goal line they are attacking.
Since you can score anywhere along the goal line, it is important for players to recognize when the space in front of them is heavily defended (2+ defenders). In that case, the dribbler needs to quickly change directions and attack another part of the goal line. Of course, passing is another way to change the point of attack quickly. If that happens, great; however, stress dribbling first and passing second.
T1: See the standard 3v3 game.
T2: Try to get the attacking team to create some space around the dribbler so they are not "defenders' as well. We want many 1v1 duels - not 3v3s.
3v3 Movable Goal
This is a very fun variant of the standard 3v3 game. Because the goals are moving, players must get their heads up to see where they must attack. The "goal posts" can move as quickly or as slowly as necessary, but don't make it too hard to score a goal.
Set up a 15x20-yard field using your disc cones. Two coaches or parents grab each end of a corner flag holding it horizontally. The coaches/parents are the goal posts and the corner flag is the crossbar. Safety note: if possible, remove the stake from the corner flag (or have the coach/parent cover it up with his/her hand). Have the other pair of coaches/parents take the second corner flag.
The game is played the same as the standard 3v3 game except that the goals can move. Make sure the players know which goal they are attacking (you may want to give pinnies to the goal posts). A goal can be scored in either direction through the goal. The goals can move anywhere on the field of play.
variations
Allow both teams to score on either goal.
T1: See the standard 3v3 game.
T2: Because the goals can move, players need to adapt quickly to their changing environment. This is a crucial skill for success in soccer.
3v3 Multi-Ball
This game helps break up the 6-player pack when playing 3v3. By introducing additional balls into the game, you create more 1v1 duals and more opportunities to score.
Set up is the same as the standard 3v3 game.
The game is played the same as the standard 3v3 game except that you play with more than one ball at a time. As goals are scored or balls go out of play, throw in another ball to keep the game lively. Experiment with playing with two, three and even four balls at the same time.
T1: See the standard 3v3 game.
T2: Send the ball into players who are relatively inactive to get them more involved in the game.
3v3 Over the Edge
This is an easy variant of the standard 3v3 game. If your players are having trouble scoring goals in the other 3v3 variants, try this one. Goals will be made aplenty!
Set up a 15x20-yard field using your disc cones.
The game is played the same as the standard 3v3 game except that you score a goal by simply kicking the ball over your opponent’s goal line. With goal scoring being so easy, the emphasis is on shooting as soon as possible. As soon as a player gets just a little opening, he/she should be thinking about shooting.
T1: See the standard 3v3 game.
3v3 SHOOT!
This is a fast-paced, shooting game on a short and wide field. It is an excellent ending to a training session with a shooting/striking the ball theme.
Set up is the same as the standard 3v3 game except:
1. Field is 20x15 yards (field is wider than it is long).
2. Use corner flags for goals instead of Pugg goals. Make each goal 6-8 yards wide.
There are no goalies in this game.
The game is played the same as the standard 3v3 game. With the goals so close together and so big, the emphasis is on shooting as soon as possible. As soon as a player gets just a little opening, he/she should be thinking about shooting.
T1: See the standard 3v3 game.
T2: If you have real soccer goals available, use those. Shooting games are always better when you can shoot the ball into a net!
Around the Cones
Relays are a very simple game to use to train dribbling at speed. The competitive nature of relays always means players will give a good effort. Around the Cones is a very simple relay with easy setup and few rules to learn. Relay teams should have three or four players so that players get two or three parts rest to every part of work (2:1 or 3:1 rest:work ratio). If you have an odd number of players, add a parent, sibling or coach. You can also have one player go twice at each distance.
Set up the relay by laying out disc cones in front of each relay team at the following distances: 0 yards (the starting line), 5 yards, 10 yards and 15 yards.
