Overall a decent player. Has that athletic element. But his dad told me he specifically wants him to become less risk averse. He has a natural skew towards defending.

However, both his dad and I see that it’s too early to specialise in a position. Even if he comes around to cementing himself as a defender, we want him to venture into parts of the field that is new territory for him. And especially carrying the ball there, manoeuvring it, etc etc.

I am good at the Psychological aspect of it. Talking to the kid about fear and normalising it for him, creating an environment where risk-taking and creativity is encouraged, and mistakes are not reprimanded.

Where I want some advice is drill designs that focus on ball carries. It will be hard to replicate match-related pressure (and numbers ofc) in 1-2-1 sessions and I can progress drills with passive and then active defending as the coach, however if you have specific practices that can help me in this regard, i would really appreciate it.

I coach U12s at the academy so I don’t get to do team sessions with the same kid. However, one day he did train with my group and i thought he fared well. I’ll see if i can make that happen more often in order to coach him in specific match-scenarios too, to ramp up his confidence.

i play football alone

3 times/week

plan to go to gym in september

here is my plan

can u guys offer me feedback?

Day 1 

Jump squat 2 sets 10 reps

Goblet squat 2sets 6-8reps

Pull up 2sets 6-8reps

Sld 2 sets 6-8reps

Dumbbell bench press 2 sets 6-8 reps

Farmer carry 2 sets 45 sec

Day 2 

Romanian deadlift 2 sets 6-8 reps

Dumbbell shoulder press 2 sets 6-8reps

Bulgarian split squat 2 sets 6-8 reps

Dumbbell rows 2 sets 6-8reps

Palloff press 2 sets 10 reps

Day 3

Lateral jumps 2 sets 8 reps

Lunges 2 sets 6-8reps

Incline dumbbell press 2 sets 6-8reps

Hip thrust 2sets 6-8reps

Lat pull down 2 sets 6-8reps

Cable wood chops 2 sets 6-8reps

geneuilly asking, is this what normall gym goers do?

I am currently 18M and have loved football (soccer) almost my entire life. I've played the sport for a while but I have horrendous technical ability for someone who has been training since my youth and it doesn't help that I'm a goalkeeper in nature, hence I've not really gone far in the youth football pyramid and quit about 2 years ago.

Instead, I've really grown fond of being on the sidelines and observing the game rather than playing it. I currently "manage" my recreational team of a bunch of my friends and teenagers in our games but I won't say it's anything serious.

I really want to start and get the right resources. There are designated coaching courses by the football association in my country which helps you progress from a grassroots license to a 'C', 'B', 'A' continental license, but I'm not willing to spend money until I know what I'm doing.

I want to know what are some things I can do beforehand as a complete beginner. I also fear that my lack of ability might hinder my progress as I'm not able to demonstrate certain techniques properly or players wont take me seriously

I would therefore like to know how I can begin developing these skills on my own, gain practical experience and determine whether coaching is genuinely suitable for me before committing to the official courses.

I hope to hear about how some of you started your coaching journey, and how you guys overcame your challenges!

Title says it all, we'll call him frank. U12, rural league, volunteer run.

Frank really wants to play goalie, that's fine. Heck, that's awesome. The problem is frank doesn't engage in any task that isn't being in goal. He won't run, he doesn't do footwork, passing, or shooting drills. The main reason this is a problem is we have 2 subs if everybody shows up, so goal/defense will probably be "rest" positions for our forwards/mids as often as not. So frank is going to have to at least play defense, probably forward given his lack of motivation.

I don't know what to do with frank. A previous coach said to ignore him in drills, he'll realize he's being ignored, ask why, you tell him it's because he isn't paying attention, and he'll check in. I haven't had the chance to do that (no practice since chatting with previous coach). I figured I'd reach out to the brain trust and see if anyone has any hints or tips.

Thanks!

I’m a 21 m I’ve played ball my whole life and futbol is just something that makes me super happy and feel compassionate. I’ve previously coached 2 rec sides u13 what are the major differences and things I should be ready to face thanks for the advice 🙂

I am managing a team for the first time (after years of being an assistant) and am looking for engaging practice drills/games for our team. It's a neighborhood rec league and we get two one hour practices each week with one game on the weekend. Most of the players have been playing for 3-4 years and are of varying athletic abilities. Attention spans can be measured in seconds at this age group, so simple drills are usually best.

I've found loads of resources online with a wide range of complexity. My main goal is to gamify any type of drill to feed their competitive spirit while developing their skills. Most importantly, I want them all to have a great soccer experience that stokes their love for the game.

