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:

soccer coaching game 1v1 shoot out battle

Objectives: to practise defensive and attacking skills in a competitive 1v1 situation. To encourage players to win a 50/50 ball. To give goalkeepers practice in dealing with one-on-one situations.

Set up: create a 20 yards by 30 yards playing area with a goal on one of the narrow ends and a cone in the middle of the opposite end line.

One player goes in goal and the rest of the players are split into two teams. One team stands next to the left-hand post, the other by the right-hand post.

How to play: on your command, the first player in each team runs along the outside of the playing area to the turning cone. As they run, you roll a ball into the playing area.

The first player to get to the ball is the attacker and tries to score a goal as quickly as possible. The second player to the ball is the defender. He is awarded a "goal" if he can either hold the attacker up for 30 seconds or win the ball and kick it out of the playing area.

The first team to score X number of goals is the winner.

Coaching points: this game teaches your players that defending is not necessarily about winning the ball. It is about stopping attackers from shooting. So encourage the defending player to direct the attacker towards the side and keep them there.

Encourage the attacking player to take a shot as quickly as possible.

Progression: give your players numbers. Call two numbers at a time so they are playing 2v2 in the grid.