Coaching U7's

[Andy38]

Hi to everybody
This is my first post - hopefully doing it correctly?!
I have just started coaching a new U7 team, and we are starting to make headway after first few weeks (1 game so far with a creditable 1-0 loss). We are trying to give confidence and basic skills to a very mixed ability of U7 boys. We are doing simple side-foot passing, penalties/shooting, basic throw-in technique, all dribbling in a box, and trying to get away from the everyone chasing the ball at once - while keeping everything relaxed and fun.

Does anyone have any advice and practices that are fun but practical for this age group?

I am hoping to get a coaching plan in place so that I can vary weeks, but also build on exercises over the weeks to go from basic technique to more complex (but fun) game related scenarios.

Regards
Andy

[Val]

Each season (well, OK, just for the last two years) I layout the practices/skills I want to develop. For my U11 girls this fall, I had maybe 12 sessions/exercises and then I just rotated them about a bit to keep things fresh, but mostly so I had to do less time planning.

Here's my season plan: Building a Girl's Team and League: A Blog

For U7s and U8s, I would start with 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 9 and 10. I would also start with the Tony Carr book mentioned, How to Coach a Soccer Team, which has some nice progressions. Other good games are various forms of tag. With littler kids, let them play keep away, using their hands. any good games from camp or such. You can even ask the kids to find out the games they like.

[74offsuit]

I would advise focusing your coaching on improving and developing players. It's great to win matches, we all like to win, it's a given. But the real challenge for great coaching in my opinion, is improving all your players.