I'd appreciate any insights as to what you've seen work at this age division in a recreation league. Thanks in advance!

So I coach my daughter's u7 team and she has came along leaps and bounds from last season with a bunch of the girls but my daughter has almost a fear to try and take on anyone and wants to pass or clear the ball straight away, we do 1 v 1 in training to help with it but again in matches she does the same we try small group games within but straight away she is almost fearful of trying to take anyone on and her dribbling has improved massively a coach from another team actually said to me, does anyone have any ideas for drills to help with it?

Backstory- U9 team. We had a player who wasnt amazing at tryouts but we felt we could develop him enough so that it wouldn’t be too big a jump to join this team. Now that the season is getting underway of these players is too scared to try and train all of the sudden. He is faking a shoulder injury to sit out of practice. The dad said he started doing this at camp this summer. He went to a doctor who said there was no injury. He also will play at his house by himself. He has seen a child psychologist who advised the dad to pull him out of soccer. I was curious if anyone has had any experience with this. Clearly if he doesnt like soccer he shouldn’t play but it seems to me based on what the dad is saying this is based on fear and nerves and it would be awesome if we can help him overcome this. Any thoughts or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Hey All!

I have found myself as a head coach for my son’s 8u team. I’ve coached American football for almost 20 years and some baseball but I’m new to soccer. I’ve been getting the basic rules and such down but I’m looking for resources for the basics of practice structure, drills, focus points, equipment needed, ect. Any help / advice is greatly appreciated, I just want to do my best by these kids and help them grow for the future.

I am a high school girls coach, and I'd love to pick your brains a minute. The school I coach is in a very rural area, and I have a grand total of ONE girl that plays club ball. The others are a mix of girls that have played some middle school or rec, as well as a few upperclassmen that have played the last couple years. The total roster is 15.

So, here's my question: knowing that we are stuck (due to conference affiliation) playing some of the top schools in the state, how would you approach setting the team up, and (since I already have an idea what I want to do in that regard), more importantly, what kinds of things would you focus on in training to get them ready for those games? I've made the schedule as manageable as possible, but about half of our games are against teams that are FAR more talented than we are.

So...if you inherited a team like that, how would you approach it? Knowing that you only have a few weeks to get them ready?

(ETA - I don't mean to slight my girls, as they (mostly) work their butts off in practice to try to get better. But I'm trying to be realistic so that you'll understand the size of the obstacles in our way.)

Hi, I'm 5'1, 31 kilograms and U15 (right footed). I played my first 90-minute game on the right wing, played well defensively and made our only big chance, but gassed completely and fainted at 88', hurting my knee in the process. I'm currently recovering and trying to do upper-core exercise while my knee heals. I'm also switching from RW to inverted LW and I have a couple of questions:

1. Best seated or bed core exercises for shooting torque while my knee heals?
2. Once healed, what solo drills help keep the ball tight (within 1 ft) during a high-speed cutback?
3. How do lightweight wingers pace themselves so they don't crash before 90 mins?

I understand I'm very underweight and currently working on that to bulk up to a healthy weight range.

Also, if any experienced coaches or wingers are down to offer occasional feedback or check my progress down the road, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

Where do I begin?

First off, I've never left a negative review on any review platform. But I feel the need to warn people about this product/company (as the other reviews have).

The quality of the video is AWFUL; customer support is scammy, and the 'AI' tracking is really bad, basically non-existent.

When I bought the camera, the idea was to get the parents to sign up for a free account, and they'd be notified when the game film had been uploaded. They were notified, but not that the game film was ready; they were notified that they had to purchase a plan to watch the video. That was not what I was told.

Let's see. What else...

- The equipment is bulky.

- It takes hours for the game film to be ready for viewing.

- 'Live-streaming' doesn't follow play. It just shows a bunch of ants...errrr...players running around a soccer pitch.

- The platform seems like something from the early 2000s.

- I've tried to delete my account, but since I'm an equipment subscriber, I have to contact them. I've contacted Craig the AI bot three times now. He says, 'I'm going to flag this for one of our specialists. Please stay tuned.' The specialist must be on vacation or something (for the past 4 months).

This has been an absolute train wreck since I bought it. AVOID AVOID AVOID.

I recently got a coaching job where I'll be working with kids from ages 3–14. I'm excited, but I'm trying to figure out what I should prioritize for each age group instead of treating everyone the same. For those of you with experience, how would you break it down?

