Busy sessions don’t teach. Connected ones do.
Warm-up laps, a shooting drill, a penalty game. It looks full, but the players leave without learning anything specific. This guide gives you a simple system to fix that, whether you coach young children or U15–U16 players, and whether you’re new to coaching or have been at it for years.
Pick the right theme
Choose what to teach from what you saw in the last match, and shrink it to one sentence a child understands.
Prepare in ten minutes
Know your numbers, set up the field early, and keep a backup drill for when a plan falls apart.
Run six clear blocks
From the first hello to the final high-five, every part of the session builds on the one before.
Real sessions, real fields: every idea in the guide has been tested with players.
How to plan a youth football (soccer) practice in six blocks
A good practice has the same six parts every time, so your players always know what comes next and you always know where you are. Here is a 75-minute example.
- Arrival and connection5–10 min. Chat with a few players, then explain today’s plan.
- Warm-up with the ballabout 10 min. Everyone touching the ball from the first minute.
- Technical partabout 15 min. Today’s theme in a simple form.
- Small-sided practiceabout 20 min. The theme under real pressure.
- Game15–20 min. Let them play, with a light focus on the theme.
- Cool-down and closing5 min. A positive summary and a high-five for everyone.
What’s inside the full guide
The free preview is Chapter 1. The complete guide covers the whole practice, from planning to the notes you write afterwards.
- Start with one clear goal
- Prepare before you arrive
- A simple session structure
- Start with a human connection
- Warm-up
- The main part: teach one thing well
- Finish with a game
- Close the practice
- After practice
- Three ready-to-use session plans
- When things go wrong
- Quick checklist
I’ve stood where you are, and where your players dream of going.
Written by a coach who has done both sides
I played for my national team and made dozens of international appearances, including in the Women’s Champions League. Today I hold the UEFA Pro licence and have spent many years developing and coaching professional football at every age.
- Former international player with dozens of appearances, including the Women’s Champions League
- UEFA Pro licensed coach, developing players for national teams and top-level college football
- Long background in physical education and in educating players toward excellence
Everything in this guide comes from real sessions on real fields, clear enough for a new coach to use tomorrow, and precise enough to help an experienced coach sharpen their sessions.
Questions
Who is this guide for?
Youth football (soccer) coaches at any stage. It works for new coaches, volunteers and parents who have just taken over a team, and equally for coaches with a few years behind them who want to sharpen and improve how they plan and run their sessions. No coaching licence is needed.
What ages does it cover?
From young children to older players up to U15–U16. The examples are written for ages 8–13, the guide includes full session plans for 6–8, 9–11 and 12–14, and the same structure and principles carry over to U15–U16.
Is the preview really free?
Yes. Enter your email on the next page and you can download the 3-page preview straight away.
Can I print the session sheet?
Yes. The sheet is a PDF you can fill in on screen or print and use on the field.
Start with one clear goal
Read the first chapter free and plan your next practice around a single idea.
Send me the free preview