Under 6 Drill - "Planets"

Organization -
Set up cones into multiple squares or triangles that serve as planets (or cities). All players must follow coach’s order and dribble into the planet he calls out. Coach can have all players follow same directions or break up team so they start at different planet and then have them dribble through the solar system in clockwise or counterclockwise fashion. Coach can have groups dribble in opposite direction through the solar system.

Progression -
Make two teams of players, with one team going one direction in the solar system, while the other team goes another direction.

Key Coaching Points -

• Controlled Dribbling
• Change of Direction
• Head Up to see where they are going and who is coming at them
  

Under 6 Characteristics and Skill Priorities

Skill Priorities:

• Dribble with all sides of both feet
• Dribble out of trouble
• Dribble past someone
• Soft first touch
  

Although sometimes we may mistake 5-6 year-olds for little adults, they are clearly not little adults. They have many years of childhood and development to enjoy before they are able to look at life in a similar fashion to adults. The reason for this is that they need time to intellectually, emotionally, and physically develop. Although we do live in the same world, when seen through our own eyes, the world both adults and children experience is quite different. In order to fully understand these wonderful children and to make practices run as smoothly and happily as possible, it is extremely important for us to understand the following characteristics about U6 children.

Characteristics of this age group -

• Focused on themselves – reality to them is solely based on what they see and feel
• Unable to see the world from another’s perspective – it is “the world according to me” time. Asking them to understand how someone else is seeing something or feels is unrealistic. This is why they don't pass the ball
  
• Everything is in the here and now – forget about the past and future, they live in the moment
• Heating and cooling systems are less efficient than adults – they need to give frequent water breaks (every 8-10 minutes) or they may just run until they cannot run anymore
• Enjoying playing, not watching – they feel no enjoyment from watching others play when they could be playing too. Make sure every player has a ball in practice so every player is always playing. No Line Drills!!!!
  
• Limited attention span (on average 15 seconds for listening, 10-15 minutes when engaged in a task) – keep your directions concise and to the point. When in an open environment, such as a park, their attention span will dwindle towards 10 seconds
• Effort is synonymous with performance – if they have tried hard, they believe they have done well. This is a wonderful quality and we should be supportive of their enthusiasm
• Active imaginations – if we utilize their imaginations in practice activities, they will love practice! If we just do drill after drill after drill they will associate that displeasure with the sport and leave the sport
  
• Look for adult approval – watch how often players look to you for approval or to see if you are looking. Because of this if we cheer things that are not correct, like aimlessly booting the ball down the field to no one, they will continue to do it, because we cheered when they did it. Also be encouraged when they say “Coach, look what I can do!”
• Unable to think abstractly – asking them to think about spatial relations or runs off the ball is unrealistic
• Typically have 2 speeds - extremely fast and stopped
• Usually unaware of game scores – we should keep it that way
• Often like to fall down just because it is fun – they are just children having fun
• Often cannot identify left foot vs. right foot – they know which foot they use most and if they point to their feet you can help teach them left and right
  

Under 6 Lesson Plan - Dribbling With Knock Out Games

This may be a good opening lesson for Under 8 teams. It will allow coaches to assess their players' dribbling skills while keeping it fun. If an Under 8 player can not dribble well, other skills such as passing, receiving, and shooting will suffer.

Several of these games are "knock-out" games where the losers are knocked out and the last player left is the winner. Since the first ones out are often the ones who need the most practice, the ones knocked out should be required to do something to either get back into the game (juggling or toe taps) or to keep them working on their ball skills until the game is over.

Activity One: Simon Says

Purpose of the Game: To encourage children to run with the ball, keeping it close to their feet.

Area Needed: 20m x 20m.

Story: Simon is the King of Knotty Ash. In Knotty Ash all of the people are children. When King Simon says, “foot, knee, sit, elbow, head on the ball,” you must do it immediately. The coach can integrate commands such as “change direction,” “go faster,” and so on into the game. If King Simon does not issue the command or a child responds slowly, he or she receives a “Gotcha.” However, children should not be eliminated from the game.

