Viking Kidz: U6 and U8 Coaches
Welcome to Lakewood Soccer's Viking Kidz Program. Thank you for volunteering your time and get ready for a fun and exciting season!
Philosophy
The Lakewood Soccer Club follows US Soccer Grassroots Small Sided Games Initiative in order to develop our young players.
•Long-term development of players is the top priority
-Kids under the age of 12 don’t win World Cups so we should not treat them like adults or professional players
•Players need to be put in the best possible environment to succeed
•There are no shortcuts
-Success requires a long-term approach and commitment
• Individual development and fun soccer experience is a priority
In order to accomplish these goals we play small sided 4 vs 4 games at this age level. This allows for smaller teams and lets the players get more touches on the ball.
Play Practice Play
A critical concept that all Grassroots coaches will learn about is Play-Practice-Play. Researched and developed by technical leaders across the domestic Grassroots landscape, We feel Play-Practice-Play is the best way to structure a practice session for youth players, as it utilizes best practices for the learning and application of game-like scenarios.
5 Things To Know About Play Practice Play
Resources
Training
This Training will provide you with the knowledge of how to structure your practices and tips on how to communicate and coach players of your specific age group. U.S. Soccer is committed to providing all coaches, from beginner to advanced, with education tailored to their experiences and the needs of their players. The Coaching License Pathway consists of a series of courses designed to meet the specific needs of a coach at every step of the way. U.S. Soccer believes education is a journey, and our goal is to provide the necessary tools, guidance, and mentorship a coach requires.
Free Introduction to Grassroots Coaching
This free introductory module, which represents the first step in the newly revised coaching license pathway, is now the general starting point of the pathway and is the required prerequisite to undergo any of U.S. Soccer's Grassroots Licensing Courses. Coaches who complete the module will also be provided with four complimentary Play-Practice-Play training sessions.
Online U.S. Soccer Courses
Online Courses (4v4, 7v7, 9v9, or 11v11) are two-hour courses that build on the principles covered in U.S. Soccer's Introduction to Grassroots Coaching Module. Candidates will learn about U.S. Soccer's Grassroots Coaching Education Philosophy, Play-Practice-Play Methodology, the Six Tasks of a Coach, and the characteristics of players’ age.
Season of Sessions
Say Soccer "Season of Sessions" provides you with practice by practice drills, split up by age group. This is an awesome resource.
Printable Drills
Use this list of age-appropriate activities to help develop your own training sessions based on a specific training topic.
Video Drills
This is a good tool for the visual learner to learn basic footwork challenges for all players.
Rules
At the U6 U8 age level our focus is on development and learning the basics of the game. In order to facilitate this we use a condensed a rules list for these age groups.
U6 Condensed Rules
U8 Condensed Rules