Coaching Resources

U8 and U10 coaches should focus practices and games on creating a fun activity for kids that just happens to involve a soccer ball.  Children at this age are still learning how to move their body so moving their body WITH a soccer ball may prove to be a challenge.  Make it fun for the child to learn to move with the ball in different situations (i.e. with a team mate or with someone trying to take the ball away).  Although they love to play, their ability to stay focused on any one thing is very limited. Keep your activities short and simple. Finally, even as they are steadily developing physical and mental abilities, they are still very young. Always treat children with care, patience and give plenty of encouragement. Soccer should be a game and the soccer ball a toy that the children enjoy playing with and want to continue playing with at home.