U8 Practice Plans

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 Typical Characteristics of U8 Players

• Tend to play well in pairs – unlike 5-year-olds; these children enjoy playing in
pairs. Try to set up the pairs yourself to control the games and manage the
personalities.

• Are now able to take another’s perspective – they now have a sense of
how other people are feeling.

• Still unable to think abstractly – still do not have this capability, be patient.

• Heating and cooling system still less efficient than adults – still make sure
to give frequent water breaks.

• Still much prefer playing to watching – keep everyone active during

practice and remember no lines.

• Limited attention span (on average 15-20 seconds for listening, up to 20

minutes when engaged in a task) – this may vary greatly on any given day
depending on school, diet, etc. Try to get a gauge each day and do not fight
crankiness.

• Have an understanding of time and sequence – they now understand “if I do

this, then that happens”.

• Many have incorporated a third or fourth speed into play – not all players, but
many players now have incorporated a speed or two between stopped and as
fast as possible.

• Extremely aware of adult reactions – be very aware of your verbal and

nonverbal reactions, as they look for your reaction frequently.

• Seek out adult approval – be supportive when they ask about their
performance or try to show you skills. They very much need reassurance and
you need to help build their confidence to try new things at this age.

• Begin to become aware of peer perception – a social order is beginning to

develop. Be sensitive to this.

• Wide range of abilities between children at this age – children all develop at
varying paces. You may have an 8-year-old who seems more like a 10-year-old
and one that seems more like a 6-year-old on the same team. Your challenge is
to manage this range in a way that challenges each player at a level that is
reasonable for that player.

• Beginning to develop motor memories – by attempting beginning technical

skills, they are training their bodies to remember certain movements.

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 • Some will keep score – the competitive motors churn faster in some than others.
Surely some parents are fueling the motors with their own. Regardless, we do
not need to stress winning and losing at this age. Results should not be
important at this age.

• Less active imaginations than U6 players – still have active imaginations by

adult standards, but some of the silliness that 6-year-olds allowed will not be
appreciated by this group. However, children at this age are still quite silly, just
in a different way. Still use their imaginations, but watch their reactions to
games to read how far you can go with things. Always keep things fun!

Psychological/Fun Aspects of Coaching U6 & U8

The most important aspect of working with these age groups is FUN. If not
having fun, children will no longer want to play. Children remind us adults of this fact
over and over again when asked in research studies and anecdotally. Psychosocial
development is also a very important focus for this age group. Children are still
learning how to enter and interplay within a social group and we can help with this
through soccer. It is important that we praise children of these ages regularly and help
build self-esteem and a willingness to be creative. In this manner, we can support them
as individuals and help facilitate their entry into the world of group play.

Five and six-year-olds have a short attention span and loads of energy. As a result,
quick instructions and simple activities work best. Activities that utilize their active
imaginations are preferred and will help keep their attention. These players all want
to play with the “toy” on the field, which is the ball. In practice, make sure to have a
“toy” for each player.

The U8’s, like the U6’s, need activities that have fun as a central theme. From a
psychosocial standpoint, the U8 player has a high need for approval from adults and
can be easily bruised psychologically by negative comments from adults. They are
very aware of not only what you say to them but how you say it. U8 players are more
involved socially, and do enjoy working with a partner; however, they will struggle
with larger group sizes. It is important to note there is a wide degree of variation in
the social and physical development at this age.

Technical Development of 6-8 Year Olds

Fun, dribbling, and motor development (running, skipping, galloping, turning, jumping)
should be the central soccer themes in U6 practices. In order to become comfortable
on the ball, U6 and U8 players need to touch the ball as often as possible. The U8
player is now ready to continue the development of dribbling skills, and begin passing
and shooting; however, maximizing touches on the ball while having fun is still the
focus from a technical standpoint. As we have said repeatedly in this manual, players
tell us they play soccer in order to have fun! What we must remember is that one of
the main components of fun, according to young players, is seeing themselves
improve at something. For this reason, helping them see their technical improvement
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when they make improvements and praising them for it is vital. It is important that
each player be shown their own improvement and that we do not compare all players
to the “best” player. We cannot stress enough that tactical instruction should be kept
to a minimum at these ages.

Below are recommended guidelines for the following age groups:

U6 Skill Priorities:
● Dribble with all sides of both feet
● Dribble out of trouble
● Dribble past other players
● Soft first touch

U8 Skill Priorities:
● Dribble with all sides of both feet
● Dribble out of trouble
● Dribble past other players
● Soft first touch
● Shielding
● Introduction of proper shooting technique
● Introduction to passing

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 Technical Coaching Points

Dribbling

• Low, balanced body position.

• Agile lateral (left-to-right) movement for dribbling in tight spaces, change of

direction and faking out opponents.

• Proper use of insides and outsides of the feet and the toe to propel ball an
appropriate distance.

• Proper use of soles of the feet to pull, push and roll the ball.

• Eyes up enough to survey the situation and to have good peripheral vision.

• Keep the ball close when under pressure (lots of touches).

• Propel the ball away from feet when dribbling into space away from pressure.

Receiving

(These coaching points are common to all surfaces.)

• Keep body relaxed.

• Eyes on the ball while it is traveling and as you receive it.

• Position body in-line with the in-coming ball.

• Present a surface to receive the ball with.

• Cushion the ball if it arrives with velocity.

• Propel the ball away if it arrives slowly or if under pressure or in open field.

(These coaching points are unique to the specific receiving surfaces.)