When the relay is started, the first player from each relay dribbles around the 5-yard cone and then passes to the second player. The second player dribbles around the 5-yard cone and then passes to the third player. When the ball is passed to the first player, the first player then dribbles around the 10-yard cone and passes the ball to the second player. When the ball is passed to the first player again, the first player dribbles around the 15-yard cone and passes to the second player. The relay is done when the last player dribbles around the 15-yard cone and dribbles back across the starting line.
variations
Instead of just dribbling around the cones, have the players practice an appropriate move (Zico, Spin or Screw) when they reach a cone.
You can train sprinting skills by running around the cones instead of dribbling. You can have players run forward, backward, shuffle, etc. - whatever mobility skill(s) you would like to train.
T1: Make sure players are dribbling in a straight line.
T1: Divide players into relay teams that are equal.
T2: Let the players pass to the next player from whatever distance they want. They will soon figure out the correct distance that will be successful and fastest.
Body Part Dribbling
A fun, short dribbling game with lots of ball touches for the amount of time spent.
Use your disc cones to set up a 20x25-yard area. Each player has a ball and must stay inside the area. Pick out a move that the players should be working on while dribbling.
When you say "Go!", players dribble around the field freely. Players should do the suggested move as often as possible. While the players are dribbling, call out a body part. All players must stop and touch the ball with the specified body part. Get them started again and then call out another body part. Thumb, ear, nose, elbow, butt, etc. - all make great choices. You can even start teaching left from right by saying right elbow, right thumb, etc.
Change the dribbling move frequently and have fun with the game. Call out multiple parts - left foot and right thumb. Call out impossible combinations: both ears, right foot and back, etc.
variations
Instead of calling out the body part, simply point to it. This will encourage players to dribble with their heads up. Last player to comply has to do some silly task.
T1: Make sure players keep moving, keep dribbling, and keep working on the selected dribbling move.
T2: To promote skillful use of both feet, tell players they can only dribble with their right foot. On the next round, players can only dribble with their left foot.
Capture the Flag
This is a soccer version of the classic children's game. Instead of trying to capture the flag, each team tries to capture as many soccer balls as possible.
Use your disc cones to create two 10x10 squares that are approximately 20 yards apart. Place half of the balls in each square. Place all of the players from one team in one square; all of the players for the second team in the other square.
When you say "Go!", players from both teams run to the other square and take a ball. They dribble the ball back to their square and then get another ball. No passing is allowed - only dribbling. Play for 1-2 minutes. At the end of the game, the winner is the team with the most balls in their square.
variations
Let players defend the balls in their square. Now each team needs to decide who will attack and who will defend. Only legal soccer defending tactics can be used - no holding, tripping, etc.
Play just like a real game with defenders, passing, etc. all allowed.
Play with more than two teams. This makes the problem solving part of the game much more intriguing.
T1: Work on both feet by playing one game with the right foot only and the next game with the left.
Cars
In this simple and fun game, players get to do their best car impersonations.
Use your disc cones to mark an area approximately 20x25 yards.
Each player has to dribble around the marked area according to the following traffic “conditions” that you will call out:
· Green light – go (normal speed)
· Red light – stop
· First gear – slow
· Turbo – as fast as possible
· Reverse – dribble backwards
· Horn – sit on the ball
· Accident – try to hit another player (below the waist!) with the ball
Make sure the players are making appropriate car noises as they play the game. Once they get the hang of it, have one of the players call out the traffic conditions.
variations
Make the game into an agility game without a ball by adopting traffic conditions for running.
T1: To promote skillful use of both feet, tell players they can only dribble with their right foot. On the next round, players can only dribble with their left foot.
City Game
The City Game is adapted from the Dutch KNVB training game of the same name. It can be used in the training of a variety of skills.
Set up four cities in a square grid with each city being 10 yards apart. Use four cones (about three yards apart) to mark the corners of each city. Name the cities (or have the players name them) and divide the players among the cities
Agility Variants (No Balls)
1. When you say "Go!", each player must run in a counterclockwise direction around the grid passing through each city. When they return to their home city, they go down on one knee to show they have finished. First city with all of its residents back is the winner.
