(00) Foreword

Encourage and promote entertainment and creativity to enjoy every second of the learning process. Spark pleasure in playing soccer—in developing fair play, the urge to do better, and the sportive spirit. Life lessons and tactical dimensions run parallel to technical instruction.

(00) Preface

Take into account each pupil’s current level of physical and mental development. Gradually develop correct technical, tactical and physical capacities. Make stimulation specific to each age group’s cognitive capacities and physical ability. Learning to understand the complex game can best be achieved through the practice of a logical progression of simplified games, with gradual increases in the number of players on each team. Game-oriented practice stimulates participants more than traditional training sessions. To develop healthy, happy and talented players tailor instruction to follow young student’s natural development.

Part One - A New Philosophy on Coaching

To learn quickly, effectively and thoroughly, the demands of the training session and competition must match the player’s intellectual, psychological and motor skills. The concept of readiness is a prerequisite for any activity and should be applied to all aspects of teaching and learning. Children must be exposed to a gradual stimulation in training and to a series of progressive steps into the adult game. The art of teaching lies largely in knowing what activity (a technical move, a tactical behavior or a complex competition) the student is prepared for at their particular stage of physical and mental development. Only present those exercises, games and challenges that suit current abilities, interests and expectations--they should fit comfortably and perfectly. Recognize past mistakes. Awareness of errors is the first step toward more effective training and learning methods.

(01) The Natural Development of Young Players

“Nature decrees that children should be children before they become adults. If we try to alter this natural order, we will reach adulthood prematurely but with neither substance nor strength.” -- Jean J. Rousseau
Nature does not take shortcuts, there is a natural, unhurried order to it all. Copy the wisdom of nature. Tailor the training plan to fit the student’s varying cognitive and motor abilities. Subjecting children to complex activities before they are ready only reinforces failure and frustration. Simple before complex. Provide the necessary reps if you are going to demand more from students. Use efficient methods. Players must be active for the majority of a 90 minute session. Learn the latest innovations. Continually rethink what needs to be done and how. Look beyond your specialty. Combine, mix and synthesize the knowledge from diverse but related sources. Learn to fully understand how each child learns best and adapt to his or her needs.
Promote Active Participation - Too much drill will kill the young student’s innate potential. Carefully and progressively develop important capacities, including perception, analysis of game situations and correct decision making under increasingly stressful conditions. Involving players obliges them to think, to collect information, to organize the collected information and come to conclusions, to evaluate and judge, to imagine, invent, and create new moves or combinations.

Youth prefer to be stimulated instead of being instructed. — Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Soccer players need to actively participate in the teaching and learning process in order to develop as complete athletes who eventually become independent from the frequent instructions of the coach. Learning takes place best when the coach is able to transfer decisions over to the pupil.

Allowing Children More Control - Creativity is one of our most elevated mental activities. Make students think, instead of thinking for them. Present students with tailor-made problems they have to resolve on their own.
Stimulating students’ Minds - Master the skill of posing questions. The most effective questions are open ones that require descriptive answers, ones that begin with words that seek to quantify or gather facts: what, when, how much/many. Systematic questioning allows the pupil to self-generate the information. Intelligent questioning brings awareness to problems previously left unnoticed. students have to think, examine, judge and evaluate until they find solutions. Shift the process of learning and understanding to self teaching.
10 Rules for Learning Efficiency

Acquire good habits.
Confront players with problems that are within their capabilities, challenging them to perform activities that are only slightly beyond current ability. A feeling of capability and success generally stimulates and nourishes learning. When students are aware of their success and receive some kind of recognition or reward for it, learning will be fun and students will be encouraged to progress even further.
Help kids learn to recognize the results and consequences of every play immediately after the action is over. Students who are conscious of the results of their play in a given game situation will better be able to handle a similar situation in the future.
Teach new aspects of the game within the parameters of ones that are already known.
Practice the individual elements of a situation to correct the stimulus and response. The first phase of learning is to recognize that a game situation is composed of various elements. To recognize a situation, it is important to practice it many times. Repetition strengthens the connection between stimuli and response.
Review and repeat material frequently. Repetition is vital to learning.
Vary the exercises and games. Without variety, boredom becomes a factor. To avoid monotony, loss of concentration and lack of motivation - all enemies of learning - ensure variety in the session.
Mix up the flow of content. Change activities every 15 minutes.
Motivate students, be it through praise or choice of activities that interest them. Motivation supports learning.
Stimulate both the body and the mind. Maximum learning occurs when teachers use an activity to stimulate both the left and right hemispheres. The right brain harkens the creative capacities, intuition and space and time orientation. Each training session should stimulate the body as well as both hemispheres of the brain.

