We are a community based

grassroots youth soccer

program striving to provide
each player with an
inclusive, development
focused, inspiring
environment where they
can learn and grow
throughout their soccer
COACHING MANUAL experiences, into well
rounded players and
people, who will positively
SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION
We will use our social
media outlets and our
website as our primary
source of communication
on New programs, sign
up dates, registration
deadlines, community
events, as well as short
notice scheduling
changes, inclement
weather, field conditions,
practice and game status,
etc. So please follow us!
MANAGING THE TEAM
COMMUNICATION:
In addition to email, use another form of communication with your team.
• Recommendations: GroupMe, Team Snap, Remind101. Please contact your DOC if you need help.

TEAM BONDING:
Plan a team gathering, activity, meal, party, something where the players and parents can get to know each other and enjoy time together away from the
soccer field.
• Ask for another parent to volunteer for this, there is always a party planner in the group. It will help get others involved and not add more to
your responsibilities.
• A minimum of 1 off the field team activity at the beginning of the season and 1 at the end is recommended
(Examples: pool parties, hay rides, cider mill, ropes course, bowling, parent vs players game, etc.)
MANAGE THE PARENTS:
• Set clear guidelines for the parents. Establish sideline boundaries. Where your team sits should be clearly defined and separate
from where the parents sit during the games. (official Parent Code of Conduct will be updated and provided to each coach at the
start of our Spring 2020 seasons)
• Clearly communicate your expectations for the season of the team, of parents and of yourself.
• The more they understand why you are doing what you are doing, the more confidence they will have in you.
• During games parents should keep all comments POSITIVE, ENCOURAGING, & NON-SPECIFIC. They should NOT be shouting out
instructions to their own child or any other players.
• Parents should NEVER make comments towards the REFEREES, OPPOSING TEAM’S PLAYERS, PARENTS OR COACHES.

Any issues/concerns with a parent or player or if any additional support is needed in managing the team, please contact your Director of
Coaching immediately.
MANAGING THE TRAINING ENVIRONMENT
Planning your training session:
• Choose one of the three moments of the game to focus on: ATTACKING, DEFENDING, or TRANSITION
• Choose what part of the field you want to focus on within this moment: Defensive Third, Middle Third, or Attacking Third
• Choose what skill or concept within this moment, in this part of the field, you want the players to improve:
• Attacking examples: Dribbling, passing, shooting, creating chances to score, build up to create chances to score.
• Defending example: immediate chase, delay or disrupt opponents attack, denying penetrating passes, denying shots
• Transition examples: def att or attdef
• Determine your space and how many players based on real game situations: what players/positions should be involved in this moment of the
game, in this part of the field when the problem occurs and these skills/concepts should be applied.

Format for 60min Practice Session:

• Warm up (5- 10 mins): focused on the specific skill, or just something to engage the kids in practice
• 1st Activity (10-15mins): should orientate the players with your topic, and expose what needs improvement
• 2nd Activity (10- 15mins): should help them solve the problem and implementing the solution successfully
• 3rd Activity (15- 20mins): should be applying this to the game and should be as close to the real game as possible. (i.e. if you have a 2 nd grade
team with 10 players at practice, play 5v5. Avoid using neutral players. Instead, with an odd number, play one team with a sub). Adjust the
dimensions of the field to match the number of players.

AFTER the session: Take a few mins to reflect with the players on the session: What did they learn, but also how focused they were and how hard
did they work. Maybe even have them rate themselves on a scale of 1-10 in these areas. This will help them learn self assessment in the training
environment as well as retain information that was taught.

WHAT you are teaching them is not going to matter if players do not understand WHY they are learning it, and HOW to get there on their own
 Help your
players
understand
how to
approach
their soccer
experience
with a
growth
Basic Youth Player Development Expectations ages 6- 12 yrs This summarizes some of the various skills and
concepts we want our players to learn as they
progress through our program and learning the
game of soccer. This can be the basis for what you
try to accomplish teaching during your training
sessions throughout the season.

Warm up is a great time of practice to introduce

and encourage skills such as the Moves to Master,
Traps, and Additional Skills. Reminding players of
proper technique. Many of the moves listed here
can be referenced on YouTube, or use your DOC as
a resource. Try telling players the name of a couple
of the moves and ask them to go home, look it up,
learn it and show you at the next practice!

Activities in the middle of practice, once players

are in a good mindset to focus, is a good time to
introduce topics from the list of concepts to master.
It’s recommended to spend approx. 10-15 mins
within these activities.

Make sure to allow time for either small sided

game play or a full scrimmage during practice so
Sample Passing Warm Up or 1st Activity after warm up (5-10 mins) Age: 7- 12 yrs

Dimensions:
Recommend 10x10 yds. Make larger for older players, or to
work on longer passes and runs into space.

Instructions:
Player who starts with the ball has a player on either side of
them providing good angles of support. Player passes to
any player to start, then immediately runs to the open side
of grid. Player receiving the ball then passes to the third
player and moves to the open side of grid. Continue passing
and moving.

Coaching Points:
• Focus on good technique of passes, locked ankle, toes
up, heel down, using the inside of foot, striking through
the center of the ball. Bend knees and follow through
with foot in the air.
• Receive across the body, with furthest foot from the
ball. This allows players to be facing the grid and able to
pass easily to the next person.
• Quickly move into space after passing the ball to get
open and ready to receive next pass.
• Advanced: begin looking away from the ball to where
Solid line is the pass,
you are going to pass as the ball is traveling to you.
dotted line is the run.
MANAGING THE GAME ENVIRONMENT
Manage the game for LONG TERM DEVELOPMENT, NOT SHORT TERM RESULTS

BEFORE the game:

• Write down the starting line up prior to the game, along with 2-3 coaching points that you would like to reinforce from practice that week or the
previous game. (i.e. pressure from the 1st defender, keeping possession in the middle third, getting shots off quickly and

DURING the game:

• Ages U11 & younger, especially, coaches should still be rotating starting line ups and rotating players between various positions on the field. It’s
important for players to gain experience and learn from each other. Each player brings something different to the team that is valuable and helps others
learn. The game also has a different level of intensity and feeling in the beginning, during moments of the game, for example after a goal is scored, and
at the end of the game, and its important for players in developing emotional control & intelligence throughout these various moments of the game.

