Youth Soccer Coaching

It’s like clockwork when you have a soccer field diagram before you and you are planning to teach the kids soccer formations and positions. It’s advisable that young kids between 4 to 6 years in age should be made to play in small sided soccer like a 3 v 3 or a 4 v 4 with no goalkeepers.

Then move to a 5 v 5 including a goalkeeper as the kids mature. There are countless benefits. This will result in kids having a lot more fun, learn the theory of the game better, and get touch the ball many times.

This is a tender age when the kids are almost learning to pass and control the ball. Also start training them on different soccer positions and formations. It is a good time to designate players as forwards and defenders. You should also ensure that they get to their positions as much as possible.

With time, the number of players will someday increase with the size of the soccer field. Then it becomes a little tricky to create formations. Even then the players must be designated at various positions and see that they are performing sincerely from these positions.

Soccer formation

You should have dialogue with the players after you’ve decided the formations. Explain to the players why one player is preferred for a specific position in comparison to another and also the theory that follows it. This is where the soccer field diagram helps the most. Kids learn better by looking at visual representations. You’ll also find those who prefer to learn by studying the content available in print, or on the field by watching you carry out the drills.

There are a few rules and soccer tactics that are a part of every soccer position, like defenders, midfielders, and forwards. These descriptions are apt for a 2-2-2 formation in a 7 v 7 game. These guidelines are general in nature and you must modify them a little to suit your style, plan, and approach.

For instance, you can choose to have 3 midfielders in place of 2. You may need your center midfielder to act aggressively on offence or simply mark the midfielders from the opposition on defense. You may wish your wing defenders to take all throw-ins. There can be many alterations.

In addition to the diagram, it is always a good idea to document your thought process in writing. This allows the players to read through your instructions again and again and so the understanding improves. The parents can also glance through it and get to know your views and goals for the team and individual players.

In order to teach soccer positions, make it a point to make an extensive use of field diagrams in whatever you do. This can help you save on a lot of time and energy required to explain formations and is therefore a great mechanism.

Where’s the time to wait now? Go ahead and use a soccer field diagram to start teaching your players various formations and positions on the field. You’ll find a wealth of information on our youth soccer coaching community. Join now to gain from all the benefits.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Soccer Coaching.

Have you ever imagined how helpful a soccer field diagram can be in designing practice sessions? The importance of documenting the plans carved out for the training season has already been discussed earlier. It gives a lot of flexibility in terms of making any changes in the plan as and when required.

At the time of deciding soccer formations for players, it’s imperative to make sure that they have a complete knowledge of the soccer field and its several dimensions also.

Firstly, it’s your duty as a coach to select as to what would be the agenda of the training session. When you’re doing this, ensure that it takes into consideration what should be taught, where, and when? Following this, you must work on selecting the right methods and skills for the players to carry out what you’ve decided to teach them.

The place on the field where you wish to take the session should be earmarked. You should also note down the reason as to why you wish to teach a particular skill. The reason could be its possible benefits and its importance. It would also be immensely helpful to document the occasions on when this skill will be used.

Soccer Formations

The practice plan must also talk about the exact style that’ll be applied in a given technique. After everything stated above has been done, draw everything on the soccer field diagram. The goal box, penalty box, the end line, and the arcs where the flags are placed along with the centerline and circle should be a part of the diagram.

After that, you need to decide about the practice gear needed for the soccer positions. Now every player should have a ball. Request every player to bring his own ball. They should also carry their own water bottles to the ground.

Use cones to demarcate the various areas on the field. These also help in organizing various soccer drills. The kids should also wear practice vests that not only protect but also act as identifiers of players.

Afterwards, it is about using the goal boxes. It is well known in soccer tactics that using the real goals during practice keep the players aware of the real scenario. The use of flags is recommended since it helps in scrimmages. You should also arrange a first aid kit that has adequate supplies for any emergency.

Lastly, have the refreshments stocked. You will also need ice cubes and therefore arrange a cooler where you can store them. If a player suffers an injury, keeping a cell phone handy will aid in arranging help.

Now, go ahead and incorporate your learning in a soccer field diagram. Then frame a practice session as per it. Our youth soccer coaching community has a ton of resources that will keep you engaged and enrich your soccer coaching knowledge.

Our database is always getting updated with new articles and videos for today’s coaches. Enroll today and enjoy the benefits.

Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide visit: Soccer field diagram.