2. Game is the same except when you run from City A to City B, you must run forward. From City B to City C, you must run backward. From City C to City D, you must shuffle sideways. From City D to City A, you run forward but must do a somersault in the middle.
3. Make an obstacle course with different obstacles between each city. Put hula hoops between City A and City B and make players run around the hoops. Put hurdles between City B and City C. Put bars between City C and City D and make players shuffle sideways around the bars. Hold hoops on their edge between City D and City A and make players dive through the hoops.
Dribbling Variants (Every Player with a Ball)
1. When you say "Go!", each player must dribble in a counterclockwise direction around the grid passing through each city. When they return to their home city, they need to stop the ball by placing their foot on top of it and wait in that position until all the other residents of their city finish. First city with all of its residents back is the winner.
2. Between each city, you have to do a certain dribbling move or sequence of dribbling moves. For example, between City A and City B you must do a Spin. Between City B and City C you must do two Zicos and so forth.
3. Make an obstacle course similar to that described above. For hurdles, have them pass the ball to the end of the hurdles, jump over all of them, get their ball and continue. For the hoops on their edge, make them pass the ball through the hoop.
variations
Have half of the players from each city go in a clockwise direction. Have the other half go in a counterclockwise direction. Now the players will also be obstacles as they run/dribble around the course.
Place a fifth city in the middle of the grid. Players must visit the four other cities (including the one in the middle) and return to their home city. How they do that is up to them.
T1: Have the players pick the city names. Some "cities" will have an interesting names like "Mexico" and "Japan"J
T2: To make the game more fun and a learning experience, have players yell out a word appropriate to their city when they finish. For example, if the city is Madrid, they must yell out something in Spanish. If it's a city for which you don't know a word, let the players make up a word that sounds like the city's language!
Clean Up Your Room
This frenetic game is a player favorite. The only downfall of the game is it needs a large amount of space so that players aren't kicking balls into other practice areas, etc.
Use your disc cones to set up two parallel lines that are 3 yards apart. Put one team on one side of the lines and the other team on the opposite side. The area between the lines is a neutral zone that can not be entered. Divide the balls so that each team has an equal number. It helps if each team has more balls than they have players.
When you say "Go!", players from both teams try to "clean up their rooms" by kicking balls over to the other team's "room". Play the game for 1-2 minutes. At the end of that time, the team with the "cleanest room" (i.e., the fewest balls) wins.
Note that players are not allowed to go into the neutral zone to recover any balls there although they can try to knock them out.
T1: Stress proper striking the ball technique.
T1: Work on both feet by playing one game with the right foot only and the next game with the left.
T2: Play one game using only the inside of the foot and the next game using the instep.
Cone Hunt
This silly game gets everyone on the move doing lots of dribbling and lots of dribbling moves. It's also a good game to play at clean up time if you have many cones on the field.
Place cones randomly all over the field area. Each player needs a ball. Select the dribbling move (the "magic" move) that must be done before a cone can be picked up. Also choose the number or type of cones to be retrieved (one cone, two cones, one orange and one yellow, one disc and one 9-inch, etc.).
When you say "Go!", everyone is off. Players must do the selected dribbling move before they pick up the specified cone(s). They bring the cone(s) back to you and start out again. The game continues until all of the cones are picked up.
Have the players throw out all of the cones as far as they can to start the next game. Pick a new dribbling move and number or type of cones to be picked up.
variations
One nice variation is to play Team Cone Hunt. Simply divide all of the players up into teams. Each team creates a pile of cones that they have collected. Team with the most wins!
Cross Country
No cones, no setup, no organizing teams - what could be better? Cross Country is an extremely simple game that lets you really concentrate on training striking the ball with the instep of the foot.
Line up all of the players across one touch line. Each player needs a ball. Select a foot to be used.
When you say "Go!", players strike the ball with the instep of the selected foot. They continue to do this until the ball crosses the far touch line. Players should count how many strikes it took them to cross the field.
Line all of the players up for a second round and see if they can beat their first score.
variations
Who can cross the field the fastest?
