Training

Coaching Tips

Bruce sent in some coaching tips for awareness training. It has some excellent drills for most skill levels.

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Why We Play Small-Sided Games

Hey Coaches, who wants a challenge? How about a nice game of 11 v 11?

As adults, however, you are to compete in this contest with the following conditions:

- The goal will be over 10' high (opposed to it's regulation 8'), making it reachable to maybe Shaq.
- It will also be 30' wide (vs. the usual 24'), making the post reachable-to an Olympic long jumper?
- The field length will be 165 yds. long, making the halfway line over 80 yds away.
- It will also be 124 yds wide, making corner kicks about a 50 yd endeavor to serve into the box.
- Of course, a goal kick would have to travel over 70 yds to come close to midfield.
- A "clearing header" would probably need to travel about 25 yds to be safely out of the box.
- And, the average distance a midfielder might run during a game would increase to about 10 miles.

Hey, you ready to play? What kind of game might we see? Well, now you get a clue what it's like for a young boy or girl to attempt playing in a game of 11 v 11, on an adult sized field. In fact, if you estimate the average size of, say a 10-11 yr. old, and you then expand the dimensions of an average soccer field to equal the size of an average adult, these are the kinds of figures you would see. Kind of like shopping in a store that is "One Size Fits All".

Now, as coaches and parents, you understand why we say -- Play Small-Sided Games !!! For our Youth, (probably all the way up to age 14), you can see why smaller fields, smaller goals, and fewer numbers are the way to have fun and really learn how to play.
(adapted from an article out of the English Youth Football Association)