Equipment: Eight cones to mark the area and one ball per child.

Organization: Mark out a 20m x 20m area using the cones. Ask each child to dribble around Knotty Ash (the area) with the ball remaining close to the foot (tell the children to imagine that the ball is connected to their feet by a short piece of elastic). The coach calls out a command to which the child should follow only when preceded by “Simon Says…”

The drill/game encourages children to move with the ball under close control. They now have begun the process of dribbling. The next progression would be to encourage the children to use their peripheral vision. The following game, Tigers in the Jungle, will create an environment to enhance this process.

Activity Two: Tigers in the Jungle

Purpose of the Game: To encourage children to look up while dribbling.

Area Needed: 20m x 20m.

Story: Each child chooses to be a type of animal that lives in the jungle and makes the sound of that animal. Only tigers are not allowed. The tiger is the most feared animal in the jungle and is going to attempt to kick the other animals’ soccer balls into the surrounding alligator-infested swamp. If the tiger kicks the ball into the swamp, the child can dodge the alligators and bring the ball back into the jungle again. The child then stands with legs apart and the ball in the air making the animal’s noise. When another animal/child dribbles the ball through this child’s legs, they are free to continue the game. Beware of the Tiger!

Equipment: Eight cones and one ball per child, except the “tiger.”

Organization: Mark out a 20m x 20m area using the cones. Ask the animals to dribble around the jungle without dribbling into each other or the swamp (the area outside the grid). The tiger (a child without the ball) will prowl around the grid and, on the coach’s command, will enter the jungle and attempt to kick as many balls as possible into the swamp. Remind the children of safety points regarding challenging for the ball. All players may re-enter the grid once they have retrieved their ball from the swamp.

A drill such as Tigers in the Jungle encourages children to dribble the ball at speed while using their peripheral vision in a controlled, pressurized and fun situation.

Activity Three: Crabs on the Beach

Purpose of the Game: To encourage children to dribble with the ball and change speed and direction to beat an opponent. The art of feinting a dummy can be introduced at this stage.

Area Needed: 30m x 20m grid.

Story: Each child assumes the name of a sea creature except the crab. Each creature has to run from the beach to the sea with a ball, avoiding the crabs who are trying to “pinch” the balls. A child whose ball is pinched then becomes a crab.

Equipment: Ten cones to mark the area and one ball per child except the “crab.”

Organization: Mark out a 20m x 30m area using the cones. Make on 30m line the sea and the other 30m line the beach. Ask the children (sea creatures) to stand on the beach line, each with a foot on the ball. Place a child (the crab) in the middle of the area in a crab-like position (on all fours with tummy upwards). On your command tell the creatures to dribble their ball from the beach to the sea while avoiding the crab. When they reach the sea line, they must wait with a foot on the ball until all players have crossed the beach. The crab must aim to kick each child’s ball out of the grid via the 20m side lines. Any creatures losing their balls become crabs. The game continues on the coach’s command with players now returning from the sea back to the beach. The last three children dribbling with their soccer balls become “Sea Champs.”

Activity Four: Scrimmage

Purpose of the Game: To finish practice with a normal soccer game.

Under 6 Drill - "Red Light, Green Light"

Organization:
All players gather on a line. The object is to dribble their ball from one line to the other line. The coach calls out either green light or red light. Players dribble their ball and go when green light is called and stop when red light is called. If a ball is not stopped and controlled immediately, the player is sent back even with the last player, but not all of the way back. Progress to the coach holding either a green or red cone, or t-shirt. The coach now doesn’t say anything, simply holds up a color and the players have to look up and react.

Under 6 Drill - "School of Fish"

This is a great drill for Under 6 and even Under 8. It also allows parents to get involved. The video shows the coach using himself and three other parents, but I have used this drill with up to 8 adults. Sometimes we refer to this drill as "Finding Nemo".

The Dribbling Attack Activity

This activity works with all age groups.

