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Browse hundreds of drills, articles, practice plans and, of course, the famous footy4kids forums where you will get quick, friendly advice from experienced youth soccer coaches.

We've got sections on tactics, health and safety, how to teach soccer skills and the basics of youth soccer coaching.

You can download 'how-to' manuals and even read football poetry!

Soccer drills

1 V 1 attackers back to goal
1 v 1 v 1
1-2-3 defending
12 drills that improve shooting skills
13 goalkeeping drills and games
1v1 battles
1v1 practices and finishing drills
2 v 1
2 v 1 to goal
2 v 2 with two neutrals
3 team keepaway
3v3 one goal
4 square soccer
4v4 passing, dribbling and shooting games
5 pass game
5 v 2
6 goal game
a collection of conditioning drills and games (1)
a collection of conditioning drills and games (2)
a soccer warm up and mini-practice with video clips
across the line
aim small, miss small
All up and back
anatomy dribbling
animal ball
anything goes - getting used to physical contact
Attacking and Moving
attacking drills
attacking with confidence
ball control drills
ball control in tight situations
ball tag
Bang and steal the bacon
beehive, king of the ring, attack & protect, shadow dribbling, one-on-one
Big goals, small goals
black hole keep away
blob tag
bowling with headers
breakaways
bring it on!
change soccer
Circle Dribble Tag
circle game
circle passing
circle, pass and move
communication and team work drills
communication drills
conditioning drills and games
continuous 2v2
corner kick game
cross the ball!
defending and tackling drills
defending drills
don't let the ball stop!
double defending
dribble round a cone and pass
dribble through the gate
dribbling drills
drills and games for 5-8 year olds
drills and games for very young soccer players
drills and games that improve ball control
drills and games that improve ball control (2)
dynamic passing
eleven passing drills including star wars and pressure passing
end zone game
explode!
FA Level 2 football coaching drills and key factors
first and second defender
first touch and control
first touch and receiving the ball
fitness training
five goal game
flag shooting drill
football cricket
four corners aggressiveness and fitness drill
four goal game
freeze tag
Get out of here
give and go!
give, go and shoot!
go for goal!
goalkeeping drills
guard the castle
half volley, shooting technique and power
heading distance, power and awareness drills
heading drills
heading from crosses
heading practice plan (including warm up)
heading to score
hit the cone
hit the wall
Hot potato
how to encourage movement off the ball
improve running with the ball
inswinging corners
keep the prisoner
kick it out!
lane soccer
Lay off and shoot
line game
line soccer
link tag
long shot
long tunnel
marking game
McDaddy
midfield defending
minefield
Mini soccer
mixed bag
moving goal game
moving triangles
music to play football to
musical balls
No-Go zone
North Carolina triangle passing drill
numbers up to goal
Ouch!
parachute play for soccer coaches
pass and move (1)
pass and move (3), combination passing and keepaway
pass through the gate
passing and movement
passing and receiving drills
passing and shooting
passing and shooting exercises
passing drills
passing into space
passing, receiving, movement and basic defending
piranha waters
possession drills, games and warm ups
pressure passing
pressure passing 2
protect the cone
quick thinking
receiving drills
run, pass and shoot
run, shoot, run, shoot...
second attacker support
shadow attack
shadow play - teaching positions to U9-U11 players
shielding and aggressiveness
shooting and attacking games and drills
shooting from corner kicks
shooting from square passes
shooting gallery
shooting with trailing defender
shuttle passing
shuttle sprinting and collect the ball
side help game
side kicks
simple games that improve passing and receiving skills
slam
small goal passing game
small sided games (SSGs)
soccer coaching lesson plan for 8 year olds
soccer drill - windows
soccer games and drills
soccer games and drills for pre-school children (1)
soccer games and drills for pre-school children (2)
soccer games and drills for pre-school children (3)
soccer games and drills for under 5s
soccer marbles
soccer sumo and the shirt pulling game
soccer tennis
soccer warm ups that improve ball control
space and movement
speed dribbling
spike ball
staggered goals
stop trying to score!
Swedish handball
tackling drills
ten drills and games that help develop passing skills
ten games and drills that improve shooting skills
The Cobra's Lair
the corner shot
the crossing game
THE LIVERPOOL GAME
the one nil game
the triangle drill
the triangle goal shooting game
three v one keepaway
three way soccer
throw head catch, 2v2 battles and frog races
triangle tag
Trick or Treat
turning and switching play through a central player
U10 games and drills
U6 training games (pdf)
U6-U8 basic foot skill games
U8 training games (pdf)
war!
warm up drills and games
we need help!
windows
wrestlemania
you're outa here!

