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Skills by Age Breakdown

Skills by Age Breakdown

Young soccer players are not Adults.  The game is modified to teach them based on their mental, physical and emotional ability to take in information, process that information, and apply it to the game.  Each child grows at their own pace and cannot be compared to others.

Our goal of the program is to provide each age development phase with the skills and environment to be successful.  Please be patient and allow your child to grow and flourish in a fun, positive environment.  The safer they feel in making mistakes, the quicker they learn the game of soccer.

Below is the age breakdown goals that we work on within each season:

U5/U6 year olds:  Basic skills, fun games involving basic agility, engaging players to discover soccer on their own terms.  Trainings will be fun, guided discovery, and engage players in basic coordination and movement.  At these ages, players vary in size and physical ability.  Each player will be guided accordingly to his/her physical stage of development.

  • Skill Set Focus:
    1. Using the inside and outside of the foot to dribble
    2. Using the sole of the foot 
    3. Using the lace  
    4. Stopping the ball with the sole/inside of foot 
    5. Pull back with sole 
    6. Forward push with lace
  • Game Time:
    1. 3v3 or 4v4 small sided games
    2. No Goalkeepers
    3. Playing area 15x20
    4. Game Length - 4 - 8 minute games with 3 minute breaks
    5. Rotate teams every 8 minutes

U7/U8 year olds: Players are physically/mentally capable to take on more skill sets.  Players will now use foundational agility and ball skills to guide discovery to the next level.  Players will be expected to know the below mentioned skills sets which will be practiced in great repetition.  Players will be instructed to practice skills sets daily at home for a minimum of 15 minutes. 

  • Training Breakdown: 
    1. 15 minutes – Open Dribbling, agility based tag games, exploring all surfaces of the feet
    2. 15 minutes – Introduction to Basic Ball Skills – Introduction to First Touch
    3. 15 minutes – 1v1 Competitions:  Coerver based agility and change of direction games
  • Skill Set Focus
    1. Boxes  
    2. Toe Taps  
    3. Swipes 
    4. Outside Swipes  
    5. Rips  
    6. Scissors  
    7. Step Overs  
    8. L Turns  
    9. Push Pull  
    10. Outside/Inside Bells  
    11. Inside Twist  
    12. Outside Twist  
    13. U Turn  
    14. Inside/Outside Cuts
  • Additional Technical Components  
    1. Receiving with far foot  
    2. Turning chest into new space 
    3. Shielding the ball  
    4. Basic Turning with the ball
  • Game Time:
    1. 5v5 small sided games
    2. Goalkeepers introduced
    3. Playing area 20x30
    4. Game Length - 3 - 12 minute games with 3 minute breaks
    5. Rotate teams every 12 minutes

U9/U10 year olds:  Players now have a foundational skill set that will guide them for their entire developmental ladder.  These skills sets will be further challenged and advanced.  Confidence on the ball is greater.  First touch is consistently taken with inside of the back foot.

  • Training Breakdown: 
    1. 15 minutes – Open Dribbling, agility based tag games, exploring all surfaces of the feet
    2. 15 minutes –Advancement of Technical Ball Skills – Incorporating the First Touch
    3. 15 minutes – 1v1 Competitions:  Coerver based agility and change of direction games
  • Skill Set Focus
    1. Boxes
    2. Toe Taps
    3. Swipes
    4. Outside Swipes
    5. Rips
    6. Scissors
    7. Step Overs  
    8. L Turns  
    9. Push Pull  
    10. Outside/Inside Bells  
    11. Ronaldo Chops  
    12. Zidane  
    13. Maradona 
    14. Inside Twist  
    15. Outside Twist 
    16. Stop and Go Moves 
    17. U Turn  
    18. Inside/Outside Cuts
  • Additional Technical Components: 
    1. Receiving with far foot  
    2. Turning chest into new space 
    3. Shielding the ball 
    4. Turning in 2 touches 
    5. Enhanced vision  
    6. Change of direction with all surfaces of the feet
  • Tactical Components: 
    1. Spatial Awareness
    2. Basic Shape: Understanding the Triangle  
    3. Understanding the diamond
  • Game Time:
    1. 7v7 small sided games
    2. Goalkeepers
    3. Playing area 30x47
    4. 14 yd playout line - No goalie punting
    5. Game Length - 2 -  25minute halves with 5 minute break

 

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EUSA is a 501(c)3 not-for profit SERVING THE YOUTH SOCCER NEEDS OF THE EDISON / MIDDLESEX COUNTY AREA SINCE 1974