Soccer practice plans
by age, with video

More free plans by age and topic

Built from the free activities on this site, in the same shape as the book sessions.

Practice plan · Ages 5–6Cones and monsters (U6)

Story games with a ball each: colors, sharks and the Cone Monster.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 5–6Beat the shark (U6)

Sharks, minnows and a first 1v1, for a group ready for more.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 6–7Find the open space (U7)

Keep the ball close and dribble into open space. Built for a first-season team.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 6–7Make the defender move (U7)

The first real defender: fake one way, go the other.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 6–7Go at goal (U7)

Find the open goal, go at the defender and shoot.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 7–8Pass, move, get open (U8)

A first rondo and 4v1 World Cup: pass, move and get open.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 7–8Beat the levels (U8)

From Beat the Levels to the End Zone Game: when it is 1v1, go.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 8–9Learn your spot (U9)

The first 7v7 season: learn the 2-3-1 and find your spot.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 8–9Play out of the back (U9)

Every ball starts with the keeper, using the build-out line.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 9–10Pass and move (U10)

Angles, support and moving after the pass, drawn for 7v7.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 9–10Find the free player (U10)

2v1 and 3v2 to goal: make them choose, then finish early.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 10–11Switch the play (U11)

Draw them to one side, then go out the other.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 10–11Press as a unit (U11)

Lose it? Five seconds to win it back, as a unit.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 11–12Play through the lines (U12)

Look wide, play through: find the player between the lines.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 11–12Win it and go (U12)

Counter-attacks: look forward first, then finish early.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 12–13Get free to receive (U13)

Away first, then to the ball, on the full pitch.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 12–13Play out of the back (U13)

Keeper, backs and the first pass, on the full pitch.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 13–14Win it back (U14)

Counter-pressing: five seconds, nearest player goes, then get small.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · Ages 13–14Time the run (U14)

Timed runs and overloads: go on the touch and finish early.

Open the plan ›Practice plan · U15 and olderFull-back overlaps (U15+)

Switch the play, then add the full-back to make it 4v3.

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Drills and games for your age

Every age has its own page: the format, the rules, the plan that fits and the activities to go with it.

How every session is built

Ages 4 to 8: arrival play, Soccer Island, two or three activities, the game. Ages 9 to 18: rondo, sharpen, solve, play, set piece. The shape never changes, so the players know what comes next and their attention goes to the ball. Shorter session? Sharpen is what goes. Never cut Play.

How to use these plans

Read the plan once in the car. Set up the first activity before the players arrive, because the rondo and the island are built to start themselves. Coach only the two points on the page, say the line in the Say this box as written, and reach for the Easier or Harder rule before you stop the game to explain. Every activity links to its own page with the full card and the clip, and every plan ends with what to watch for on match day, so Tuesday is coaching toward Saturday.

Which plan is for my team?

Pick by age, not by ability. U6 is Kindergarten and 45 to 60 minutes with a ball each; U8 adds a defender to everything; U10 is the first season with a shape, drawn for 7v7; U12 is playing out of the back at 9v9; U14 is the first 11v11 phase of play. If your group sits between two, run the plan drawn for the format you play and reach for the Easier or Harder rules. The blank template is the same page with the fields empty.

Browse all 86 free activities ›   Tactics guides ›