CSA Spring Developmental Coaches Guide - Coventry Soccer Association

Thank you for volunteering to coach CSA Developmental Soccer

What do we expect of you? U5/U6 Coaches

At the U5/U6 age group focus should be on the individual player.
Practices should be focused on dribbling and ball control.
Having the player become comfortable with controlling the ball, dribbling it towards a target and being able to stop and turn it around.
By the end of the season players should be able to accurately dribble to a desired location with a moderate degree of speed.
Some focus should be placed on the team, specifically allowing other team member to possess the ball and not stealing it from each other.

What do we expect of you? U8 Coaches

Increased emphasis on the team while still encouraging the individual.
Passing and build up play should start to be introduced, instead of one player dribbling straight to goal each possession.
Team positions and roles should be worked into games too.
Players with more developed dribbling ability should be encouraged to try skills to create space.
By the end of the season players should have a good grasp on the role of defense vs the role of offense. Teams should be able to possess the ball while sharing possession through passes between players.

What do we expect of you? U10 Coaches

At this level formations and team tactics should be more advanced. Working on transitions in play and changing the formation to suit needs of the game.
After already grasping passing it should be expanded to knowing the correct time of when to pass and when to dribble.
A well rounded player at U10 should be able to confidently dribble and pass to create space.
Goalkeepers are now part of the equation at U10 so identifying any players with an interest in the position is recommended.
We understand specific goal keeper training is difficult to manage but incorporating a goal keeper in practice sessions/scrimmages is strongly recommended.

During games its common for the coach to want to dictate almost every aspect of the game.
What has been found is that in the long run players benefit from less instruction and the process of them figuring It out by themselves is greatly beneficial.
Quite clearly almost all age groups need some form of instruction, whether its positionally or to even make them pay attention. But what we ask is that (as best as possible) we leave it up to the players.
This makes it more fun for the players and as mentioned helps their development.

Feel free to reach out to Chris Moore our Director of Coaching at any point during the season for any assistance with coaching.
Whether you’re stuck with a session idea or want to advance your knowledge on a certain topic, Chris is here to help.
[email protected]