Play 3v3 in a 30 x 20 yard grid. Put the two groups of three into different colored training bibs. Each player in one group has a ball. Attacking players must dribble past defending players. The defending players should try to gain possession and (if they do) then dribble past an opponent. Players may dribble in any direction inside the grid to start. The activity can progress when the coach gives the attack a direction (e.g., dribble to a specified goal line). Play a round for a set amount of time. After a round the groups switch roles.

Suggestions of time to play -
U6: play one minute rounds
U8: play two minute rounds
U10: play three minute rounds
U12: play four minute rounds
U14: play five minute rounds

Under 6 Drill - "The Moving Goal Game"

Organization:
Divide players into two equal teams. Two coaches or parents hold a practice vest between them forming a goal. The players must then try to kick their ball through the goal (any side) while the goal is moving around. Both teams score into the same goal.

Under 6 Drill - "Tunnel Soccer"

Organization:
Each player has a ball. The coach moves around the field with the players and from time to time stops and spreads his legs to form a tunnel. The players dribble after him and try to shoot the ball through the tunnel whenever he stops. After a set period of time the coach moves again. The player who scores the most goals wins the game.

Under 6 Lesson Plan - Ball Control Under Pressure

Activity One - Kangaroo Jack
All players except two or three begin with a ball. Players without balls are kangaroo jacks and must hop like a kangaroo and try to tag players. If a player gets tagged, he/she becomes a kangaroo as well until all players are turned into kangaroos.

Activity Two - Red light/Green light
All players have a ball and dribble in a limited space (or towards the coach). When coach says “red light”, players must stop ball and put foot on top of ball. When coach says “yellow light”, players must dribble very slowly. When coach says “green light”, players dribble fast. Coach controls this game with frequency of “light changes” and variety of changes. Once players catch on to this game, add light of other colors and affix different actions to them. (i.e. purple light = hop back and forth over ball, orange light = run around the ball, black light = dance, blue light = hide behind the ball etc. etc.).

Activity Three - Shrek/Spiderman/Spongebob
Place a couple players in pennies and have everyone else get a soccer ball. Set up a 20 yd x 15 yd grid and have the players with soccer balls dribble around in the space. The players in pennies are Shrek (or Spiderman or SpongeBob, etc.) and try to tag the players who have soccer balls. When players are tagged they go to into the goal (castle, spidernet etc. etc.) and can only get back out if a teammate with a ball tags them or the coach uses his/her magic powers to let everyone free. Use any character or images you like for this and make sure all players get a chance to be one of the special characters at some point during every practice.

Activity Four - Cops and Robbers
Coach sets up 8-10 stand-up cones in a 15yd x 15yd space. Robbers all have soccer balls and knock over the cones (banks) by kicking their balls into the cones and knocking them over. Cops (have 2 or 3 cops for each game) do not have soccer balls and need to stand the cones back up (before all the banks are robbed). Rotate who gets to be cops. Variation (If don’t have stand- up cones): ½ group (cops) take soccer balls and put on top of disc cones. Other ½ of group (robbers) try to knock over those soccer balls by kicking their soccer balls at them. Cops must replace the soccer balls on the cones as quickly as possible.

Activity Five - 3v3 or 4v4 Game
Separate players into two teams and play a game of 3 against 3 or 4 against 4 without goalkeepers. Let the players play and give plenty of positive feedback to them as they compete. REINFORCE the GOOD STUFF!

Under 6 Drill - "Bingo!"

Organization:
A number of cones are distributed throughout the training area. One player and the coach are the “replacers.” Each player has a ball. The players with the balls try to knock down as many cones as possible with their balls. The “replacers” (all players take turns in this role) set up the cones as fast as they are knocked down. When a player knocks down a cone they yell bingo. The player who scores the most bingos wins the game.

Under 6 Lesson Plan - Finding Space

Activity One: Juggling (Warm Up)

Everyone with a ball. Hold hands out with ball in between, drop ball directly down and kick back up to hands, etc. Players practice keeping the ball in the air with their feet and thighs. Players count how many times they touch the ball before it drops to the ground.

