Development of Individual Skills and Group Tactics
U13-U14
Adult standards and formal rules become the focal point. The demands of skill training as well as training loads should increase thus provoking improvement in mental toughness, concentration and diligence.
COACH: Strong personality; Soccer knowledge; Enthusiastic; Demonstrate
TECHNIQUE: Build on the base. Development of individual skill under pressure.
- Dribbling - Encourage players to take players on 1v1; Moves; Shielding and Spin turns.
- Receiving - Quality 1st touch. Still highly emphasized. Take balls out of air/turning; all
surfaces.
- Passing - Short, long, bent, crosses, driven, chipped; all surfaces and on the move.
- Shooting - On the run; on the turn; from all angles; Volleys; 1/2 volleys
- Heading - To goal; To pass; To clear
- Tackling - Proper technique and timing; Slide
TACTICS: Increase tactical speed (decision making).
- Individual - 1V1
- Attacking - Encourage the creative risk taker; take players on in proper areas of the field
- Defending - Proper pressure (in front and behind); Channel player; immediate chase
- Small Group - 2V1, 2V2, 3V2, 3V3, 4V2, 4V3, 4V4
- Attacking - Keep possession; Support; Combination Play; Width, Depth, Penetration;
Crossing with proper runs; Simple set plays
- Defending - Pressure-Cover-Balance, Compactness, Delay, Tracking back; Simple set plays
Play a lot of small-sided games and coach within the games. Join in
PHYSICAL: Flexibility, Agility, Speed, Strength, Endurance.
MENTAL: The game must remain fun.
- Imagination/Creativity/Risk Taking.
- Increase Demands (solving problems and raising responsibility & accountability).
- Establish Training Targets (technical and fitness goals).
- Maintain Discipline (clean boots, early for training/matches, staying focused through adversity).
- Encourage them to watch high-level games.
U11-U12
Hero worship, identification with high level players and teams and a hunger and passion for imaginative skills are important at this age. Demonstration is very important and players learn best by doing. It is very important to establish discipline and instill an attitude necessary to compete and succeed.
COACH: Must be enthusiastic; Possess soccer awareness; A sensitive teacher; Ability to demonstrate; Knowledge of the key factors of basic skills; Give encouragement; Seek soccer education.
TECHNIQUE: Important to establish a good strong base. Increase technical speed. Develop under pressure of time, space and opponent. The technical training must far outweigh anything else in this age group.
- 1st Touch - All surfaces and on the move.
- Passing - All surfaces and on the move. Proper timing, weight, accuracy and disguise.
- Dribbling - Encourage risk taking. They must be allowed to run at players and take them
on. We want players who can make things happen.
- Shooting - Proper striking technique-service from all angles, 1st touch, preparation to strike
and attitude to score
TACTICS: Play a variety of positions. Promote attacking soccer.
- Individual - 1V1
- Attacking - Take players on. Encourage the creative risk taker. Shielding.
- Defending - Proper pressure (in front and from behind), How to jockey and how and when
to tackle.
- Small group - 2V1, 2V2, 3V1, 3V2, 3V3
- Attacking - Keep possession, support, combination plays
- Defending - Pressure/cover; marking
Play a lot of small-sided games and coach within the games. Join in.
PHYSICAL: Flexibility-stress this aspect because it cuts down on injuries and increases
range of motion. Speed, Strength, Agility
MENTAL: Must be kept fun.
- Encourage decision-making
- Imagination/Creativity/Risk Taking
- Discipline/Boots polished/On Time/Set Standards
- Encourage them to watch high-level games