AFTER the game:

• Average length of post game talk with team does not need to be more than 3-5 mins and for U10 and younger I would recommend under 2 mins.
Players will not remember much beyond these time frames. Keep the message simple, direct and positive. Recall the coaching points you had discussed
before the game, recognize if the team performed well in these areas, whether they need to still work on improving, and how the game helped them
become better. “Forget the Loss, Remember the Lesson” .
• Schedule in advance, times to briefly (5- 10mins) meet with parents and players after a game every couple of weeks to discuss what the team has been
working on and how to look for these things during the games.
As the coach, make an effort to help each player leave the field feeling positive about who they are, the team they are a part of, and what they have
accomplished and learned. Winning is fun, however, at the youth level, it cannot come at the expense of compromising individual player development. When
feeling the urge to wait a few mins longer to sub the player on the bench, or keep a player in goal longer than they should, because “everyone” will be happy if
the team wins, consider if those players go home feeling the same as others on the team? Did you provide them with the same positive game experience as
others? You are in control of their environment, however, this experience belongs to them, let them have it. It is our job to make choices and manage the game
environment in a way that fosters every player’s love and desire for soccer within the spirit of the competition.
 Kindergarten & 1st Grade

There should be very little focus on formation

and positioning at this stage. ALL players
should be attacking when in possession and
ALL players get back and defend when
possession is lost. Encourage players to take
initiative on the field both in scoring goals and
also in winning the ball back. Celebrate &
recognize players for hard work, creativity, and
fair play.

Beginning Fall 2021, 1st grade will also play 4v4.

This format is in line with U.S. Soccer, and allows our
youngest players to have more time on the ball, in a
less complex environment on the field, providing
more opportunity for growth and learning of skills
and concepts before moving on to 7v7 in 2nd grade.
 2nd- 4th Grade Teams
Positioning is now becoming a higher
priority as some players begin to
understand their function in relation to
their teammates. (i.e. defending in pairs
with pressure/cover, or passing
combinations requiring a pass into
space, not only to feet). We should start
ball
to see less bunching and more special
awareness. This will still not be the case
for all players.
Players should begin getting more
comfortable passing the ball back to GK
or a player supporting, when they do
not have an option forward.

Right Back, Left Back and Center Mid

positions can begin learning when to
switch the point of attack (getting a pass
from one side of the field and passing
opposite direction away from pressure).

Forwards should be utilizing their space

out wide, finding ways to play between
and in behind the defense to get to goal.
Now the understanding of positions and special ball
awareness on the field becomes more important.
Players should still be rotating and playing different
positions at times, but may begin to gravitate towards
one over others and you can begin to foster this
enthusiasm, playing them in one position most often.

Defensively begin teaching your Right Back, Center

Back and Left Back to defend as a unit, shifting
together, providing pressure from 1st defender, cover
from 2nd defender and balance from 3rd defender.
Because the field is larger and there is more space to
cover, they cannot rely only on 1v1 defending.

When attacking, forwards should begin learning the

right times to make runs forward and when to come
back to get the ball from their Backs. They can work
on recognizing when there is space behind defenders
to dribble themselves, when they can make a pass
behind defenders for another player to run on to, or
when they should play back to relieve pressure.

Center mids- should be trying to recognize and read

the game, and how to get into pockets of space in the
middle of the field between defenders to receive
passes and build the attack.
1-4-3-3
7th & 8th Grade Teams

Players will now begin to have more

established set positions and start
mastering the key qualities needed to excel
in those positions.

The team can work on shifting and moving

on the field as a collective unit, not allowing
too much space between the lines. (i.e.
Forwards connected to midfield, midfield
connected to back line.

Staying compact defensively and spreading

out, getting multiple players forward,
creating numbers up situations when
attacking.

We should be encouraging players to

connect passes, building the game from the
back, through the middle and forward to
create chances to score.
When choosing an 11v11 Formation for your team try to base it
on the players you have and the qualities and characteristics
they possess, rather than choosing a formation and then trying
to fit your players into it.

if you have a lot of attacking minded players that want to go

forward and can score goals, and your defenders are
comfortable pushing forward to win the ball further up the field,
then the best formation may be a 1-4-3-3

If you have more play makers, or players that are good at

passing, keeping possession, and building the game through the
middle third of the field, or if you need a little extra help
defending through the middle then the best formation may be a
1-4-4-2 (Diamond in middle)

If you are heavy on defensive minded players that are good at

staying organized and covering for one another, and maybe 1 or
2 strong attacking players, then the best formation may be a 1-
4-4-2 (flat in middle).

These are just some of the ways to help determine the system
and style of play for your team. However these formations can
be played differently. It’s all in how you choose to coach it.
COACHING EDUCATION RESOURCES
www.ussoccer.com
Grassroots Online Courses (Highly Recommend!)
4v4
7v7
9v9
11v11
$25 each

Additional resources at www.michiganyouthsoccer.org

 THANK YOU!
You are all so important to the success of our program and we
are truly grateful for the time you are giving to help provide a
fun, safe, development focused soccer environment for our
players!
Good Luck and Have Fun this Season!