Version 2: Controlled juggling…juggle on one thigh, then add other thigh, then add one foot, then add the other foot…thigh-thigh-foot-foot

Activity Two: Ball Tag
Similar to other tag games except players try to tag others with their soccer ball, by kicking it at another player’s feet or ball. Have them keep count of how many times they kick their soccer ball and tag another person.

Options: If the players tag the coach, they are awarded 10 or 20 points. If the players tag other selected players, they can be awarded 50 or 100 points etc.

Activity Three: Freeze Tag
Everyone has a ball and coach can pick one or two players who are the Freeze monsters. Freeze monsters (with ball) try and dribble around and tag other players (who also have a ball and are dribbling around). The frozen player must stand still holding their ball over their head. Players can become unfrozen if the coach comes over and unfreezes them OR the coach can have the other players unfreeze each other (by simply touching them again). If all players are frozen, game ends and the coach can have new Freeze monsters.

Version 2: Freeze monsters can now try to freeze (tag) the other players by kicking their soccer ball at someone else’s soccer ball or at their feet.

Version 3: Coach can be the freeze monster and try to tag all the players; players can unfreeze each other.

Activity Four: Get Outta There!!
Place two small (2 yard) goals at the end of a field 15 x 10 yards. The coach stands at the halfway line with all of the soccer balls. Half of the players are lined up on his left side and half of the players are lined up on his right side in different colored bibs. When the coach kicks a ball onto the field, the first two players in each line run out and try to score on each other’s goal. If the ball goes in the goal or out of bounds, the coach yells “get outta there” and plays a new ball into the field immediately for the next two players. Never have no more that 3 players of each team waiting in line. Have two session going on to prevent long lines. Coach doing one session, an assistant doing another.
Version 2: Coach can stop yelling “get outta there” and see if the 1st players in each line recognize that they should begin play when a new ball is kicked into the field.

Version 3: Coach can vary service of ball. Sometimes play it to one player, sometimes toss the ball up in the air.

Activity Five: Scrimmage
Separate players into two teams and play a game of 3 against 3 without goalkeepers. Let the players play and give plenty of positive feedback to them as they compete. REINFORCE the GOOD STUFF! All players need to be playing - have two scrimmages going if needed.

They're All Bunch Up!!

From Ihor Chyzowych, Ohio South Youth Soccer Association -

That's what I hear at every U-8 youth course I teach. My reply is always the same: "That's OK!"

Then I get the puzzled looks from nearly every coach or coach-to-be.

The kids know what they're doing, it's the parents and the new coaches who are confused.

Adults see the bunch of players as unorganized -- not as a team. That's the first problem. Because, at this point, it's really not a team.

The players at this age don't understand what being a "team" means. At their age, they are selfish in their game. Me, my ball, my game. Most kids can't even remember the name of their team or their coach. They won't even practice with any one else's ball! How can you expect them to understand or embrace teamwork or fixed positions?

The ball is their magnet; so let them try to get it. In doing so, they're actually building good instincts that they'll use in the game when they are older and "team" actually beginsto mean something.

For example, many good coaches struggle to "re-teach" 14 to 17 year olds the working concept of zonal defending and zonal pressure defense. Two concepts that they knew instinctively when they were 5. What happened? It was drilled out of them by a youth coach who kept telling them to spread out.

When they're 5-plus years old, they already have a natural instinct for this kind of defending. They're already figured out that five of us versus one of them means that we'll probably get the ball.

To parents, this is a mess on the field. They want the kids to spread out -- so that the one player with any skill can have the space to dribble around every one else like cones. Not a very good defense.

A good coach will definitely have to adjust these players' instincts, as they get older, but surprisingly not much. The game itself makes them smarter as they continue to play more and more.

Another reason why "bunching up" is OK for young players: the kid in the center of that bunch is learning early on how to play in tight spaces and not to be afraid of traffic or contact -- invaluable skills that will be second-nature to him by the time he's older and able to play in fixed positions.

