The drill doesn’t matter as much as you think. Two coaches can run the exact same session — same cones, same activity, same players — and one develops players while the other wastes an hour. The difference has nothing to do with the drill.
Here’s everything wrong with how youth sessions are run in America, and exactly what I do instead.
In this video:
– Why the obsession with finding the “perfect drill” is covering up a much bigger problem
– The two mistakes destroying youth sessions across America — and why both are equally damaging
– What joysticking actually does to a player’s development (and why coaches do it without realizing)
– The exact 5-step approach I use when taking over any team from day one
💡 Download my free 30-day training plan PDF!
👉 https://subscribepage.io/JIrE7X
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 – What One Session Exposed
0:20 – The Real Problem With Youth Sessions in America
1:02 – Mistake #1: Overcoaching and Joysticking
2:35 – Mistake #2: No Direction or Intensity
4:08 – What I’d Actually Do Instead (3-Step Breakdown)
5:21 – What Parents Should Be Watching For
#soccercoach #youthsoccer #soccerdrills #soccer #futbol #coachingsoccer #playerdevelopment #soccertraining #youthsoccercoach #sessionbreakdown
source
Enjoying the content! Currently dealing with players bunching up during live play but im very curious on developing their athletecism these next couple months during the off season. SAQ Drills in grass and sand and some basic control/pass is what i would want to focus on
I have two boys and we've lived in two different states. In Georgia, the younger one ended up in a soccer camp that did nothing but drills and practise but played no actual games until just about the end of the term. In Alabama, my older boy was in a youth league that did two practises and two games a week. He didn't do so well as a fielder, but instead of benching him the coach tried him out at goalkeeper. In that position he excelled. Nearly no one could score against him and his goalkeeping helped the team win a critical match going into the playoffs. That coach knew what he was doing and how to handle his youth team.
What are you trying to teach? Through passes, ball control, body shape and receiving? The drill should do that.
Tab Ramos! Sorry, couldn’t resist. Well said. I’d be willing to say most coaches struggle with lack of structure, being distant because they are not knowledgeable. Joysticking can happen if you are knowledgeable or you think you are. If you just think you are, you will lose the kids, for sure the skilled. If you are knowledgeable however and joystick you can wear them out/take away the fun. Always freedom within structure!
Train them to see the benefits and ways to build or rebuild structure and always give them opportunities for freedom and creativity within that, even outside the box of it at times. That’s soccer is fun.
Helpful tips!
Some things to consider as well: I guess these are your veo videos? I would highly recommend to "open" another playing field in your play forms. e.g. to play 6v6+1 can easily split into 2x 3v3. benefit for that type: Every kid has at least two times more often the ball and because of that gets better faster over time. No specific training form is needed if you just play with more Ball contacts for every kid.
I volunteered to coach U12 rec soccer 2 years ago. After 2 practices and 1 game the parents complained that I wanted the kids to pass too much. I resigned. All they care about is money with travel soccer and winning. Teaching kids how to play properly is fourth on the list
Thanks for these tips, Coach!
This is very helpful. I struggle with 2. My U8 kids "check out", and I think I need to set the standard more for urgency. They start goofing around during the drill, and I've resorted to separating the "engaged" ones and the ones who are less focused
Having a purpose or topic to focus on is very important! Not only do I have a topic to focus on, but I try to focus that topic on something that was lacking during the game before that session. So If I noticed during Saturdays game that we lacked communication, then we would be focusing on that. If there was a lot of bad passes because we were just kicking the balk rather than having purpose behind it, then we would focus on passing only when the time is right, pass with intention and if its not the right time, then maintain control at your feet and take the space, until you have that opportunity to make a meaningful pass. Having something to focus on keeps them thinking about that and that is what makes the kids really try hard to get that done, and then it becomes natural habit to them on the pitch. Joystick is not good! I may say a few things here and there if necessary, but for the most part, I wait until a player is subbed off or until a game is over, or the right time during a session, to ask some questions, as you mentioned. Why did you make that decision there? What results were you looking for or expecting when you made that pass? Is there something else you could have done rather than force that pass? Take space? Take a shot? Pass back to your team mate where there is no pressure rather than pass into a crowd of 5 players?