T1: Stress proper striking the ball technique.
T2: Work on both feet by playing one game with the right foot only and the next game with the left.
Dogs 'n Rabbits
What could give more incentive to dribbling faster than being a dribbling rabbit chased by a mad, drooling dog? In this game, the chaser (the dog) tries to run down and tag the dribbler (the rabbit) before the dribbler can reach the finish line.
Set up each course by laying out disc cones at the following distances: 0 yards, 5 yards and 30 yards.
Have each pair decide who is the dog and who is the rabbit. The first pair starts the game. The dog stands at the cone at 0 yards. The rabbit stands with a ball at the cone at 5 yards. As soon as the rabbit makes his/her first dribble, the dog is released and chases the rabbit. If the dog tags the rabbit before the rabbit reaches the cone at 30 yards, the dog gets a point. If the rabbit makes it to the 30-yard cone without being tagged, the rabbit gets a point.
Once the first pair has finished, the second and then third pairs play the game. When the first pair plays for a second time, switch roles so that the rabbit becomes the dog and vice versa.
The first player to get three points in any pair is the winner of the game and gets to be Bugs Bunny for the day!
T1: If the rabbits are not being successful, move the dogs back several yards.
T2: Proper dribbling foot position and length of the dribble are crucial to a rabbit's survival.
T3: The dogs should be using proper sprinting form.
T4: To make the game more fun, have the dogs bark like crazy when they try to chase down their rabbit.
Dribble and Shoot
This is the basic shooting game that is played everywhere. Players get to work on their dribbling moves and shooting at the same time.
Set up your Pugg goals side by side approximately 5-10 yards apart. In front of each Pugg goal, set up disc cones at the following distances: 10 yards and 25 yards. Behind each of the 25-yard cones, line up one group of players. Every player should have a ball. Note that if you only have one large goal, simply have both groups shoot on the same goal at the same time.
The first player from each group dribbles forward, makes a dribbling move, and must shoot before reaching the cone. If the shot goes into the goal, that player's team gets one point. Have each group count their points aloud and the first team with ten points is the winner. Switch goals and shooting feet for the next round.
You can make players shag their own shots to give them extra incentive to put them into the net!
T1: The last dribble before the shot should be a longer one. This allows the player to accelerate into the shot for more power. If the last dribble is a short one, the player will have a hard time getting the ball out from under his/her feet in order to shoot powerfully.
T2: Stress proper instep shooting form - plant foot next to the ball, toe down, follow through with the knee and the toe and land on the shooting foot.
Everybody's It!
This fun tag game rewards aggressive dribblers who use feints and fakes to make and elude tags.
Use your disc cones to mark an area approximately 20x25 yards.
When you say "Go!", all players start dribbling around the marked area. A player gets a point if he/she is able to tag another player while maintaining his/her dribble. No point is awarded if the player is not dribbling the ball when the tag is made. Play for one minute.
T1: This game promotes good dribbling balance as players who lunge around frantically will get tagged a lot.
T2: You can emphasize proficiency with both feet by requiring that players only dribble with one foot for one game and then the other foot for the next game.
Flip ‘Em Over
An incredibly simple game that promotes dribbling and improves agility.
Place cones randomly all over the field area. Each player needs a ball.
When you say "Go!", everyone is off dribbling. While dribbling, players try to flip over as many cones as possible. When all of the cones have been flipped over, the winner is the player who flipped over the most cones.
Play a second game by having the players flip the cones back over.
variations
If you have cones of two different colors, divide up into two teams and make it a team game. First team to flip over all of the cones of their assigned color wins.
If you have 9-inch cones, have the players knock over the cones in the first game. For the second game, players have to set the cones back up.
Freeze Tag
This fun tag game utilizes a dribbling move to make a player "safe". This makes the players work on this particular dribbling move over and over as they try to prevent being tagged.
Use your disc cones to mark an area approximately 20x25 yards. Choose a dribbling move that will keep a player safe from being tagged (a Zico in this example).