So, as hard as it is for parents to believe, young players learn how to solve problems and be creative while bunched up. These skills actually help them with their game when they're older and that game is more structured.

As a coach, I'll want on my older team the youth player who consistently came out of the pack with the ball. He might be my striker because he's not afraid of crowds in the box, or of being marked by two players. He's been getting through the traffic and scoring in those situations since he was 5. Playing in "the bunch" has made him tough, technical and smart.

My advice to new youth coaches and to parents is to stop worrying about the kids being bunched up. At U-8, just let them play.

You're role at this point is to teach them some basic ball touches, point them in the right direction and let them go!

Let the game teach them for now. Let them teach themselves. And most of all let them enjoy the game. Seems simple? It is. But that's OK, too. That's the beauty of soccer.

Under 6 Drill - "Toss and Receive"

Space: Open Area

Organization: Coach tosses players balls and tells them how to bring it back to him (Using dominate foot, non-dominate foot, both feet, elbow, head, etc.) Use your imagination! Ask them for a suggestion using their imagination.

Objective: For players to begin developing ball skills, team work, communications, and problem solving.

Variation:

• Give players time to come up with their own ways to bring the ball back to the coach
• Ask players to pair up (in small groups) to retreive balls

Under 6 Lesson Plan - Coordination

First Activity - I can do something can you? (Warm Up)

The coach begins the activity by saying “I can do something can you?” and demonstrating a physical activity such as jumping jacks. The children then do the same. The coach demonstrations several other physical activities such as: skips, one-legged bounces; star jumps, rolls, etc. After demonstrating several times the coach asked the children, “what can you do?” and takes their suggestions.

Coaching Points:

• Body movement from skipping to balancing on one leg. The important thing is to allow the children to explore how their body moves.

Second Activity - Snake in the Grass

In an area 15 yds x 15 yds, two children begin by being “snakes” by lying on their stomachs. The other children’s starting position is with their hands touching the “snakes.” On the command “snake in the grass” the children try to stay away from the snake while the snake slithers around trying to catch a child. When any child is caught he/she becomes an additional snake. The activity continues until every one is a snake.

Coaching Points:

• The children move in all directions trying to avoid the snakes. Once snakes, the children try to work together to create more snakes.

Third Activity - Find the Coach

The coach has all the children close their eyes and while their eyes are closed the coach moves. On the command, “find the coach” the children open their eyes and run to tag the coach. This progress from the coach staying still to the coach moving even after the children has opened their eyes.

Coaching Points:

• This activity becomes “chase and flee” quickly. The children begin to run in a direction, and for a purpose. Later they will do the same with a soccer ball, but first they learn to run to a target.

Fourth Activity - Everyone Is It

In an area 20 yds x 20 yds, each child runs around trying to tag as many other children as possible while not being tagged themselves. Each bout lasts for 30 to 45 seconds.

Coaching Points:

• The children must be aware of their surroundings and make decisions about where to go and where to avoid.

Fifth Activity - The Game

Scrimmage them in 3v3.

Under 6 Drill - "Ball Retrieval" with Video

Ball Retrieval is an excellent warm up game. It allows for coaches to tap into the natural imagination of the typical Under-6 player. The video shows a coach just requesting that the player go get the ball and bring it back to him. Coaches can vary the drill with having the player bringing it back with their "favorite foot" or their "non-favorite foot". I have made players bring it back kicking it in the "crab" position or using their heads without picking it up. You are only limited by your own imagination.

Under-6 Drill - "I Can Do This, Can You?"

Space Needed: Open Space

Organization: Coach performs a task or coordinates an exercise with the ball (like dribbling the ball with various body parts, dribbling the ball away from team mates, tossing and catching the ball, etc.) and asks players if they can repeat the tasks.

Objective: For players to begin developing ball skills, area awareness, dribbling, etc.

Variations: Ask players to come up with their own idea or task for other players to imitate.