Meeting Young People’s Needs

Need for security - During training, children need a familiar and intimate atmosphere that gives them security and confidence. Return to games that are already familiar (but maintaining variations of them) is welcomed by the kids so long as the contents of the training session link with something they already know.
Need for new experiences - Nothing can be understood completely until it has been experienced. Allow children to experiment with tasks. Children need to discover on their own everything that surrounds them. Stimulate them with exercises and games that are within their physical and mental capabilities. This method of coaching allows them to develop their abilities and capacities step-by-step through personal discovery.
Need to be acknowledged - Children get highly motivated when tribute is paid to their efforts in mastering a skill or problem. Through praise they are encouraged to try even harder. For children less than twelve, the teacher, coach or parent is like a mirror in which they see their capacity or incapacity. Be positive, praise frequently and keep critical comments to a minimum.
Need to show responsibility - Children prefer to do things on their own without depending too much on adults. They like to reach independence as quickly as possible. Ensure children are frequently allowed to find their own solutions to the problems presented.
Need to play - Playing games is as vital for children as sleep. As children learn by playing, the central part of each training session should be the practice and understanding of simplified games. The art of coaching is to always adapt to the children’s ability level. Playing games stimulates communication and decision making. Playing soccer without thinking is like shooting without aiming.
Need to socialize - People instinctively look for communication with others. The older they are, the more they need the company of similar age children. They love to be associated with a group and to identify themselves with a team with the aim to achieve common objectives.
Need to move - Nature wants her children to be active. Games must be modified to allow children to play the ball more often. Games with few students assure active participation.
Need to live in the present - Children live intensely in the present moment.
Need to be understood by adults - Adults who live and work with children should know how to stimulate and guide them in their search for personality and identity.
Need for variety - Children crave variety, resulting in less boredom and fatigue.
Eliminating Anxiety - Not playing well and making a mistake are major stressors of sport. Anxiety prevents students from doing their best and may prevent them from wanting to play in the future. Pressured by parents and coaches, many young students perceive anxiety before, during and even after the game, instead of competing mainly to have fun. This destroys self esteem. A student can be helped through correction, but even more so if it comes with encouragement. Self-esteem is the life force of personality. Young children learn most efficiently in non stressful environments. By tailoring the game of soccer to fit the needs, bodies, and minds of young students, coaches develop successful soccer programs and happy, talented young players.

Bill of Rights for Young Soccer Players

Right to enjoyment both in practice and in competition; with a wide variety of activities that promote fun and easy learning.
Right to play as a child and not be treated like an adult, either on or off the playing field.
Right to participate in competitions with simplified rules adapted to level of ability and capacity in each stage of physical and mental evolution.
Right to play in conditions of greatest possible safety.
Right to participate in all aspects of the game.
Right to be trained by experienced and specially prepared coaches and educators.
Right to gain experience by resolving most of the problems that arise during a practice.
Right to be treated with dignity by coaches, teammates and opponents.
Right to play with children at their own level of training with similar chances to win.
Right not to become a Champion.

(02) A Successful Approach to Soccer Coaching

Prepare for the journey. Have a map~plan~model to avoid getting lost, wasting time and energy. Expose gradually the difficulty and complexity of the game. A good training model adapts to the individuals being coached, mixing the activities that best develop that particular group.
The Soccer Development Model - Take into account progressive development and the laws of nature in addition to meeting young players expectations. When children play soccer, they are primarily interested in four things: action, personal involvement in the action, close scores and opportunities to reaffirm relationships with friends. For their well being, it is important to address all four:

Simplify or modify rules and exercises activity. When kids create their own games, they devote a good deal of effort to setting up rules that foster action. Most activity occurs around the scoring area and scores are so frequent everyone scores at least once.
Design exercises and games to increase the involvement of all players, allowing them to be in the center of action frequently and to feel important.
Change game rules and scoring methods to keep game scores close and heighten challenge. In training, constrict or modify to keep game scores close enough to make the activity both interesting and challenging, even if outstanding players must accept handicaps.
Organize teams and practices so that friends have the opportunities to play together in a variety of ways.

Four Phases of Motor Development

Reflex movements - from birth to about 8 months
Rudimentary Movements - from the end of the first year of life to the end of the second
Fundamental Movements - from the second year until about the 6th Year
Specific or Sports Movements - from the 6th-7th year onward. By the age of 7 years, most children are fairly proficient (though not yet mature) in fundamental motor skills and start to use these basic motor skills until they improve both qualitatively and quantitatively. They also learn to vary, modify and combine them in transitional motor activities.