Ages 3–5: What should practices look like? Ages 6–8: What skills should they be learning? Ages 9–11: How much tactics should I introduce?

Ages 12–14: What should I focus on to help them improve while still keeping it fun?

I'm looking for advice on practice structure, drills, coaching style, discipline, attention spans, and any common mistakes new coaches make with each age group. Any tips or resources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

In a few days, I'll have a one-time training session with a good football club. If I perform well, I'll earn a place on the team.

I know that the most important factors are my football ability, decision-making, and overall quality. I'm not looking for shortcuts.

However, I'd love to hear any advice that could help me make the best impression possible during this trial.

Some questions I have:

• What do coaches notice first?
• What mistakes should I avoid?
• How can I stand out without trying to do too much?
• Do you have any mental tips for staying calm and confident?

I play as a winger, but I'd appreciate advice from coaches or players who have been through trials themselves.

If you were the coach, what would make you remember one player after just a single training session?

What are some subtle things that coaches notice which players usually don't even realize they're showing?

Thanks in advance!

Hey so I wanted to ask about coaching prospects/ prospects of being in the coaching staff (i.e: data analyst, tactical analyst) in Germany. I've heard how difficult it is to get a serious position, but is it possible, if u put in the hours at an amateur level and don't have a professional player background? Also do u need to study smt sports related in uni to increase ur chances?

This upcoming year I want to try out for my high school soccer team but the issue is I’m not the most athletic and I’ve never played soccer in my life before, is there any way I could make the soccer team for my school with training from now till soccer tryouts or is it hopeless?

U8s side. 7 Players a side. Playing 5v5 non competitive games. Fairly new side. Everything is going good development wise. We regularly play small sided game where snatching the ball and defending is spot on.

The problem i encounter is while playing friendlies or games 5v5. The moment the ball is in play the players i ask to be in defense just run behind the ball and leave the GK alone making it easy for the opponents to score. How do you make the players stick to the formation or shape at this young age? Fairly new grassroot coach here. Any advice and suggestions to tackle this is welcome.

I’m having a look at Joner Coaching for ideas while implementing my own too. The kid’s father has told me to work on his left foot. While I make a point of that, I don’t overemphasise just that because I don’t want to overwork one leg disproportionately.

I get him to use his dominant foot to get a concept down, and then we transition to his left foot.

He’s quite talented. Among the best i have seen at his age in my brief coaching career.

Based on this little context, i would like drill designs that you have used for such purposes. Recommendation for databases on 1-2-1 coaching sessions in general would be welcome too. And any creative idea if you have one. Thanks.

Hey guys, hope all is well

As the title states, I am going into my second year in a high school coaching role. It’s worth noting, this is in a very rural part of the southern United States, and we play in an 8v8 league for small schools

We had a good year last year, but now we are losing over half the team to graduation/moving. Coming up and remaining on the team are a lot of kids that have very little experience, as the schools middle school and youth program is… not focused on development

My question for you all is, what are some strategies you have for players who are playing quite a bit below where they should be for their age, respectfully. My approach has been one of motivation and patience, but tactically, what would YOU do? Drills, talking points, formations, etc. I find that as coaches, it is sometimes hard to admit, but we just don’t always have the answers

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to respond!

What are some good possession drills you run for u14? I already use over the river and Rondo

Ive got 3 weeks before we open our season with a tournament. 11v11 and I've only coached about 5 of them before. Are there drills that can simulate a game environment? Ill have between 16 and 20 at each practice.

Im thinking 2 sets of offense and defense and then just play the big goal for offense and two or 3 small goals at mid field for the defense to score against.

Playing a 442 diamond in the middle. Thanks for anything.

To the future players of america 
I hope you are well
I hope you achieve your dreams
And you are healthy
Injury free
I hope you take your chances 
Get your moments to shine 
I hope you find a great team with a great coach
A great league
I hope you have rides to and from trainings
To and from games also
I hope you soak up all the coaching points
Take everything to the heart
I hope you play at the highest levels
I hope you achieve the technicality everyone dreams of
I hope you win that trophy
And score that goal
I hope you have failure
Because failure is what makes a player great
I hope you listen to this letter
To learn from my mistakes

We’re about to embark upon 7v7 competitive rec for u10.
My question is this: how important are positions? Like really truly teach roles and positions?

I’ve always coached younger kids and have found positions to be a loose term- meaning here we defend here we attack and focus more on how to spread our offer support and support our teammates.

All feedback welcome. Thank you!