For the first round, you are Mr./Mrs. Freeze. When you say "Go!", all players start dribbling around the marked area trying to avoid being tagged by Mr./Mrs. Freeze. If a player is doing the selected move (e.g., a Zico), they are safe and can not be tagged. If they are tagged at any other time, the player is frozen. When frozen, the player stands with his/her legs spread apart holding his/her ball overhead. To be unfrozen and back in the game, an unfrozen player must pass the ball between the frozen player's legs.
For the second round, pick a new "safe" move and a player to be Mr./Mrs. Freeze.
T1: Just attempting the "safe" move makes the player safe - it doesn't have to be successful.
T2: To promote skillful use of both feet, pick a one-footed move for the "safe" move and tell players they can only dribble with their right foot. On the next round, players can only dribble with their left foot.
T3: Make the area smaller/larger to make the game more difficult/easier.
Gates
This is a good game to get many of touches on the ball in a short period.
A gate is created by placing a pair of disc cones two yards apart. Make 10 such gates in a 25x30-yard area. The gates should all be at different angles to one another. Have the players spread out within the area.
When you say "Go!", the players try to dribble through as many gates as they can. You can go through a gate in either direction. You can not go through the same gate twice in a row. Time the game for one minute and ask each player how many gates he/she went through. Play again for another minute to see if the players can beat their first score.
Variations
First player through all 10 gates is the winner.
T1: Improve dribbling skills with both feet by only allowing players to dribble with their right foot during the first game and their left foot during the next game.
Get Outta There
This game with the harsh-sounding name is a fast-paced game of mano-a-mano.
Use your disc cones to create a 20x25-yard field. Place a Pugg goal halfway along each goal line. Line half of the players up at one corner and the other half up at the diagonal corner.
Roll a ball onto the field without saying anything. When the ball enters the field of play, the first players in each group run down their goal line, around their goal, and onto the field to play a 1v1 game. If the ball goes out of play, all the remaining players yell "Get Outta There!" The players on the field must leave immediately. You (silently) roll another ball onto the field for the second player from each group to play. By rolling the ball onto the field silently, you are forcing players to really pay attention.
If a player scores a goal, that player stays on the field. If Super Annie gave up the goal, all of the remaining players should yell "Get Outta There Super Annie!" Super Annie must then leave the field, and the next player in her group plays as soon as you put the ball into play. Leaving the goal scorer on the field helps break up pairs so players don't have to play against the same players.
You can have players keep track of their goals and the first to three goals is Ronaldino for the day!
variations
Place goals in each corner so players have two goals on which to score. This will emphasize changing directions.
Roll two balls onto the field and have two separate 1v1 games going on at a time.
T1: Change of speed and change of direction - stress it repeatedly. Encourage players to take chances by attempting attacking dribbling moves instead of taking a defensive posture.
T2: If there are many players, make the field smaller so the ball will go out of play more often.
Gladiators
This is a fast and furious game that rewards aggressive play and good dribbling skills.
Use your disc cones to mark a 15-20 yard circle. Put all of the balls (one per pair of players) randomly in the circle. Have one team put on pinnies.
Have all of the players start jogging around the circle. When you say "Gladiators!", all of the players enter the circle and try to win a ball. Play continues for one minute with each team trying to control as many balls as possible. If balls are knocked out of the circle, you should put them back into the circle as play continues.
At the end of the minute, the winning team is the team controlling the most number of balls.
Have the players jog around the circle to start the next game.
T1: Remind players that they should not steal the ball away from their teammates!
Hit the Cone
This is a good warmup game because it can be played with any number of players.
Spread disc cones out in a 20x25-yard area.
When you say "Go!", all players try to dribble around the area hitting as many cones as possible. A player can not hit the same cone twice in a row. Play for one minute and see which player hit the most number of cones.
If you have unique soccer balls available (e.g., a bunch of size 5 balls), you can use those instead of cones. You can also use corner flags.
variations
Divide the players into teams and see which team can hit the most number of cones.