Teaching basic skills

1-2-3 defending
ball control
basic goalkeeper training
basics of defending
coaching the swarm - a basic guide to formations and positional training
correct defensive stance
drills and games that improve dribbling skills
first touch and control
first touch and receiving the ball
games and drills that encourage players to spread out
goalkeeper coaching for U12 and up
goalkeeper coaching for young players
goalkeeper distribution
golden rules for goalkeepers
half volley, shooting technique and power
Heading - a warning
how to chip a soccer ball
how to kick a football (soccer ball) correctly
how to kick a football (soccer) ball (part 2)
How to kick a soccer ball and getting rid of the toe kick
how to stop bunching round the ball
how to teach ball juggling
how to teach basic marking
how to teach block tackling
how to teach dribbling
how to teach heading
how to teach slide tackling
how to teach the laces kick and driven pass
improve fitness, passing skills and teamwork
improve running with the ball
individual player responsibilities at 7 a side
inswinging corners
introducing the concept of space to young soccer players
Introducing young soccer players to the concept of team work
introduction to defending
overhead kick
pass and move (2)
passing and receiving drills
passing and shooting exercises
passing into space
passing with value
positional play: support behind the ball
principles of soccer defence
shielding the ball
shooting - teaching the basics
shuttle shooting
soccer agility drills
soccer coaching faults and fixes charts
soccer coaching practice plans
space and movement
tackling - a warning
teach your players to take more shots on goal then teach them how to finish
Teaching Young Soccer Players Good Defensive Body Posture
team shape and movement
ten games and drills that improve shooting skills
the coerver method
the job of a defender
the push pass
throw-ins (1)
throw-ins (2)
training thoughts
U6-U8 basic foot skill games
wall pass (the give and go)

Odds and ends

FineSoccer kids newsletter
footy4kids site map
inspirational soccer videos
make footy4kids YOUR website
newsletter subscription page
slime soccer rules
soccer books and toys
soccer...it's a funny old game
support footy4kids
World Cup
World Cup 2006 match schedule

Health and safety

child protection for youth soccer coaches
first aid advice for soccer coaches
fitness training
frosty pitch inspections
growth spurts
isotonic, hypertonic, hypotonic or water - which sports drink is best for soccer players?
nutritional advice for football players, parents and coaches
plyometrics
soccer coaching health and safety - an example soccer risk assessment
Soccer first aid - sprains and strains
soccer injuries and how to treat them
soccer players and nutrition - fact and fiction
Sports Injuries in Children
summer soccer - health and safety
Treating soccer injuries - the R.I.C.E method

Newsletters

15 top soccer coaching tips
25 key messages for young soccer players
a soccer warm up and mini-practice with video clips
a strategy for youth soccer player development
an alternative match day programme for youth soccer teams
are you a coach or a director?
behaviour, misbehaviour and adult involvement in youth soccer
coaching young children
communication - the key to success
deconstructing youth soccer
formations and positions for U6 - U8 soccer players
futsal rules, OK?
Give us back our game!
how to deal with soccer players who just won't listen
how to restore discipline and invigorate your coaching sessions
how to use substitutes in youth soccer
is winning everything?
key objectives for 8 to 10 year olds
management and control for soccer coaches
newsletter - issue 40
over-use injuries in youth soccer
referee junior soccer? No thanks!
soccer coaching's cardinal sins
soccer tactics and young children
the craft of coaching
what kind of soccer coach are you?
what makes a GOOD soccer coach?

Coaching indoors

all about futsal
football coaching in a small gym
futsal...the way forward for youth soccer
indoor youth soccer coaching part 1: teaching the basics
slam
soccer circuit training for older children
soccer circuit training for young children
The beep test (also known as the multi-stage fitness or yo-yo test)

Links

soccer related websites

Soccer coaching basics

1 v 1 no tackling
25 key messages for young soccer players
86 ways to say "very good!"
a strategy for youth soccer player development
characteristics of six to ten year old soccer players
characteristics of soccer players aged 12 to 14
child abuse; what youth soccer coaches need to know
child protection for youth soccer coaches
coaching at the game
coaching junior football teams
coaching style
coaching U12 soccer players
Coaching youth soccer - a one page guide
effective communication for soccer coaches
first aid advice for soccer coaches
first season as a youth soccer coach
five ways to streamline your practice
give your players confidence
golden rules of discipline
How to kick a soccer ball and getting rid of the toe kick
how to manage soccer parents
how to plan, organise a run a soccer coaching session
how to set soccer objectives
how to teach basic soccer skills
how to use substitutes in youth soccer
in praise of 4v4
individual player responsibilities at 7 a side
key objectives for 8 to 10 year olds
Kids, football and failure
management and discipline
planning age appropriate soccer practices
players code of conduct
selecting positions and formations
Six things parents should say
soccer coaching and the very young child
soccer coaching health and safety
soccer coaching objectives at U10-U12
soccer coaching objectives for U8 and U9
soccer coaching philosophy and codes of conduct for players, parents and coaches
soccer coaching practice plans
soccer coaching's cardinal sins
soccer defending concepts for younger players
soccer patterns
soccer rules
soccer team rules
solving soccer problems with free form games
Teaching Young Soccer Players Good Defensive Body Posture
The ideal soccer coach
the importance of planning training sessions
the pre-season meeting
the right way to warm up and cool down
the three moments of soccer
Understanding why children participate in soccer
what is soccer
youth soccer coaching - the plan
youth soccer coaching drills and games

