Coaching Courses and Resources
General Player Skill Progression Outline
U6
- dribbling
- shooting
- balance
- running
- jumping
- movement education
U8
- ball lifting & juggling
- block tackle
- receiving ground balls with the inside & sole of the foot
- shoot with inside of the foot
- throw-ins
- agility
- eye-foot & eye-hand coordination
- movement education
U10
- range of motion flexibility
- running with the ball
- passing; instep drive
- receiving ground balls with the instep & outside of foot
- receiving bouncing balls with the instep (cushion) and sole or inside or outside of foot (wedge)
- fakes in dribbling
- For goalkeepers: ready stance; how to hold a ball after a save; diamond grip; catching shots at the keeper; introduction to goal kicks & throwing
U12
- feints with the ball
- receiving bouncing & air balls with the thigh & chest
- outside of foot pass
- bending shots
- crossing to space
- heel pass
- flick pass
- introduce chipping to pass
- introduce half volley & volley shooting
- introduce slide tackle
- For goalkeepers: footwork; W grip; bowling; low dives & forward diving; angle play; introduce deflecting & boxing; sidewinder kick
U14
- heading to score goals & for clearances while standing or jumping
- heading to pass
- diving headers
- flick headers
- bending passes
- crossing to the near / far post & penalty area
- receiving with outside of the instep
- outside of foot shot
- dummy the ball
- shoulder charge
- For goalkeepers far post play; medium & high diving; deflecting over the crossbar & around the posts; boxing & catching crosses; half- volley (drop kick); kick saves; long over arm throws; saving penalty kicks
In-House Session Plans
U6 - Bring Back
U6 - Gates
U6 - Ouch
U6 - Elevators
U6 - Robin Hood
U8 - Dribbling D2
U10+ - 4 Corners
U10+ - Color Pass
U10+ - Defensive Agility
U10+ - Diamond
U10+ - End Zones
U10+ - Give N Go - YouTube Video
U10+ - Give N Move
U10+ - Overlap
U10+ - Round Table
Professional Coaching Resources
US Youth Soccer - Small Sided Games
US Youth Soccer - Coaching Videos
US Soccer Player Development Initiatives
US Youth Soccer - Laws of the Game
US Youth Soccer - Player Development Model
Utah Youth Soccer Resource Page
Kentucky Youth Soccer Resources
U.S. Soccer Grassroots Pathway Initiative - "National Licenses"
U.S. Soccer has announced eight (8) new grassroots level coaching courses to be introduced in early 2018. These courses will be focused on empowering coaches through experiential learning and a player-centered approach.
The new Grassroots Licensing Courses will consist of four (4) in-person experiences and four (4) online experiences. Prospective coaches will have the option to engage in any of these new courses – in any sequence – after completing a free introductory module provided by U.S. Soccer.