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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Age-by-age first practice plans for U6–U12 youth soccer, with coaching cues, ice-breakers, and how to set your team's culture on day one.
Read article →A timed, station-based U6 soccer practice plan for 5-6 year olds. Complete 60-minute session with drills, coaching cues, and a chaos-management tip.
Read article →Learn why small-sided games build better youth soccer players — and exactly how to set them up by age group, from 3v3 to 5v5.
Read article →A coach's guide to buying soccer balls in bulk: how many you need, which size, practice vs. match balls, and what to budget per season.
Read article →Youth soccer ball size chart by age — plus the coaching insight on why the wrong size quietly kills touch, confidence, and ball control.
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 →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.
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