Management and discipline

attendance problems
establishing behaviour boundaries
golden rules of discipline
hey parents, leave them kids alone
how to deal with an unruly parent
how to deal with soccer players who just won't listen
how to invigorate and restore discipline to youth soccer coaching sessions
how to manage soccer parents
how to restore discipline to an undisciplined youth soccer team
planning age appropriate soccer practices
players code of conduct
the importance of planning training sessions
When regular discipline doesn't work

Practice plans

a complete passing practice
a complete shooting practice
an U7 practice plan
attacking with confidence
ball control and team work lesson plan
ball control lesson plan
basics of defending
coaching U12 soccer players
D.I.Y soccer practice plans
defending for U10s
defending for U9s
defending practice plan
dribbling and stopping the ball
dribbling for U10s
dribbling for U8s
dribbling for U9s
example soccer coaching practice plan for children aged 3 to 8
FA Level 2 football coaching drills and key factors
first touch and receiving the ball
football coaching sessions
goalkeeper distribution (throwing) practice plan
goalkeeping practice plans
Hot potato
how to teach the laces kick and driven pass
improve fitness, passing skills and teamwork
Improving vision
inswinging corners
passing and dribbling
passing and receiving
passing and receiving 2
passing and shooting
passing for U10s
passing for U8s
passing for U9s
passing, defending and communication
possession
practice plans from Decatur Sports
pre-season football training
shadow play - teaching positions to U9-U11 players
shielding and aggressiveness
shooting - teaching the basics
shooting for U10s
shooting for U8s
shooting for U9s
shooting from square passes
shuttle shooting
small group defending
soccer coaching lesson plan for 8 year olds
soccer coaching lesson plans
soccer coaching lesson plans from US Youth Soccer
soccer coaching practice plans from AmherstSoccer
soccer practice plans
soccer training session for U6s
staggered goals
tackling
teaching the basic push pass
team building
team shape and movement
team shape and movement practice plan
the importance of planning training sessions
the job of a defender
training the second defender
training thoughts
U14 practice plans and coaching advice
U6 - U10 soccer coaching practice plans from Indiana Youth Soccer
U6 balance and co-ordination
U6-U9 - moving with the ball
U8-U9 practice plans
vision and support
youth soccer coaching practice plans for U6 - U16

Warm ups

3 team keepaway
8 soccer coaching warm ups
a soccer warm up and mini-practice with video clips
a standard soccer coaching stretching routine
all skills warm up
anatomy dribbling
ball tag
circle game
circle passing
circle, pass and move
don't let the ball stop!
freeze tag
goalkeeper warm ups
improve fitness, passing skills and teamwork
kick it out!
link tag
match day warm ups
mega square warm up
mini hurdle hops
moving goal game
moving triangles
musical balls
pass and move (1)
passing and dribbling
passing and movement
passing and receiving 2
plyometrics
possession drills, games and warm ups
Sharks and Minnows
shuttle sprinting and collect the ball
simple games that improve passing and receiving skills
soccer marbles
soccer warm ups that improve ball control
Swedish handball
the right way to warm up and cool down
warm up drills and games
warm up moves on video

Coaching young children

attack the play of 5 and 6 year olds - or have as much fun as they do!
basic coaching concepts for soccer players under the age of seven
coaching the swarm - a basic guide to formations and positional training
example soccer coaching practice plan for children aged 3 to 8
formations and positions for U6 - U8 soccer players
goalkeeper coaching for young players
how to stop bunching round the ball
introducing the concept of space to young soccer players
pre-school children - coaching rationale
pre-school children - practice structure
soccer circuit training for young children
soccer coaching and pre-school children - what to expect
soccer coaching and the very young child
soccer coaching practice plans
soccer games and drills for under 5s
soccer tactics and young children
soccer training session for U6s
They're all bunched up!
throw-ins (2)
U6 balance and co-ordination
U6-U8 basic foot skill games