Use different color cones and call out the color that must be hit to score a point. Change the color frequently.
T1: To emphasize striking the ball, tell the players that they must be at least 5-yards away from a cone when they shoot at it.
Hospital Tag
This silly game is lots of fun to play and helps with dribbling. There are other games that do more to improve dribbling skill, but few that are more fun for U6s.
Use your disc cones to set up a 20x25-yard area. Select one or two players to be taggers. Choose a dribbling move that will keep a player safe from being tagged (a Zico in this example). You should stand just outside the marked area in the "hospital".
When you say "Go!", all players start dribbling around the marked area trying to avoid being tagged by the taggers. If a player is doing the selected move (e.g., a Zico), they are safe and can not be tagged. If they are tagged at any other time, they must keep one hand on the body part that was tagged. The player then has to continue dribbling around while keeping his/her hand on that tagged body part.
If a player is tagged a second time (while NOT doing the safe move), he/she must keep his/her other hand on the second body part that was tagged. The player has to continue dribbling around while keeping his/her hands on the two body parts that were tagged.
If a player is tagged a third time, he/she must dribble over to the hospital area (still holding the first two tagged body parts). You are the doctor and have to surgically repair the tagged body parts. Once a player has been "operated on" and made good as new, he/she returns to the game and starts dribbling again.
Play for a minute or two and then pick new taggers for the next game.
variations
Have the taggers dribble and the other players run around without a ball.
All players have a ball and all are taggers. In this variant, there is no “safe” move.
Make the game into a mobility skills game by not using any soccer balls at all. You can choose to have one or two taggers or just let everyone be a tagger.
T1: Just attempting the "safe" move makes the player safe - it doesn't have to be successful.
T2: To promote skillful use of both feet, pick a one-footed move for the "safe" move and tell players they can only dribble with their right foot. On the next round, players can only dribble with their left foot.
T3: Make the area smaller/larger to make the game more difficult/easier.
Like Magnets
Nothing like a lesson in physics to spice up soccer training. Show the players how the opposite charged magnets attract while the like magnets repel each other.
Use your disc cones to mark an area approximately 20x25 yards. Choose a 180° dribbling move (Zico) to be used during the game.
When you say "Go!", all players start dribbling around in the area. Whenever they approach another player, they must act as if they are like magnets and repel each other. To do this, they do the selected dribbling move and dribble off in the other direction.
T1: To promote skillful use of both feet, tell players they can only dribble with their right foot. On the next round, players can only dribble with their left foot.
Musical Cones
This is a dribbling take off on the popular musical chairs game.
Use four disc cones to make a small, 2-foot square. Make one less square than you have players and spread the squares out in a random fashion to make your playing area. Select a dribbling move to be practiced during the game.
When you say "Go!", all of the players start dribbling practicing the selected dribbling move as often as possible. When you say "Stop!", all players must immediately dribble to a square and stop their ball in the square. The player without a square has to do a silly task before the next game is started.
For those few coaches who can sing, you can really make it a musical game!
variations
Bring in the boom box and have a player bring in a cassette tape or CD. Then play real musical cones by starting/stopping the "music".
Use different color cones for each square and call out the color of the square at which to stop. This will prevent players from always staying close to a square.
Reduce the number of squares so that more than one player is left out and has to do a task.
Instead of one player stopping at each square, allow two players to stop at a square. Reduce the number of squares so one or more players will be left out. You can do this with threes, fours, etc. This is a good way to end the game and use the groups at each cone as teams for your next game.
T1: Make sure the players keep moving, keep dribbling, and keep working on the selected dribbling move.
T2: To promote skillful use of both feet, tell players they can only dribble with their right foot. On the next round, players can only dribble with their left foot.
Pac Man
This is a good game because it involves passing the ball while on the move. This correlates nicely to the real game of soccer.
Use your disc cones to mark an area approximately 20x25 yards.
