Lexington United Soccer Club Coaches Section
Welcome coaches! We have a this website just for us with a blog for us to discuss latest soccer trends, tips and philosophies. If you'd like to see a topic started email me and we'll get one started. You'll also see a featured practice set of exercises … [Read more...]
One of the dangers of teaching positions to young players is that kids can view a particular position to be a stationary spot on the field and not an active part of the team. I have chosen to explain the idea of teaching positioning while using the right back, … [Read more...]
The Set-up: On a 30x30 yard field, with 4 goals placed as pictured. Create a 3 yard gate approximately 5 yards in front of each goal. Coach should have a supply of balls to keep the exercise moving. Divide the team into half and have them start from the … [Read more...]
The Set-up: On a 30x30 yard field, 5 red players play versus 5 white players to 4 goals. There is a 3 yard gate placed approximately 5 yards in front of each goal. Coach should have a supply of balls to keep the exercise moving. The Game: Both teams can … [Read more...]
Here's some great exercises and tips for coaching 3rd grade and older. ~ Brendan Donahue Claudio Reyna: US Director of Player Development, former National Team Captain “Ball control is the most important skill a young player could learn. Controlling … [Read more...]
Before deciding on “What system to play” or focusing on your team defending you must recognize that defensive success is first and foremost based on quality 1 vs. 1 defending. Getting pressure on the player with the ball is vital if the rest of the team is … [Read more...]
“Ever Tried. Ever Failed. No Matter. Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better” Samuel Beckett Fail Better. What an amazing philosophy for a coach to embrace when dealing with players. I initially wrote “young players”, but why limit that … [Read more...]
One of the most critical aspects of being a successful coach is understanding whom it is you’re coaching, and how they best learn. This sounds straightforward enough, but adults often fail to recognize that children view the world differently and what we, … [Read more...]
Description The Set-up/Exercise: Play in the Center circle or a similar space (10x10 circumference). Goals should be approximately 3 yards wide. A 3v3 (or 4v4) game takes place inside the circle with one player from each team standing behind their … [Read more...]
One of the best ways to improve a player’s ability to strike the ball is to have them carry out instep juggling. The exercise provides maximum repetition since it involves one player and one ball. Be sure to ask player to use both feet! Striking the ball … [Read more...]
Initial Phase Description The Game: 5 red’s are playing vs. 3 white defenders and a goalkeeper, 2 white players are resting. Note: Resting players should remain deep in their zone "stretching the field". Rule: Teams needs 3 passes before they go to … [Read more...]
1v1 to 4 Goals with Lateral Sprint Activity Description The Game:When the coach yells Go! The 2 players closest to him, sprint behind the far goals and onto the field. The coach should play the ball out to the player who is quickest onto the … [Read more...]
“I fear not the man that has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” - Bruce Lee As Director of Coaching for Lexington United Soccer Club, I often get asked by coaches, “How can I make my team … [Read more...]
This is an outstanding warm-up to help program players with a proper skill set to meet the demands of the modern game, movement off the ball, timing of runs, crisp passing, taking a look!, but for the exercise to truly be effective, the coach MUST demand that … [Read more...]
Exercise 1: Dribble, Cut, Pass- The first player in each line (white shirts) dribbles the ball toward the central disc. They MUST cut before the disc and quickly pass the ball to the waiting red player (the white players now follow their pass). The Red players … [Read more...]
The Set‐up: A field approximately 40 yards long x 25 yards wide is divided into half. Place two mini goals (puggs or discs) on each end line. Divide the group of 8 into two teams of 4. Coach should have a supply of balls. The Game: A white team of 4 … [Read more...]
The Set-up: Grids should be roughly 10x10. (Coach should set-up more than one grid) 4 Red players play keep away versus 1 white player in each grid. Three additional white players should be in a line on the outside of the grid. There should be several balls … [Read more...]
The Set-up: The field should be approximately 40 yards long x 35 yards wide. Create a 5 to 7 yard middle zone. Place two pugg goals or gates on each end-line (as pictured). Coach should have a supply of balls. The team should be divided into three groups … [Read more...]
Peter Mellor Diamond Exercise Description The Set-up: One Ball, 12 players initially divided into 4 groups of 3 in a Diamond shape. The Exercise: You can play the ball to the first person in any of the other three lines. You must immediately run … [Read more...]
