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Free practice plan · Ages 10–11 · 9v9 · 2-3-3A U11 practice plan for 9v9:
Switch the Play
9v9 gives you enough field to switch the play. This session builds the habit: draw the defenders to one side, then go out the other. Ninety minutes, twelve to sixteen players, and a game at the end where a switch earns a double goal. Every activity here is free on this site, with its own page and an animated video.
- Draw the defenders to one side, then hit the far side.
- Receive the switch moving toward the ball.
Bring: Ball each, a full-size goal, flat cones, pinnies in two colors.
Your job: Praise the switch even when it misses. The habit comes first; the accuracy follows.
The session, minute by minute
Two-Side Rondo
RondoA 16x8. Two attackers on each short end, two defenders inside. Score by passing from one end to the other along the ground. End players may pass to their partner first to draw the defenders. Defenders swap on a win. Players start as they arrive.
HarderEnd-to-end passes must be one touch.
If it stallsSwitches bouncing? Shorten the area to 12x8 until they travel on the ground.
Switch Through the Middle
SharpenA 20x14. Two attackers on each side line, two in the middle, three defenders. Score by moving the ball from one side to the other through a middle player. Direct side-to-side passes do not count. Middle players have two touches. Run it for ten minutes, then add the first progression.
HarderMiddle players have one touch.
If it stallsMiddle never free? Middle players may step outside the area to receive.
Out and Over
Solve45x35 with a halfway line. Keeper, two backs and three mids build against four pressers. Score a point by getting the ball under control to your striker, who waits in a 10-yard end zone beyond halfway. If the pressers win it, they go to goal.
EasierPressers may not enter the penalty area.
HarderAdd a defender on the striker.
If it stallsForcing it up the middle? Bonus point for switching from one back to the other before going forward.
The game: change sides
Play9v9 in the 2-3-3. A goal counts double if the ball changed sides in the move. Short of players? Play even teams on a smaller field. The rule stays the same. Water comes before this block, never in the middle of it.
Throw-ins
Set pieceThrow-ins in pairs: both feet down, ball from behind the head, throw to feet. Then throw to a player who plays it straight to the far side.
Shorter session?
With 75 minutes, halve Sharpen. With 60, skip it and run Rondo, Solve, Play and the set piece. Never cut Play.
Match day: what to watch for
Three things to look for from the touchline:
- Do we draw them to one side before we switch?
- Do the far-side players stay wide, or drift in?
- Does the switch travel on the ground?
Questions coaches ask
What formation should a U11 team play?
The 2-3-3 is the shape this site uses for 9v9. The 9v9 guide explains what changes from 7v7 and what does not.
What if the switches keep bouncing?
Shorten the Two-Side Rondo to 12x8 until they travel on the ground.
What if everything goes up the middle in Out and Over?
Give a bonus point for switching from one back to the other before going forward.
More free practice plans
Twenty-four sessions, twelve match days, one habit at a time
The Full Season Travel Curriculum for ages 9 to 12 is twelve weeks built around six team habits, every game drawn at 7v7 and 9v9, with a match-day page every week, the 30-minute game-day warm-up and an animated video of every activity.