US YOUTH SOCCER PLAYER DEVELOPMENT MODEL A Player-Centered Curriculum for US Youth Soccer Clubs US Youth Soccer Coaching Education Department 1 US Youth Soccer Player Development Model Prepared by the US Youth Soccer Coaching Education Department Sam Snow, Director of Coaching In association with the US Youth Soccer Coaching Committee With support from the US Youth Soccer Board of Directors, US Youth Soccer Recreation Committee, US Youth Soccer Referee Committee, 55 US Youth Soccer State Association Technical Directors and the U.S. Soccer Technical Advisors. 2 January, 2012 US Youth Soccer Player Development Model Table of Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Primer............................................................................................................................................................ 8 Player Development .............................................................................................................................. 8 Facilities for Development .................................................................................................................. 10 Player Development Curriculum ......................................................................................................... 12 Transition ........................................................................................................................................ 15 Systems of Play ............................................................................................................................... 16 Division of the field - Thirds and Channels...................................................................................... 16 Seasonal Planning ........................................................................................................................... 17 Beware of Tournamentitis .......................................................................................................... 21 Long-Term Player Development ..................................................................................................... 23 Psychomotor (physical) Domain ................................................................................................. 24 Cognitive (learning) Domain ....................................................................................................... 24 Psychosocial (emotional) Domain ............................................................................................... 25 Time is on your side ........................................................................................................................ 25 Small-Sided Games.......................................................................................................................... 33 Why no keeper until U-10? ......................................................................................................... 35 Cardinal Rules of Goalkeeping .................................................................................................... 36 Appropriate Competition ................................................................................................................ 37 Street Soccer ................................................................................................................................... 38 Indoor Soccer – Futsal – Beach Soccer ....................................................................................... 40 Player-Centered Training ................................................................................................................ 41 Over Coaching ................................................................................................................................. 42 Types of game-like activities ........................................................................................................... 43 Training Variables........................................................................................................................ 44 Fair Play ........................................................................................................................................... 46 The Modern Coach .......................................................................................................................... 47 Player-Centered Coaching........................................................................................................... 48 Philosophy of Coaching ............................................................................................................... 48 Preteen Age Groups Zone 1 U-6 to U-12 ................................................................................................. 51 U-6 | The Fundamental Stage ..................................................................................................................... 54 3 January, 2012 US Youth Soccer Player Development Model General Characteristics of the U-6 Age Group ............................................................................ 55 Components of the Game for the U-6 Age Group ...................................................................... 56 Typical U-6 Training Session........................................................................................................ 57 U-8 | Igniting the Passion ........................................................................................................................... 58 General Characteristics of the U-8 Age Group ............................................................................ 60 Components of the Game for the U-8 Age Group ...................................................................... 61 Typical U-8 Training Session........................................................................................................ 62 U-10 | The Learning to Train Stage ............................................................................................................. 64 General Characteristics of the U-10 Age Group .......................................................................... 66 Components of the Game for the U-10 Age Group .................................................................... 67 Typical U-10 Training Session ..................................................................................................... 68 U-12 | For the Love of the Game ............................................................................................................... 69 General Characteristics of the U-12 Age Group .......................................................................... 72 Components of the Game for the U-12 Age Group .................................................................... 73 Typical U-12 Training Session ..................................................................................................... 73 Teenage Groups Zone 2 U-14 to U-17 Zone 3 U-18+ ............................................................................... 76 Playing Soccer ................................................................................................................................. 77 Training for teenage teams ............................................................................................................. 77 U-14 | Committing .................................................................................................................................... 80 General Characteristics of the U-14 Age Group .......................................................................... 82 Components of the Game for the U-14 Age Group .................................................................... 83 Typical U-14 Training Session ..................................................................................................... 83 U-16 | The Fervid Phase.............................................................................................................................. 85 General Characteristics of the U-16 Age Group .......................................................................... 89 Components of the Game for the U-16 Age Group .................................................................... 89 Typical U-16 Training Session ..................................................................................................... 90 U-18+ | Fulfillment in the Final Phase ........................................................................................................ 92 General Characteristics of the U-18+ Age Group ........................................................................ 96 Components of the Game for the U-18+ Age Group .................................................................. 97 Typical U-18+ Training Session.................................................................................................... 98 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................... 100 Is coach doing a good job? ........................................................................................................ 100 4 January, 2012 US Youth Soccer Player Development Model What is a game? ........................................................................................................................ 102 Appendix A - Additional readings and references