The Set-up: (as pictured) Team is divided in half. One group is in a line approximately 10 yards from a two yard gate that has a single defender. Two balls should be placed a yard or two from the discs. The remaining players should stand next to one of … [Read more...]
German Changing the Point of Attack Circuit Description Set-up: Create a 25x25 grid with a gate in the middle. You can use either corner flags or discs for the gate. Group of 5 or 6 players to maximize repetition. One ball per group. Exercise … [Read more...]
Exercise 1: Divide the team into four groups of three (shown in red & white for clarity purposes, but not necessary) with all players having a ball. The first group of four players start on one line and perform ball taps (could substitute scissors, … [Read more...]
At the 2012 NSCAA Convention in Kansas City, I had the pleasure of watching Peter Vermes, Head Coach of Sporting Kansas City, run a session titled Approach Play with Finishing in a 4-3-3. Prior to his coaching career, Vermes was a member of 1990 United States … [Read more...]
The Set‐up: On a 35x25 yard field create a 3x3 triangular goal in the middle of the area with a counter goal (discs or puggs) on each sideline. Coach should divide the group into two equal teams (4 white v 4 red) and have a supply of balls to keep the game … [Read more...]
At the 2011 National Soccer Coaches Convention in Baltimore, I had the privilege to observe Ken Lolla, Head Men’s Soccer Coach at Louisville, run a session dedicated to passing patterns. The patterns Coach Lolla chose, although dynamic, were secondary to … [Read more...]
As a coach, teacher, or employer we all attempt to identify talented people, but maybe we should change our focus and seek to identify driven, hard working people. At the end of the day, talent only takes a person so far and the persistent and dedicated … [Read more...]
Hi Coaches, Welcome to our new DOC page. The page will have some enhanced features from our old coaching page which I hope you find helpful with your coaching. One of the new items will be a soccer blog. I have posted my first two entries and will … [Read more...]
At the 2007 NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis I had the pleasure to watch Dave Brandt, now Head Coach of the US Naval Academy, run a session on Developing Technical Precision for Championship Performance in Matches. Coach Brandt had been a 6 time National … [Read more...]
The Set-up: Divide the team into two groups of 4. One player from each team acts as a server, the other three players play 3v3 to 4 goals (attack 2/defend 2). Note: If you have 12 players, divide the group into three groups of 4. One team would … [Read more...]
The Set-up: On a 36x 30 yard field (double penalty box length) divide the group into two equal teams. Create three 5x5 boxes as pictured. Have the two lines directly across from one another facing the central square. Balls should begin with the … [Read more...]
The Set-up: Create a 10 x 10 Diamond with the two lines approximately 10 yards from the top and bottom of the diamond. There should be a player at each corner of the diamond. The first player in each line should have a ball (2 balls total). Focus: … [Read more...]
The Set-up: In a 15 yard long x 12 yard wide grid, each group of 4 has one ball. One player in red has the ball, while the other red player starts at the opposite end of the grid with a “passive” white defender on his back. The other white player is … [Read more...]
The Set-up: (as pictured) 2 goals, several discs, plenty of balls. Break players into two groups. Lines begin about 10 yards from the “playing area”. Playing area should be app. 25 yards long x 30 yards wide. The Exercise: When the coach yells GO! The … [Read more...]
The Exercise: Player A passes to Player B and moves around the outside disc Player B drops the ball at a forward diagonal for Player A to run onto Player A serves the ball into the box for 2 forward runners. Player B would now move to the end of … [Read more...]
The Set-up: (as pictured) one goal, several balls, and six discs to mark out the players starting positions. The circuit works best if you have 12 to 14 players. The Exercise: Player A passes the ball to Player B and moves forward to support. B … [Read more...]
The Exercise: Red drives the ball with his instep (laces) through two discs or flags to grey, white should initially serve as a passive goalie and become more active as the exercise progresses. Red and White would then switch positions. Grey should immediately … [Read more...]
The Set-up: Groups of Five. Create a 40 x 20 yard field with a goal (marked out with discs or flags) in the middle of the area. One player serves as the goalkeeper, 2 players on each side of the goal. 4 balls per group. Exercise 1: Player A begins by … [Read more...]
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