There is massive amount of excellent free coaching information available on the internet. Many sites offer written plans while the newer video sites have a rapidly growing set of free instructional videos.
Successful coaches do the following:
- Plan practices in advance and structure as follows:
- Warm-up
- Warm-up activity 1
- Warm-up activity 2
- Main body
- Activity 1
- Activity 2
- Game (doesn't always have to be a scrimmage)
- Game activity 1
- Game activity 2
- Warm-up
- Choose a main topic/theme for the whole practice (ex: passing). All practice activities should support the main topic/theme
- Choose age appropriate activities that teach the chosen topic
- Choose activities that are efficient
- Adjust activities through each iteration as needed to accomplish goals
- No laps, no lines, no lectures
- Create a fun learning environment
Here are some resources that our coaches have found to be very helpful....
Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association (practice plans by age):
www.mayouthsoccer.org/pages/2302_practice_sessions.cfm
Decatur Sports Soccer Drills (drills, practice plans and articles):
www.dprsports.com/drills.htm
Footy4kids (drills, practice plans and articles):
www.footy4kids.co.uk/index.htm
Dutch inspired activities
http://www.bettersoccermorefun.com/
FIFA.com (an illustrative description of Law 11 -Offside, send this to your 8v8 team!):
http://www.fifa.com/lotg/football/en/flash/start.html
Youtube.com (do a search for 'soccer drill'):
www.youtube.com
UEFA Training Ground (drills and demonstrations):
www.uefa.com/trainingground/index.html
NSCAA Coaching Tips:
www.nscaa.com/coachingtips.php