Mass Youth Soccer uses ASC Session Template software to develop our coaching curriculums. ASC is used by coaches at every level of the game, and it has become an essential resource for players, coaches, and others who work in soccer education!
Practice Plans
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U6 Practice Plans:
In order to make practices run smoothly and be fun, it is important for us to have a basic understanding of the intellectual, emotional and physical developmental stage of the players you are coaching. Here are some typical characteristics of the Under 6 player. Here are some typical characteristics of the Under 6 player.
•Focused on themselves – reality to them is based on what they see and feel
•Unable to see the world from another’s perspective
•Everything is in the here and now
•Cooling systems are less efficient - need frequent water breaks
•Enjoy playing, not watching. Every player should have a ball in practice
•Limited attention span - keep directions concise and to the point
•Effort is performance – if they try hard, they are doing well
•Active imaginations – utilize their imaginations in activities, and they will love practice
•Look for adult approval – be encouraging when they say “Coach, look what I can do!”
•Unable to think abstractly – spatial relationships are a mystery
•Typically have 2 speeds -- extremely fast and stopped
•Usually unaware of game scores – keep it that way
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U8 Practice Plans:
In order to make practices run smoothly and be fun, it is important to have a basic understanding of the intellectual, emotional, and physical developmental stage of the players we are coaching. Here are some typical characteristics of the Under8 player:
•Enjoy playing in pairs
•Are now able to take another’s perspective
•Still unable to think abstractly – be patient
•Cooling system still less efficient than adults – still make sure to give frequent water breaks.
•Still prefer playing to watching – keep everyone active during practice.
•Limited attention span
•Have an understanding of time and sequence – “if I do this, then that happens”
•Some now have a third or fourth speed in addition to stopped and as fast as possible
•Very aware of adult reactions – be very aware of your reactions
•Seek out adult approval and need reassurance – be supportive
•Begin to become aware of peer perception – a social order is beginning to develop
•Wide range of abilities between children at this age
•Beginning to develop motor memories
•Some become more competitive
•Less active imaginations than U6 players
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U10 Practice Plans:
In order to make practices run smoothly and be fun, it is important to have a basic understanding of the intellectual, emotional, and physical developmental stage of the players we are coaching. Here are some typical characteristics of the Under10 player:
•Attention span lengthens and they start to show the ability to sequence thoughts and actions.
•They start to think ahead and think “If this, then that”
•More inclined towards wanting to play soccer rather than being told to play
•Demonstrate increased self-responsibility
•They start to recognize fundamental tactical concepts
•Begin to become aware of peer pressure
•Players affiliate with their team or their coach
•There is a wide continuum of maturity evident on most teams
•This is still a crucial age for technical skill development
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U12 Practice Plans:
In order to make practices run smoothly and be fun, it is important for us to have a basic understanding of the intellectual, emotional and physical developmental stage of the players we are coaching. Here are some typical characteristics of the Under 12 player:
•All children are maturing at different rates and are sensitive to that fact
•Need to warm-up and stretch as muscle pulls and other nagging injuries are common
•Typically understand elemental abstract concepts and hypothetical situations
•They like to solve problems
•Peer evaluation is a constant
•Egos are sensitive
•Coordination may depend on whether or not they are in a growth spurt
•Technique still needs to be reinforced constantly
•Playing too much can lead to overuse injuries
•Playing too much and not feeling like they have a choice in the matter can lead toburnout and drop-out
•This is the dawn of tactics!
•Keep asking the players to be creative and to take risks
•Ask for feedback from them. They will tell you how things are going
•Try to hand over leadership and ownership of the team to them. They will enjoyleading and it will add to the learning environment
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U14-16 Practice Plans:
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