Soccer Coaching Tip (for 5 – 8 year old beginners)

For coaches of young players just learning the game you need all the tools available to help each athlete understand the basic idea of spacing on the soccer field. Beehives, as they’re called, are clusters of too many kids from each team attempting to all simultaneously make contact with a soccer ball.  With this type of play, no one ever really enjoys the game or learns the art of passing. 

What often frustrates coaches is the fact that no matter what they try, beginner players have a difficult time understanding how to spread out away from the ball.  We have a drill that you can install into practices that works to keep kids on their portion of the field in short-sided games. 

Purpose:
To allow kids to experience the game by staying in position, rather than continuously chasing the ball. As a result they will actually find that they will touch the ball more and have more chances to shoot on goal.

Equipment:
Two different color pullovers or uniforms for each team that plays.

24 cones

20 rubber dots

1 soccer ball

Set-up:
Mark off a 30-yard long by 24-yard wide area.  Place three goals (six feet wide and marked by cones) along each end line of the 30-yard long area, positioned approximately nine feet from each other.  Using flat rubber dots or chalk, mark two lines running the length of the 30-yard area approximately eight yards from each sideline.  Mark the length of each sideline with cones placed every five yards (see diagram).

Drill Explanation:
A total of six kids per side participate in this drill/competition.  Place only two athletes for each team in each marked off lane. The objective is for each team of six teammates to advance the ball toward their three goals with each pair of athletes staying in their assigned lanes.  A shot on goal cannot be attempted until the ball has been successfully passed to two of the three lanes.  Once the ball is shot on goal, or the ball changes possession, teams must again successfully pass the ball to two of the three lanes before attempting to shoot on one of the three goals.  Games cannot end until one team has scored in all three of their goals.

Progress the drill by requiring each team to successfully execute three consecutive passes before shooting on goal.

Coaching Points:
Be sure to explain to the athletes that they must get open in their lane in order for their teammates from the other lanes to successfully pass them the ball.  This means that each athlete must continue to move in his or her lanes, away from defenders.

Also explain that balls can be passed cross field, not necessarily only to the adjacent lane.