8u Coed Curriculum
NO SNACKS PLEASE (Sorry hopefully this is back next year)
Session structure will be as follows
- The first 25 minutes will be a dedicated pre-planned team practice
- The next 5 minutes will be for transitioning to the game part of the session
- The last 50 minutes is reserved for gameplay
- Each game consists of four (4), ten-minute quarters, with a two-minute break between quarters and a five-minute halftime
- Teams will play a 4v4 format with goalies
- Players must be rotated evenly throughout all quarters
- No player is to play 3 quarters before all other players have played 2 quarters
- Teams will play a 4v4 format with goalies
** There is NO HEADING AT ALL. Any headed ball will be ruled a dead ball and possession will be given to the team who kicked the ball at the spot of the infringement. Heading will not be taught at this age.
Week 1
Practice/Game 1 - Passing
(ADJUST TIME OF WARMUP OR FINAL GAME BASED ON LENGTH OF THE FIRST SECTION)
15 mins - Parent Meeting (conducted by the club), Team Introductions, and Uniform Distribution - Parents will have a 5-10 min meeting while coaches meet their team and distribute uniforms to the players.
print this practice section
Pass the ball 2 yards to a team mate -
5 mins - ACTIVITY 1: PASSING PAIRS - click to view
Use 3s if you have an odd number with players following their pass (2 players will be in the starting line)
5 mins - GAME: GUARD OF HONOUR - click to view
2 min Water Break - Coach Set up two gates* marked out with cones 2 yards apart. (each team has 10 cones)
Receive and control the ball
5 mins - ACTIVITY: CUSHION AND STOP - click to view (*NOTE: use 2 gates instead of a square)
5 mins - GAME: EMPTY THE TANK - click to view
(PLAY)
(2) 6 min Games with 1 min break
Set up 2 goals with cones approximately 3 yards from either sideline of our field. (the cones for goals should be 4-5 yards wide)
Use the midfield and end line as the sideline for the game
Set up two teams. In order to score players must pass to a team who is in the goal and controls the pass. If the pass is not controlled the goal does not count. Players will have to be accurate in order not to kick the ball into the parents
TIP: If odd number of players 5v4 for one game then switch the advantage for the second game.
Practice/Game 2 - Dribbling
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Dribble with a ball 5 yards in a straight line
5 min - ACTIVITY: DRIBBLE RELAYS - click to view
5 min - GAME: DRIBBLE RACE - click to view
2 min - Water Break
Dribble 5 yards, stopping half way
5 min - ACTIVITY: DRIBBLE AND STOP - click to view
5 min - GAME: COLOURED CONES - click to view
5 min transition
Game Time!
Week 2
10 min warmup - Full group large circle Defensive Rondo with 2 defenders. Create a large circle inside a grid about 15x15. Place 3 defenders inside the grid. The players on the outside pass the ball around the outside. Defenders work hard to win the ball. If a defender wins the ball they swap spots with the player who last touched the ball.
5 min - Explain proper defensive technique - one foot in front of the other about should width. Slightly bent knees. On balls of the feet. Try to direct defender to defensive help or to the sidelines (left up to coaches philosophies). Pressure, Cover, Balance (team). Meaning the player closest to the ball steps to pressure the ball. The teammates behind them will take positions in semi-tight angles approximately 5-10 yards behind them (closer to goal = closer defensive support). Players farther away and behind the pressuring defender will balance themselves with the cover man to allow enough time to get to longer passed balls and keep backside offensive players from getting past them while being onside. The team concept will be worked on later. If players are not understand right away do not worry about it. Concentrate more on the 1v1 defending
10 min - 1v1 continuous - see pdf - concentrate on the defending aspects only
(PLAY)
(2) 8 min Games with 1 min break
Set up 2 goals with cones approximately 3 yards from either sideline of our field. (the cones for goals should be 4-5 yards wide)
Use the midfield and end line as the sideline for the game
Set up two teams. In order to score players must try to try into the opponents goal.
TIP: If odd number of players 5v4 for one game then switch the advantage for the second game.
Practice/Game 4 - Restarts - download/print
5 min - Quick discussion about how you would like to set up the kick off. Note The ball does not need to go forward first. It just needs to be passed to a teammate in any direction. DO NOT USE the first 2 kickoff drills in the pdf download. It is not needed.
5 min - Throw-Ins - (See PDF on proper technique) In groups of 2 place one player with the ball on the sideline and the other 5-8 yds away. Have the player with the ball do a proper throw-in with both feet touching the ground, both hands on the ball, and throw from behind the head to front (over the top). Make sure the throw is going to partners feet (not head - no heading). Switch every 5 throws. 10 each. May add a bit of movement for the partner.
10 min - Corner Kicks - ACTIVITY: THE LAW - see pdf - do 3 kicks per player quickly rotating players. I suggest one player in the middle as a target. Please remember in this division ONLY the Goalie is allowed in the arc. That means you will need to adjust a bit for the corner kick drills.
10 min - Corner Kicks - GAME: CORNER KICK BATTLE - see pdf - Please remember in this division ONLY the Goalie is allowed in the arc. That means you will need to adjust a bit for the corner kick drills.
5 min transition time
Game Time!
Week 3
Practice/Game 5 - Passing/Game #1
5 min - Soccer Ball Smash
10 min - Pass the ball 3 yds to a teammate (if you have 9 players add an extra player to one of the pairs and have them follow their pass. If you have 10 add an extra player to two pairs on the same side and have them follow their pass. This will also add a bit more awareness practice)
10 min - Pass the ball 3 yards to a team mate - add "no entry" zones based on the number of cones you have. Zones can also be triangles.
5 min transition time
Game Time!
Practice/Game 6 - Attacking/Game #2
10 min - You and Me
10 min - 1v1 Attacking and Defending
5 min - 2v2 Attacking and Defending (same as 1v1 above but 2v2)
5 min transition time
Game Time!
Week 4
Practice/Game 7 - Defending/Game #3
5 min - Where The Defenders Should Be?
10 min - Get Back!
10 min - Pass and Press
5 min transition time
Game Time!
Practice/Game 8 - Restarts/Game #4
5 min – For warmup setup a 10x10 grid. Space all the players evenly around the grid. If the team has 10 players you will have
3 on two sides and 2 on the other two sides. On your call, have all the players dribble back and forth across the box at good pace. The players should try to
avoid other players by practicing different moves, dribbling into space, adjusting their speed, and keeping their head up. Make sure they
are practicing turns has the get to each side. The drill should be done a high pace. The players should count how many times they make
it back to the side they started at. Go for 1-minute rest for 30 seconds. The focus is dribbling technique, awareness, and conditioning.
10 min - Score From Throw Ins
10 min - Corner Kick Battle
5 min transition time
Game Time!
Week 5
Practice/Game 9 - Ball Control/Game #5 - download/print
10 min – Dribbling Warmup – see pdf. Can be setup in a 15x15 square also.
5 min – 1v1 continuous – have 2 setups of 10x10
5 min – 1v1 continuous with no tackle - have 2 setups of 10x10
5 min – 2v1 to goal – not on pdf – have 3 lines. One line starting on one goal post. Other two lines starting near mid field. Balls start from the line near the goal post and is played out to one of the two other lines. Both attack players located near the mid field line attack the goal against the defender who passed the ball out in a 2v1. Use a goalie.
5 min transition time
Game Time!
Practice/Game 10 - Attacking/Game #6 - download/print
5 min – Dynamic Warmup – High Knees, Heel Kick Ups, Carioca, Soldier Kicks, Bounding, Power Skips, Open The Gate, Close The Gate,
Backward run, Arm Windmills (forward/backward), jog to sprint runs
10 min – Fun, Competitive Keep Away Game – see pdf – You may need to make minor adjustments in order to include all players. This may
include a number of players participating and/or grid size
10 min – 5v2 Keep Away – Drill #1 – see pdf – You may need to make minor adjustments in order to include all players. This may include number of players participating and/or grid size
5 min transition time
Game Time!