footy4kids recommends:

For new coaches:

For experienced coaches:

For coaches who are short on time:

For coaches of kids aged 5-8:

For coaches of kids aged 9-11:

For coaches of kids aged 12-15:

For coaches of small-sided teams:

For coaches who need warm-ups:

improve shooting technique with this fun soccer coaching game

(with thanks to Ken Dodson of the Chugiak Soccer Club)

This game is called "Shoot, Save, Shoot", it may look a bit dull and it even has players standing in lines.

But young football players just love playing it.

I've used it with U6s to U14s and they've all enjoyed it. My U12 girls ask to play just about every week.

So give Shoot, Save, Shoot a try. I'm sure it will become one of your players' favourite games too.

Objective: To improve shooting technique.

Age range: U6s and upwards.

Difficulty: Easy.

Set-up: Use a playing area with a standard-size goal at one end. Place a cone about 10 yards out from the left-hand post for very young players and about 20 yards away for older players.

Divide your players into two teams.

Team 1 stands about six yards from the left-hand post. Team 2 stands about six yards from the right-hand post.

You stand near the goal with five or six balls.

How to play:

On your command, the first player in team 1 runs round the cone.
At the same time, the first player in team 2 runs round the back of the goal to become the goalkeeper.
As the player from team 1 rounds the cone, roll a ball in front of the goal.
The team 1 player shoots with her first touch.
If the shot is saved, the goalkeeper returns the ball to you. If the shot goes in or misses, the shooter retrieves the ball and returns it to you.
As soon as the first player shoots, the second player in each team sets off to become the next shooter and goalkeeper.
Play until you run out of balls to serve. This encourages the shooters to be accurate because if they miss, they have to run after the ball and get it back to you quickly, especially if you're down to the last ball.
The team that scores most goals wins.