Football: 4 4 4

Hi all, I've just started coaching a soccer team of 4 and 5 year olds and would like to discuss with my fellow coaches any drills which you have found to be safe, fun and valuable to the younger age group. I have my level 1 course under my belt and have difficulty in applying what I've learnt to the small kids. They get bored very quickly and are only interested in playing a match at the end of the session. They have no interest in passing the ball or shooting at goal whilst doing drills. Running with the ball is no problem as they are keeping active and all have a ball at their feet. As soon as they line up or have to share a ball, there are problems. I have a variety of drills which I run through with them, traffic lights, robin hood, alamo, sharks and fishes to name a few with variations of each but I crave more as everywhere I search caters for U6 upwards. I coach an U8 side midweek and have no problem with these lads as they are that bit older and have a greater level of concentration. (not by much mind). So I'm asking for advice from anyone who has coached 4 and 5 YOs and would like to know what has worked for you. PM replies welcome.  Marc

Hi I have quite a large squad (11) for my U9s team. Sometimes not all of them turn up but when they do managing the substitutions can be a nightmare. Have tried planning it out and making 3 subs on a rotation every 6 or 7 minutes. This works OK, just wondered how others do it? Thanks! Asked using Sportplan Mobile App

I manage and coach two current u8 boys teams, which as you can imagine is time consuming and often stressful. I can often feel under pressure particularly being a female and getting dads interfering. Time wise I have to train them together but I really need some news ideas to engage them and stop the messing about. I have 16 of them and we are going to u9 in the new season. Any help would really be appreciated.

Hello all! My kids aged 9 and 7 are very slow when compared to their peers of the same age. They don't seem to fight for the ball and get and watch others play their game. They seem to lack the urgency (heart) needed for the game. (They LOVE football). How can make them move around and react faster. Any help you are able to provide is greatly appreciated. Thanks O

i run a under 11s football team and they really need to work on pass and move do u know any good drills that will be able to help there young boys and girls out....many thanks gary ives - submitted via email

How does one create width during a match?

I am doing my level 2 football coaching and need help with my 12 session plans that i have to do 4 of them have to be linked can anyone help me Nigel

hello ive got a under 10s team im trying to make them pass and move and get the player who has the ball support we are playing seven a side at the moment i play 3-2-1

I coach an under 12s team and although in training we do lots of passing and shooting drills, using both feet, when it comes to a game situation (in training or on Sunday) they all go back to only kicking using their stronger foot.

I currently manage and coach a under 7's team - i curently use the FA Level 1 coaching games as well as games from these webpages. We go indoor training from this week in a school hall - could anyone point me in the direction of some training games that could take place indoors - thanks in advance

Hi has anyone got a good warm up routine for a under 18 team before a match?

wish to change my team shape has been said best formation to understand is a 4231 shape

I'm looking for a drill to teach my players to not always drive forward, but rather play the ball back away from pressure to a trailing player.. Any ideas? The players are between 10 and 13 yo.

Hi,I am playing in a 4-3-3 style. Yesterday we played against a team that started 4-4-2, but when they had the ball, switched to a 4-2-4/3-3-4 playing style.What do you trainers believe is the best way to overcome/defend that?Also, what are the best passing opportunities when attacking in a 4-3-3 style and playing against a 4-4-2/3-3-4 style?Any thoughts on this?Thank you so much!

Can’t work it out how you do a session plan Asked using Sportplan Mobile App

Recommendations teaching 4-4-2 formation to 12-14 yr olds in short time frame.

Disciplining for misbehaviour? 8-11 year olds, they dont really get bored because i know that sometimes that can be the cause. How or what can i apply a bit of strictness into the team.

I usually plan my session the Friday night before Saturday training . I anticipated 12 players but then this sequence of events happened. Friday 8.36pm, parent texts amp; says child can't come as he is doing 11+ mocks (did he only just realise this?). Saturday 8.57am, another parent texts amp; says as they went to a wedding the night before, child is in no fit state to train (again, was this something that only just occured to them may happen?). Saturday 9.26am, parent phones amp; says child is throwing up (fair enough, I guess). Saturday 9.57am, parent texts, another puking child (a bug perhaps doing the rounds? Bit late notice though as we start training in 18 mins). Saturday 9.58am, another text from another child's parent to say child is throwing up (Hmmm, another one. Late notice again?). Saturday 10.15am, training starts but another child is missing. I give it 5 mins then phone. Parent says they are off to theme park amp; he sent me a text. I said that I never received text amp; asked if I sent an acknowledgement to aforementioned text to which he said no which I said meant his text wasn't receieved. I went from 12 players training @ 8.36pm Friday to 6 by start of training in under 10 hours. My session plan went in the bin. I realise the sickness is one of those things but think the last 2 were rather late in notifying me. As for the other 3, I feel these to be lame excuses. What can I implement to try to stop or reduce these issues? Fines? Suspensions? Nothing? #frustrated

Heya guys, I am a new coach, for my local town, we are a new side, in a really tough league, the other managers of the teams, think it is silly, we have made a team for that league, I was told on a match day, that we would not even win one game, or even get a point all year, because the teams are so strong, we have 4 points on the boared at the mo, and are slowly getting there, I was Just wondering, how to bring players out of there shell, and try to increase goal percent -). Josh

Hi, I coach u13 team and most of them really have poor shoot power. I tried to show them proper way to shoot the ball, we worked on approaching the ball with small steps, and now after few months their shoot technique is mostly satisfying, but they simply lack power. There are 3 or 4 players who can shoot the ball well, but others can't shoot on goal from 15 or 20 metres out which is really worrying because in other teams we play against almost all players can shoot the ball much further than my players. I think 13 years old is too early to start with any serious strength trainings. Any ideas?