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 ladder game

This game will encourage your players to move the ball quickly from defence to attack.

It will also encourage them to take their shots quickly and to follow up on their shots in case the goalkeeper drops the ball.

It is also a good workout for your goalkeeper and you can use it to reinforce the importance of good positioning.

Experience: any.

Objective: to be the first team to score.

Set up: place one normal-sized goal at one end of a playing area 40 yards long by 30 yards wide.

Split your squad into two teams of four plus one goalkeeper. If you have more than nine players consider setting up two games.

The first player in each team has a ball and stands on the end line furthest from the goal. Each team's players form a zig-zag line between the first player in their team and the goal.

The teams should be separated by about ten yards.

How to play: on your command, the first players in both teams pass to their nearest team mate. This player passes to the next player and so on.

When the ball reaches the player nearest the goal, they have to control it quickly, shoot and score.

After a goal is scored, the shooter takes the place of the player on the end line and everyone else moves down one position.

If the goalkeeper saves a shot, the ball is thrown out and the shooter has another go. If a shot misses the goal, the shooter retrieves the ball and tries again.

The first team to score gets a point and X number of points wins the game.

Key coaching points: