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U8-U9 practice plans

originally posted by Gary Russell on the and-again coaching forum

These soccer coaching practice plans start with basic ball control techniques then move onto dribbling, fakes/feints, passing and teamwork. Week 4 is given over to goalkeeping.

All eleven plans feature fun, easy to explain games.

Note: some of the exercises include an element of pylometrics. Some youth soccer coaches would prefer not to include these until their children are a little older.

They're all zipped up Word documents. Simply click on the link to download.

week 1

week 2

week 3

week 4 - goalkeeping

week 5 - passing and teamwork

week 6

week 7

week 8

week 9

week 10

week 11

download all 11 practice plans in one go!

Feedback on the above plans from Coachkev:

When asking the kids to do ball taps, toe juggles, sole rolls etc I always ask them to move forward in a random way and challenge who can do the most 'Hi Fives' in 30 seconds. This way you can introduce a little competitive real time movement and the fact that to do the Hi Five successfully they must look up and start to trust their feet to complete the touches without always having to look at the ball.

One of the best ball mastery 'drills' is for the player to learn the sequence:

* Sole roll R/F from right to left

* As right foot touches the ground after the sole roll allow the ball to move a ball length to the left then instant tap back to the right with the inside of the left foot

* Then instant tap back to the left with the right foot

Then repeat the sequence in the opposite direction:-

* Sole roll L/F from left to right

* As left foot touches the ground after the sole roll allow the ball to move a ball length to the right then instant tap back to the left with the inside of the right foot

* Then instant tap back to the right with the left foot

The smooth sequence is

SOLE ROLL, TAP TAP, SOLE ROLL TAP TAP - and keep repeating it for about 60 secs.

Variation:

After the sole roll its tap tap then TAKE the ball in the SAME direction using the outside of the foot which completes the FIRST tap.

This can also be incorporated into a pairs passing routine with the receiver having to receive and instantly do the original sequence before the return pass.

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