Five Levels of Progression. Slowly progress players from movement or game to the next one and continually confront them with slightly more challenging and complex problems. Development is a process of gradually increasing demands. Progress to the next level only occurs after understanding the technical and tactical requirements of the previous simplified game. “Moving step by step you may travel great distances.”

(1) Games for basic abilities and capacities: juggling and balancing the ball, dribbling, passing, receiving and shielding and tackling. They are exposed to simplified competitions. Through them, children have sufficient opportunities to practice and discover varied motor skills prior to and during acquisition of soccer specific skills.
(2) Games for mini-soccer: comprises a progressive series of simplified games for teams of 2 players, in which children not only experiment with and improve the correct use of skills learned in level I, but also build up their capacities in communication and cooperation. The objective is to understand and learn to successfully play ‘mini-soccer’ (first 3v3 without a keeper, then 3v3 with a keeper and the 3v3 Triathlon)
(3) Games for 7v7 soccer: simplified games 3v3, 4v4 triathlon and the development of young goalkeepers leads to the capacity of playing 7v7 across the width of the official field.
(4) Games for 8v8 soccer: players mainly encount a program of simplified games for teams formed by 5v5 players. There they consolidate skills with help from the actions of the first three levels. They chiefly employ corrective exercises and develop reading and reacting skills, which allow them to perform well in 8v8 soccer between the penalty areas of the field.
(5) Games for official 11v11 soccer: athletes ready themselves to play the full game (fútbol a la medida del adolescente)

Advantages of the Developmental Model

Links training with competition. At each level, design corrective exercises and preparatory games to match competition demands. Build a bridge between learning a subject and correctly applying it. Training and competition should always be seen as a unit, one being highly linked to the other. An efficient process fosters understanding of the game, which is fundamental for good performance. Coach not only how to execute a skill, but also on how the skill should be best applied: when, where and why. Players remain highly motivated because they always see how the training practice functions in the game, not isolated from competition.
Increase in Successful Actions - Players who take part in competitions specially designed for their age (mini-soccer, 3-on-3, 4-on-4, 7-on-7 and 8-on-8) will have far more success than in the traditional game format, thereby leading to an increase in self esteem.

Enjoyment of the Game - Naturally, when players execute more successful actions, they enjoy the game more. The difficulty and complexity of the game should increase in perfect harmony with growing physical and intellectual capacities. Go from simple to complex in small increments to avoid any significant failure. Success reinforces success. Learning can be fun. Playing is the way children discover their world. Foster the joy of discovery.

Ease of Application - Always become more familiar with effective methods and coaching styles. Until then, rely on a model that is both complete and effective and can easily be applied, such as the Development Model.
Fixed Goals - Structure the model in hierarchical order, with both overall objectives and specific, partial aims for each level. For each game or exercise, identify specific goals:

This gives guidelines for structuring developing training and the learning process and allows for additional methods to be added, so long as they accomplish the intended goals.
Helps link the proposed program to the fixed goals.
Adds incentives for the children allowing them to focus on some definite objective without having to guess why they are playing some way or what they are aiming towards. (Allows coaches to discover whether they are achieving the objective and to make any necessary alterations.

Coaching Philosophy - Coaches should always maintain a healthy positive attitude during training and competition.

Consider playing well as more important than winning. While learning to play, forget about the result. Encourage players to take some risks. Players, parents and coaches should consider competition only as another kind of training.
Mobilize all your efforts to achieve victory, but never look to win at any price. Victory should never be considered the only important thing to achieve.
Accept defeat with dignity, because defeat is always a possibility when competing. There is no guarantee for winning. If another team beats yours, it’s generally because of their better play. It should never be because your team didn’t put all its efforts into winning the game. As long as you have tried hard and played up to your capacity, never feel like losers.
Train with the spirit of performing in an important competition so that way you can compete as though it is a matter of practice.
It’s not whether you win or lose, but how the game was played. Winning is only a consequence of playing well. That is why every player has only to look to give his or her best. The result will fall like a ripe fruit falls from the tree.
Coach to play well, to discover new solutions to the same problems, again and again. If you want to win, forget about winning.

Coaching Characteristics - To become well accepted by young players a coach must:

Have previous experience and success as a player.
Have previous experience and success as a coach.
Have a pleasant appearance in physicality as well as in dress.
Exemplify correct (healthful) lifestyle habits.
Be punctual and efficient
Have good organization of training sessions, meetings and travel.
Have good communication: know how to explain concepts and also how to ask good questions and listen.
Have a good disposition: always has time for players.
Know technique and tactics and how to coach them amply.
Be motivated to pass knowledge on to players through questioning.
Maintain a positive approach - encourages and motivates players with positive remarks, creates enthusiasm, praises frequently.
Know how to coach from the bench: can readjust the team’s play through quick decision making, changing players shrewdly and has a sense of humor.
Exercise leadership in the dressing room as well as on the ground during training and matches.
Exercise self-control - is emotionally stable, transmits calmness and serenity, especially when conflicts arise.
Desire to improve constantly - looks out for new exercises and games as well as new coaching methods or styles and is self-critical in his coaching.
Have the capacity to observe, analyze and correct mistakes or bad habits.
Be honest and fair with young players - doesn’t favor any particular player, demands a lot but is fair to everybody.
Be open to any suggestion - stays flexible, listens to suggestions of players and assistants.
Demonstrate true interest in his players (and care for their problems off the playing field.)

