How to Coach Young Soccer Players on Positions
Start small, and players will be able to comprehend positions when they move up to full-sided games.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Start with 4-a-side teams, then 6- or 7-a-side, before going on to regulation 11-on-11. In the early stages, players can start to sort themselves out in small-sided games.
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2
Ask your players how they can best defend and attack. What is width and why might it help the team? If you start in small-sided games, they'll be able to come up with the answers.
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3
Keep positions flexible until kids play 11-a-side. One approach is to designate a central defender and a central attacker, with the rest of the positions fairly free. This way, players will come to understand basic positions over time.
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4
Teach 11-a-side players positions through zones on the field: defensive, midfield and striking zones. An ideal formation is 4-3-3, which means positioning 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 strikers in the three distinct zones.
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5
Allow the player who wants to be goalkeeper to play that position. If no one does, rotate so that everyone is a goalie at some point.
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6
Use games to teach formations. Games that emphasize passing prepare a team for three-zone, full-field soccer.
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7
Make the field as large as possible when learning to play in zones. This will give players more room to spread out, and force them to pass.
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8
Widen or narrow the field according to ability, with younger players on narrower fields. This makes passing more manageable.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make sure the players are having fun playing together. This will make them want to improve their technique and their understanding of the game.
Teach players technique and tactics for skills such as throw-in and kicks (corner kicks, free kicks and penalty kicks).
Soccer is a physically demanding sport that could result in serious injury. We recommend that you seek the proper equipment and training before undertaking this activity.
