How to Organize a Kids' Soccer Practice

Your lesson plan for a youth soccer practice should allow you to cover all aspects of the game.

Instructions

    • 1

      Have a consistent format for every practice.

    • 2

      Work out a lesson plan and decide on your objective before every practice session.

    • 3

      Get to know your players.

    • 4

      Set your standards of discipline, and communicate them clearly to both players and parents.

    • 5

      Focus on one particular technical skill per session - for example, passing, shooting or heading.

    • 6

      Emphasize the more aggressive skills (heading and shooting) closer to games.

    • 7

      Have a "gathering" activity set up for 15 minutes before practice and 5 minutes into it.

    • 8

      Spend about 10 minutes on a warm-up, setting the themes for the rest of practice: fun and movement.

    • 9

      Use about 30 minutes for ball handling and control work.

    • 10

      Do a 15-minute technical section, adding another skill to ball handling and control, such as passing, heading or shooting.

    • 11

      Use 20 minutes for a practice game. Always finish with this chance for players to compete against each other.

    • 12

      End with a "doggy bag" - giving the players homework - and a final meeting. Engage your players in a dialogue, asking them to explain the objective of the homework drill you have demonstrated.