Select two players to be Pac Men. Each of the Pac Men should have a ball. The rest of the balls should be outside of the area. When you say "Go!", the Pac Men dribble around trying to hit the other players BELOW the waist by passing the ball at them. The players, who are not Pac Men, run around dodging the attempts to tag them with a pass. If a player is hit by a ball below the waist, that player becomes a Pac Man, too. The new Pac Man should get one of the balls that is outside of the area and join the game as soon as possible. The last two players who are not Pac Men become the Pac Men to start the next game.
T1: Emphasize passing the ball not shooting it, and constantly remind the Pac Men to pass low so that no one gets hurt.
Parental Obstacle Course
If you have many parents who stay for practice, this is a fun way to put them to work. It helps them get to know the other players so it is a nice team building exercise. Plus, at this age, players actually enjoy being with their parentsJ
Set up by having the parents create an obstacle course by assuming different shapes and poses. You can have players crawl between a parent's legs, dive over outstretched arms, run around parents, etc. Anything that is safe goes.
Divide the players into groups and have each group start from a different point on the course. Each group runs the course in the same direction. This way, all of the players can start the course at the same time. First group with everybody back to their starting point is the winner (just as in the City Game).
variations
If the parents are willing, have the players create the obstacle course for the coaches and parents to traverse.
T1: Quickness is the key - make sure players are running on the balls of their feet. The balls of your feet should land before your heel.
Pong
This is a great game to focus solely on striking the ball with the inside of the foot. It is a very controlled game so it is easy to have players work on striking the ball with either foot. A side benefit is that players learn receiving skills as well.
Use your disc cones to set up one goal for each pair. Each goal should be two yards wide. There should be about five yards between each goal so the pairs won't be interfering with one another. Player A should be about three yards on one side of the goal; player B about three yards on the other side of the goal.
Tell the players which foot they will be using for passing. When you say "Go!", players in each pair pass back and forth to each other using the inside of the chosen foot. If the ball goes through the goal, that pair is awarded one point. First pair to ten wins the game and jumps for joy! Have the pairs count each point aloud so you can tell how much progress they are making (this also puts pressure on the teams who are behind to catch up). The game should look like the old Pong arcade game.
Switch the passing foot for the second game and play again. If the players are doing well, have them move back several steps and play again.
variations
Instead of playing to ten, if a pair makes three consecutive successful passes through the goal, each player takes one big step backward. If they mess up, they have to start back at the beginning (three yards from the goal). See which pair can get the furthest apart.
T1: Plant foot pointing toward the target (through the goal), passing foot turned outward at a 90° angle, heel down/toes up, lock the ankle, and follow through.
T2: Have the players try to keep the ball moving. You don't want them to trap it and then pass it.
T3: This can turn into a boring drill very quickly. Make sure you keep it a game by keeping score or some other means.
Red Light Green Light
Use your disc cones to set up two parallel lines that are 30 yards apart. All of the players line up along one line. You stand at the other line facing away from the players. Pick a dribbling move that all players must do when you say "Green Light".
To start the game, you say "Green Light!". At that point, all of the players do the selected dribbling move and start dribbling toward the far line as fast as possible. When you say "Red Light!", all of the players must stop and put their foot on top of their ball. When you say "Red Light!", you also turn around. Any players who are not standing with a foot on their ball have to go back to the starting line and start over. You then turn back around and say "Green Light!" The players do the dribbling move and dribble forward again. First player to cross the line wins the game and gets to call Red Light, Green Light for the next game.
Variations
Make the lines 40 yards apart and play without soccer balls. When you say "Green Light", the players must do some mobility skill - forward somersault, push up, cartwheel, sky jump, etc. - and then sprint forward. When you say "Red Light", the players must stop. Any who don't stop in time have to start over.
T1: To improve skill with both feet, make players dribble with their right foot during the first game and their left foot in the next game.
T2: Since you are not watching the game, it helps to have an assistant watch and make sure the rules are being followed.