Maintaining a Positive Attitude - Conscientiously do and say things that make young players feel good, accepted, important, happy and successful. Simple gestures:

A warm greeting using the player’s name.
A thumbs up sign.
A pat on the back.
Talking with players.
Playing some games or activities with players.
Asking for advice and listening to what they say.
Helping them learn something new to improve something.
Helping players to adjust their personal objectives.
Attending to all their questions.
Showing interest in their friends, family and hobbies.
Giving encouragement.
Praising, avoiding criticism.
Including the youngsters in the teaching process through effective questioning.

(03) Part II - Coaching Players 7 years and up

Aim: introduce the game and foster their interest. Soccer players under 10:

Still lack fine motor skills
Movements are usually whole body actions, with little accuracy.
Have short bursts of energy and enthusiasm.
Developing coordination, they are still clumsy.
Play or participate for fun and enjoyment.
Actions are not yet automatic or programmed.
Unsure of what actions lead to success at a skill.
See every detail as being important.
Uncertain in their actions and how to achieve desired outcomes.
Lack a clear idea or model of the new skill.
Cannot handle too many instructions or too much information at one time.
Unable to use feedback information effectively.

Coaching Strategies

Game Alteration for Beginners

Size of the ball - adapt the weight and circumference of the ball to the height and strength of the player. Children under 8 should play with a no. 3 mini ball. Players between 8-13 should use a no. 4, which encourages better learning during practice sessions and competition. Players 15 and older should use a no. 5. The appropriate size ball is easier to control and pass, allowing players to spread out more and make better use of space and time in order to better analyze game situations that would not otherwise be afforded in crowded situations as tend to occur with a ball that is too big. The correct size and weight allows players to pass and kick without movement compensations, decreases the risk of injury (Osgood-Schlatter’s disease)
Dimensions of the Playing Area - match the playing area with the technical, physical and intellectual performance levels of the players and the number of players involved. (120 X 40m)
Size of Goals - 6-20 meters wide. To create a game of control, the rules of many simplified games require beginners to control the ball in the opposing wide goal area. Wild shooting is not desirable. Players should handle the ball gently and with care without using violent moves. Wider goals help stimulate a player's perception. For beginners (who generally direct more of their attention toward the ball) a wider uncovered space between the cones is much easier to detect during dribbling. In addition, using side goal areas gives the wings the same opportunities to score as a center forward.

Structuring a Training Session

Aperitif- a simplified game for two player teams or a multilateral game
1st Course - a dribble game with 1-2 variations.
2nd Course - a game for passing, receiving or shooting.
Dessert - a tackling game, a game in the maze or a decathlon
After Dinner Drink - a simplified game for teams of not more than three. To ensure a high level of attention from beginners, change the proposed activity every 15 minutes.

(04) Games for Basic Abilities and Capacities - Level I - 7yrs and up

Hidden in every human being exists a child that wants to play. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
Goal - introduce the game, develop interest in and a love for the game. Give young people adequate training tools and stimuli to enable them to play with confidence and enjoyment. Support the healthy and harmonious development of children so they are motivated to practice the sport. Teaching style must be adaptable and varied to create a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. Organize the training session to meet the needs of the players. Exposure to basic game situations (2+ times a week) that focus on correct execution of fundamentals at the appropriate developmental phase fosters learning. Because players at the 7 & 8 year old beginning phase are egocentric and want to be the protagonist of the game, design games/drills with this in mind.
Juggling and Balancing the Ball - To develop motor skill and coordination, introduce pupils to an early array of exercises and games. Learn to juggle and maneuver the ball in all possible situations using any part of the body. Encourage players to use their leisure time to juggle with different sizes of balls until they learn to handle and control the ball in any situation (with a partner, off of walls, nets and other resources).
Dribbling Games - Develop the ability to carry the ball on the ground with balance, footwork, speed, change of direction and coordination. Dribbling skill is a key to discovering the beauty of soccer; possessing it allows players to quickly reach a satisfying level of play. Have progressions in order to provide an appropriate challenge.