Small Sided Games...
Technical & Tactical Application of Small-Sided Games
by Dr. Tom Turner, Director of Coaching and Player Development US Youth Soccer
Player Development is a patient and long-term process. While some countries continue to benefit from a free play environment, the majority of modem industrial societies have turned to small-sided games and formal coaching programs to combat the demise of gifted and creative players. As this coaching has become more organized and targeted towards younger players, sometimes as young as three (3), we have witnessed a damaging and demoralizing push to accelerate learning towards positions and team tactics at the expense of technique, tactical insight and player-enjoyment. This situation is most evident at the grassroots and travel levels, but finds culprits anywhere money can be made.
Serious youth soccer trainers should understand the "typical" range of abilities for each age group, while appreciating that the potential range of skills and understanding can be quite broad. The following is offered as a "general" technical/tactical framework for training young players-
Under 5 & 6:
- Motor development
- Dribbling skills
- Ball and body awareness
- Spatial Awareness: directionality with the mob
- Game = 3v3
Under 7 & 8:
- Motor development
- Dribbling skills
- Ball and body awareness
- Kicking skills
- Receiving skills
- Ball recovery
- Individual transition to attack and defense
- Spatial Awareness: staying out of the mob
- Game = 4v4
Under 9 & 10:
- Dribbling skills
- Kicking skills
- Receiving skills
- Motor development
- Ball recovery
- Small-group transition to attack and defense
- Support, possession and ball circulation
- Changing the rhythm of play
- Combining
- Motor development
- Spatial Awareness: creating width and depth
- Game = 6v6