Articles

1 v 1 no tackling
4 Super Tips For Goalkeepers
a bloody and murthering practice
A neuro-physiological basis for developing future skilful players
a short history of football (soccer)
allocating playing time in youth football
an alternative match day programme for youth soccer teams
attack the play of 5 and 6 year olds - or have as much fun as they do!
basic coaching concepts for soccer players under the age of seven
basic futsal coaching
basic goalkeeper training
basic_attacking_team_tactics
behaviour, misbehaviour and adult involvement in youth soccer
best practices for coaching soccer in the United States
characteristics of six to ten year old soccer players
characteristics of soccer players aged 12 to 14
child abuse; what youth soccer coaches need to know
child protection for youth soccer coaches
coaching at the game
coaching junior football teams
coaching mentality
coaching style
coaching the swarm - a basic guide to formations and positional training
coaching U12 soccer players
coaching U8 soccer players
Coaching youth soccer - a one page guide
Do boys and girls view competition in different ways?
do we want Robinhos or robots?
effective communication for soccer coaches
effective youth soccer coaching
first aid advice for soccer coaches
first season as a youth soccer coach
five ways to streamline your practice
folk football
football poetry
football rules
Four main moments in soccer games
Fun is gone, now kids must learn to play games
gender issues in soccer coaching
Give Us Back Our Game
Give Us Back Our Game Fun Day
give your players confidence
golden rules of discipline
growth spurts
handling discipline problems
hey parents, leave them kids alone
how to coach children with attention deficit disorder
how to get started on the footy4kids youth soccer coaching forums
how to invigorate and restore discipline to youth soccer coaching sessions
How to kick a soccer ball and getting rid of the toe kick
how to manage soccer parents
how to plan, organise a run a soccer coaching session
how to restore discipline to an undisciplined youth soccer team
how to set soccer objectives
how to stop bunching round the ball
how to use small sided games in youth soccer coaching
how to use substitutes in youth soccer
how your children think
in praise of 4v4
in praise of futsal
individual player responsibilities at 7 a side
indoor youth soccer coaching part 1: teaching the basics
introducing the concept of space to young soccer players
Introducing young soccer players to the concept of team work
isotonic, hypertonic, hypotonic or water - which sports drink is best for soccer players?
jumpers for goalposts
key objectives for 8 to 10 year olds
Kids, football and failure
levels of competence
make your child a winner
management and discipline
meeting young peoples needs through football (soccer)
Motivation is More than a Question of Winning and Losing
music to play football to
nutritional advice for football players, parents and coaches
over-coaching in youth soccer
over-coaching questionnaire
parachute play for soccer coaches
Parents and motivation in soccer
passing with value
Physical and mental differences between 6-8 year olds in youth soccer
Piaget for soccer coaches
planning age appropriate soccer practices
players code of conduct
plyometrics
position or team shape
pre-season football training
PRIMARY SCHOOL FOOTBALL
pushing too hard too young
remember - it's playtime!
selecting positions and formations
Setting goals in childrens soccer
small sided games (SSGs)
soccer academies
soccer coaching and ADHD players
soccer coaching and pre-school children - what to expect
soccer coaching and the very young child
soccer coaching compilations
soccer coaching objectives at U10-U12
soccer coaching objectives for U8 and U9
soccer coaching philosophy and codes of conduct for players, parents and coaches
soccer defending concepts for younger players
Soccer first aid - sprains and strains
soccer games and drills for under 5s
soccer parents code of conduct
soccer patterns
soccer physics
soccer players and nutrition - fact and fiction
soccer team rules
soccer tournament rules, OK?
soccer training session for U6s
solving soccer problems with free form games
space and movement
Sports Training - How much is too much?
teach the parents a lesson with this fun game
teach your players to take more shots on goal then teach them how to finish
teaching positions to young soccer players
team pressurising
The beep test (also known as the multi-stage fitness or yo-yo test)
the coerver method
the colourful history of football (soccer)
the craft of coaching
The importance of winning in kids soccer
the latest football (soccer) news
the McDonaldization of American soccer
The mental developmental of 6-12 year olds in youth soccer
the most important soccer skills and techniques to teach children
the numbers game - building up from small sided games to systems of play
the pre-season meeting
the three moments of soccer
the trials and tribulations of a 'roped-in' referee
They're all bunched up!
tips for youth futsal coaches
Too Much Organization for Young Players
total soccer for children
U12 soccer coaching advice
Understanding why children participate in soccer
what is soccer
what kind of soccer coach are you?
whats wrong with youth soccer?
When should coaches start assigning specific positions to young players
when winning is the only thing
why children stop playing soccer
why children want to play soccer
Why is football called soccer?
youth soccer coaching - the plan

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