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Cone dribbling exercises for younger players should be kept to a minimum and only set up if every team member can dribble at the same time. Inactive children become bored and the coach will lose their attention.
Divide the players into two-player teams and set up several mini-fields about 30 or 40 feet long, depending on the children's age. Set up cones about a yard apart at each end for goals. Play two on each side, with a rule that both players must handle the ball during an attack before a goal will count. If a coach or parent is needed to fill out one of the teams, the adult should only pass the ball to the other player.
To teach accurate chip passing, separate the team into two sides and use cones to mark a 10 foot by 10 foot box in front of where the goals would be. Each team should have a "target player" inside the box. Award points to players who succeed in passing the ball to their target player inside the box. -
Practices should imitate games as much as possible. Play one half of the team against the other for at least half the practice. Then divide the team into offense and defense and have the offense try to score on the defense. Let the defense play offense and the offense play defense for five minutes at the end of the scrimmage.
Use a whistle to stop the scrimmage every time you see players in a bad position or making a bad move, and have the player or players repeat the situation correctly.
Coaches should use the scrimmages to determine which players should play which positions. Those players should then learn that position thoroughly before trying other positions.
If a coach can arrange a scrimmage with another team that is practicing at the same time, do so. The coaches should agree that either one can stop the game at any time to instruct their players. -
Nothing good can happen when the ball is on your team's side of the field and nothing bad can happen when the ball is on the other team's side of the field.
Put the best players on offense. The ball always winds up with the best players. If the best player is on defense, the ball will wind up on the wrong side of the field.
Defenders and midfielders should not overdribble. Have them quickly kick the ball downfield to the forwards as soon as they can get clear of opposing players. This encourages the forwards to stay downfield instead of coming back to retrieve the ball.
Teach defenders to back each other up. During an attack by the opposing team, the closest defender should charge the ball to slow the attack. The other defenders should fall in behind the charging defender, and the next one should charge if an opposing player gets past the first defender.
To avoid "bunch ball" among younger players, make rules such as: Defenders cannot pass the center line to the opponent's side of the field, and forwards cannot pass the center line onto their own side.
