Youth Soccer
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:44 pm
Any youth soccer coaches on here? I am coaching My five year old's soccer team this year. Anyone have any pointers on how to teach soccer to four & five year old kids?
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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:51 pm
Quackers is the man to talk to.
Re: Youth Soccer
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:24 pm
bigoak wrote:Any youth soccer coaches on here? I am coaching My five year old's soccer team this year. Anyone have any pointers on how to teach soccer to four & five year old kids?
I coach my son's U-7 team and my daughter plays U-11 Select soccer, so I know just about everything there is to know when it comes to soccer (just throw the dam ball on the field and let 'em have at it
).Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:38 pm
Not a coach, but have been a referee for 15 yrs. At this age it's really hard to teach them very much in the way of fundamentals, because their attention spans are so short. If you can teach them how to trap the ball with the inside of their feet and shoot it with the inside of their feet and not with the point of their toe, and that you play soccer with your feet and not your hands, your way ahead of the curve. Some kids at this age are very agressive and others very shy and passive. Try to encourage the ones that are shy and passive to get involved in the game and not stand by and watch the other kids play. But the main thing is to make it as fun for them as you possible can and be very encouraging to them. Good luck.
Youth Soccer
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 8:39 pm
At that age, the #1 goal is to develop a love for kicking the ball. Any fundamentals work should be confined to trapping the ball and kicking to a specific spot.
Let them shoot a lot in practice.
Let them shoot a lot in practice.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 9:08 pm
just keep it fun, at that age use games that they know to get them to move the ball around. have them play freeze tag while they are running with the ball, the kid that is it has to run and tag the others, the last one moving with the ball is it for the next round. cowboys and indians is another good one, put a couple of kids on the outside (indians) and have the others (cowboys) run down the middle. the indians kick the balls trying to hit the cowboys, works better with larger groups so get with another coach and get the teams together. the main thing is to keep it fun and keep them moving.
Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:11 pm
I coached for 3 years now (I think) and I'm gonna tell you that even at U-8, they still do nothing but chase the ball around. I had maybe 2 or 3 ever that would try to get open or even think about passing the ball to a team-mate. Good luck!!!
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:53 am
Bigoak I am no pro at coaching but I will be glad to come and have a session with your team and maybe give some pointers if you are close to Brandon!
Some great things are
make it fun.... make it fun.... try and prevent any standing around as you know the get bored real quick
make it fun. I will also try and email you some little games that are fun for them and they don't even realize that they are learning soccer while having a good time 
Some great things are
make it fun.... make it fun.... try and prevent any standing around as you know the get bored real quick
make it fun. I will also try and email you some little games that are fun for them and they don't even realize that they are learning soccer while having a good time Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:33 am
Dutch Dog wrote:I coached for 3 years now (I think) and I'm gonna tell you that even at U-8, they still do nothing but chase the ball around. I had maybe 2 or 3 ever that would try to get open or even think about passing the ball to a team-mate. Good luck!!!
Brother it aint like that down here........When they hit U-8 you think you are at a pro game, I am not kidding......mine just went to U-10 and it is unbelivable
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:36 am
QUACKERS wrote:Bigoak I am no pro at coaching but I will be glad to come and have a session with your team and maybe give some pointers if you are close to Brandon!
Some great things are
make it fun.... make it fun.... try and prevent any standing around as you know the get bored real quick
He's being modest. At that age - teach them to pass the ball and you will own the field.
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:00 am
...ah, grape ball. 
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:20 am
all you have to do is yell RUN COMMIES RUN
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:22 am
all you have to do is yell RUN COMMIES RUN
Where do you think football came from. I guess in a way it would be copying a commy sport.
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 10:24 am
You will have at least 1 "player". Teach the others toget "Johnny" the ball, tell Johnny to go to the goal and knock the carp out of it. 2nd best player as goalie. Let him change out with Johnny occasionally and you will own the league.GOOOOOAAAALLLLLL! 
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:05 pm
Try Cops And Robbers.
Line all the kids (each needs a ball) up on the sideline. Have 1 or 2 kids be the Robbers. They will try to steal the ball from the Cops as they kick the ball to the other side of the field. Have the ones who get their ball stolen sit out untill only 1 to 2 Cops are left. Have those 2 swap with the Robbers and start all over. Try to avoid exercises where the kids have to stand still, in a line, waiting for their turn. They lose interest quick. HAVE FUN! Who cares if they win or lose?
Line all the kids (each needs a ball) up on the sideline. Have 1 or 2 kids be the Robbers. They will try to steal the ball from the Cops as they kick the ball to the other side of the field. Have the ones who get their ball stolen sit out untill only 1 to 2 Cops are left. Have those 2 swap with the Robbers and start all over. Try to avoid exercises where the kids have to stand still, in a line, waiting for their turn. They lose interest quick. HAVE FUN! Who cares if they win or lose?