Sole of the Foot

Ground Ball

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground.

• Present the sole of the foot at about a 45 degree angle to the ground as the ball
arrives.
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 • Wedge the in-coming ball between the sole and the ground.

Flighted Ball (Angled/vertical arrival)

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground.

• Allow the ball to hit the ground.

• Just as the ball hits the ground, present the sole of the foot over the ball (wedge
the ball between the sole of the foot and the ground).

Inside of the Foot

Ground Ball

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground.

• Present the inside of the foot to the in-coming ball.

• Pull the receiving foot back or propel it forward depending on the velocity of the
ball.

Flighted Ball (Angled/vertical arrival)

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground.

• Allow the ball to hit the ground.

• Just as the ball hits the ground, present the inside of foot over the ball and drag
the ball away from pressure.

Line-Drive Ball (Horizontal arrival)

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground.

• Present the inside of the foot to the in-coming ball.

• Pull the receiving foot back or propel it forward depending on the velocity of the
ball.
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Outside of the Foot

Ground Ball

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground.

• Present the outside of the foot to the in-coming ball.

• Pull the receiving foot back or propel it forward depending on the velocity of the
ball.

Flighted Ball (Angled/vertical arrival)

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground

• Allow the ball to hit the ground.

• Just as the ball hits the ground, present the outside of foot over the ball and
drag the ball away from pressure.

Laces (In-step)

Flighted Ball (Angled/vertical arrival)

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground

• Present the laces to the in-coming ball.

• Lower foot (give with the foot) as ball is received.

Thigh

Flighted Ball (Angled/vertical arrival)

• Comfortable body position.

• Straight back.

• One foot on the ground.

• Present the mid/upper thigh (horizontal to the ground) to the in-coming ball.

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 • Lower thigh (give with the thigh) as ball is received.

Line-Drive Ball (Horizontal arrival)

• Comfortable body position.

• One foot on the ground.

• Present the mid/upper thigh (perpendicular to the ground) to the in-coming ball.

• Pull the receiving thigh or propel it forward depending on the velocity of the ball.

Kicking (Passing and Shooting)

(These coaching points are common(relate?) to kicking low/ground balls)

Low/Ground Balls

• Non-kicking foot placed comfortably next to the ball.

• Non-kicking foot pointed in the direction of the target.

• Body slightly over the ball.

• Knee of kicking leg slightly over the ball.

• Eyes on ball.

• Land on the kicking foot.

(These coaching points apply to using specific surfaces of the foot)

Inside of foot

• Lock ankle with toe pointed up on kicking foot.

• Straight kick… Strike through the center (equator) or slightly above the center of
the ball with the ankle surface of the foot.

• Bent kick…Strike/Slice the outside center (or slightly below center) of the ball
with the inside of the foot.

Instep (laces)

• Lock ankle with toe pointed down on kicking foot.

• Strike ball with instep surface of the foot.

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Outside of the foot (for deceptive passes and shots)

• Non-kicking foot placed slightly farther away from the ball than normal.

• Lock ankle with toe pointed down and turned in.

• Straight kick…Strike (punch) the inside center (or slightly above center) of the
ball with the outside of the foot.

• Bent kick…Strike/Slice the inside center (or slightly below center) of the ball
with the outside of the foot.

(these Coaching Points apply to sending flighted/air balls)

Flighted/Air Balls

• Approach ball from slight angle.

• Non-kicking foot placed comfortably next to and slightly behind the ball.

• Non-kicking foot pointed in the direction of the target.

• Body upright and slightly leaning back..

• Eyes on ball.

• Strike with laces or upper inside surface of the foot.

• Strike through the bottom/center of the ball.

• Land on the kicking foot.

(these Coaching Points are unique to specific types of kicks)

Long/Driven ball

• Big power step (step right before the kick is taken)

• Lock ankle with toe pointed down on kicking foot.

• Strike ball with instep surface of the foot

Outside of the foot (for deceptive passes and shots)

• Non-kicking foot placed slightly farther away from the ball than normal.

• Lock ankle with toe pointed down and turned in.

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Tackling

Block tackle

• Maintain a comfortable playing distance from the opponent.

• Do not telegraph your intent.

• Shepard the opponent to one side or the other.

• Do not commit yourself too early (do not dive in)…time your execution.

• Throw stabbing fakes at the opponent to force mistakes.

• Keep your eyes on the ball.

• Keep a low center of gravity.

• One foot slightly angled in front of the other with bent knees; back foot is the
tackling foot; front foot is the plant/balancing foot.

• When tackling, place the front foot to the side of the ball (as if to make an inside
of the foot pass).

• Use the inside of the back foot to drag through the ball keeping the ankle locked,
toe up and knee bent.

• Lower same side shoulder (as tackling foot) thrusting it forward to provide the
necessary forward momentum and velocity to handle the impact of the
opponent’s force.

• Drag the ball through and into the space behind the opponent and start the
attack!

Poke tackle

• Use the toe of the front foot to poke the ball away!

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U8 Practice Plan #1

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U8 Practice Plan #2

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U8 Practice Plan #3

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U8 Practice Plan #4

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U8 Practice Plan #5

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U8 Practice Plan #6

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U8 Practice Plan #7

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U8 Practice Plan #8

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U8 Practice Plan #9

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U8 Practice Plan #10

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U8 Practice Plan #11

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U8 Practice Plan #12

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U8 Practice Plan #13

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U8 Practice Plan #14

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U8 Practice Plan #15

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U8 Practice Plan #16

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