Soccer Coaching Resources
Practice plans, drills, and coaching guides for youth soccer coaches. Built by a former Division II soccer player now coaching youth through high school level.
Youth soccer development is built on one foundation: giving players lots of touches on the ball in small-sided, decision-rich environments. The science is clear, and the best youth soccer nations have known it for decades. The problem is most youth coaches in the U.S. still run line drills and lecture from the sideline.
We do it differently. Every practice plan and drill on this page is designed to maximize player decision-making, ball contact, and fun — because players who love the game practice longer and improve faster.
We follow the long-term athlete development (LTAD) framework — which means before age 12, we prioritize movement quality, coordination, and love of the game over tactical sophistication. A U8 player who can dribble with both feet, read simple space, and compete joyfully is miles ahead of one who's been drilled on a 4-3-3 formation.
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A complete coach guide to running fair, organized youth soccer tryouts — evaluation rubrics, age-specific drills, and how to cut players with care.
Read article →Coach Nick's picks for the best youth soccer balls in 2026 by age and use — plus the sizing mistake that quietly ruins young players' technique.
Read article →A complete 90-minute U14 soccer practice plan with drills, coaching cues, and tactical themes designed for 14-year-old players.
Read article →Seven youth soccer shooting drills to build technique and confidence. Age progressions, coaching cues, and a full drill sequence inside.
Read article →College soccer recruiting: what parents need to know about divisions, the June 15 contact rule, club pathways, ID camps, and scholarship reality.
Read article →New to coaching? Learn how to coach youth soccer for the first time — practice plans, small-sided games, age expectations, and parent tips.
Read article →A complete U10 soccer practice plan: ball-based warm-up, passing technique, a simple rondo, 1v1s, and a 7v7 scrimmage built for volunteer coaches.
Read article →A complete 90-minute U12 soccer practice plan with drills, coaching cues, and the clump-and-chase fix every 12U coach needs.
Read article →Seven game-based U6 soccer drills for beginners — one ball per kid, no lines, no laps — with honest chaos-management tips for first-time parent coaches.
Read article →A complete U8 soccer practice plan: 60 minutes of dribbling-heavy stations, a ball for every kid, a 4v4 finish — no laps, no lines, no lectures.
Read article →Coach Nick breaks down the best youth soccer cleats for 2026 — firm-ground vs turf, the sizing rule that prevents blisters, and what to actually spend.
Read article →6 scaffolded youth soccer passing drills that build technique, vision, and game-ready pressure tolerance — plus a full 60-minute session plan.
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