Relays
Relays are an age-old favorite of children everywhere. They are one of our most adaptable coaching tools and can be used to stress dribbling skills, mobility skills, etc. The possibilities are endless. The competitive nature of team against team ensures that players will give 100% no matter what relay you have chosen. Relays are great as warmups to a successful session.
Some important facets of successful relay games:
· Keep the teams small - no more than four players per team.
· Keep the repetitions short - don't have one player go off for 30 seconds while the others are just waiting around. For a team of four, that means 90 seconds of doing nothing for each member of the team. While doing nothing for 90 seconds may sound great to us, it's incredibly boring for a U6 player.
· Combine relays together to make more challenging relays. For example, combine a dribbling relay with a running relay so players have to combine skills to be successful.
Following are some examples of relays that can be used. If you use a little bit of imagination, you can easily create more relays than you have time in all of your training sessions!
1. Around the Cones. You can make it a mobility skills relay by having players shuffle to the first cone and then run back, run backward to the second cone and then run back, and then run forward to the third cone and back. This allows players to work on all of their mobility skills. If the players are agile enough, make them do a forward somersault when they reach the third cone.
2. Dribbling relays where you have to dribble only with your right foot the first time, only with your left foot the second time, and then alternating feet the third time.
3. Shooting relays where a player must dribble to a cone, shoot (and score), and then run back to the next player. If the player misses the shot, he/she must retrieve the ball and shoot again until he/she scores.
4. Agility relays where players run an obstacle course before the next player goes. One interesting way to do this is to set up an obstacle course with three or four different skills - running around hoops, jumping over hurdles, shuffling around poles, etc. The course must be the same for both teams. The first players from each team start and run the first leg of the course. When they reach the end of that leg, they shout "Go!" and the second player goes. And, so forth until all players have done the first leg. At this point, all of the players will be at the start of the second leg, and the first player will start that. This continues until all players have reached the end of the course.
If any player knocks over a hurdle, flag, etc., make them set it back up before they can finish. That will keep the course intact for the next player.
5. To maximize effort in a short time period, use continuous relays. In continuous relays, teams perform the relay continually for the specified amount of time. The team that wins is the team that has the most players complete the relay. Have teams count out loud as each player completes the relay – this just adds to the excitement.
Retriever
Players love this silly and fun game. It's also fun for you especially if you’re a little tired of your players (just throw the ball further away!).
There is no set up necessary for this game - simply select a dribbling move to be practiced.
Each of the players brings his/her ball to you. You throw it or kick it in any direction. The player chases after the ball, retrieves it, and dribbles it back. The player should do the selected move as many times as possible. After the ball is returned, you throw it or kick it away again.
After several retrievals, pick a different move to be practiced.
variations
Instead of practicing dribbling moves, you can practice speed dribbling by having each player dribble back their ball as fast as possible.
You can practice striking the ball by calling out a number. Each player must return the ball in that exact number of touches. You can even do Retriever in pairs and the players need to do the selected number of passes while returning.
Work on agility and problem solving by calling out different ways to bring the ball back – dribbling, one hand only, one hand and head, head only. The possibilities are endless.
T1: To make the game more fun, have the players bark and act like Black Labs when they run out to retrieve their ball.
Run the Gauntlet
This excellent, rapid-fire 1v1 game challenges dribbling skills and requires quick thinking.
Mark the corners of a 10x30-yard area. Put additional cones at 10 and 20 yards on each of the 30-yard sides. You should now have three consecutive 10x10-yard areas.
Pick three players to be defenders. Have the first defender stand between the two 10-yard cones. The second defender stands between the two 20-yard cones. The third defender stands between the two 30-yard cones. The other players each get a ball and line up one behind the other between the 0-yard cones.
When the first player dribbles into the first box, the first defender moves into the box trying to stop the dribbler from advancing into the second box. If the dribbler successfully makes it to the second box, the second defender comes forward to defend that box. If the dribbler successfully makes it to the third box, the third defender comes forward to defend the third box. If the dribble
