Soccer · Eight-week curriculum

8-Week Beginner Soccer Season

1. Week 1: Falling in love with the ball

   Everything starts with comfort: every player, every minute, a ball at their feet. No lines, no lectures.

   Core skills: Dribbling in space, Stopping the ball, Listening signals

   Full printable plan: First Soccer Practice: 45 Minutes, Ages 5-6

   Practice 1 · 45 min

   First Meeting: Ball Friends

   Names, listening signals, and a ball on every foot from minute one.

   0-8	Arrival free dribbling while families check in; coach learns names
   8-18	Red light, green light with the ball; sole stops on the call
   18-28	Toe taps and tick-tocks in a circle, coach counting out loud
   28-40	Sharks and minnows across the grid
   40-45	Huddle, two recap questions, team cheer

   This mirrors the full printable plan above; use that page for setup detail and adaptations.

   Practice 2 · 45 min

   Stops and Starts

   The sole stop becomes reliable and dribbling gets its first direction changes.

   0-8	Free dribbling arrival with stop-on-whistle challenges
   8-20	Stop-and-go dribbling with dramatic freezes and bursts
   20-32	Gate hunting: dribble through as many cone gates as possible
   32-42	Sharks and minnows, stopped balls are safe from sharks
   42-45	Huddle and cheer

   Grade only two things all session: the sole on the ball at stops and smiles per minute.

   Practice 3 · 45 min

   Game Day Lite

   A play-heavy session: short skill warmup, then small games with maximum touches.

   0-8	Toe taps and tick-tocks warmup circle
   8-18	Red light, green light with silly speeds
   18-40	3v3 to wide goals in two small fields, rotating every 4 minutes
   40-45	Team cheer and one skill shown to parents at pickup

   If the week allows only one practice, run Practice 1; if it allows three, this one goes last.

   Review before moving on: Can every player stop the ball with the sole on a whistle?; Did anyone stand in a line for more than 30 seconds?

   Optional home activity: Ten sole-of-the-foot stops in the living room or yard, counting out loud.

   Coach reflection: Which player surprised you this week, and what made it happen?

2. Week 2: Dribbling with eyes up

   Touches now come with direction changes and scanning. The gate game returns with score pressure.

   Core skills: Change of direction, Scanning while dribbling

   Full printable plan: Dribbling and 1v1 Practice: 60 Minutes, Ages 7-8

   Practice 1 · 60 min

   Eyes-Up Dribbling

   Touches with scanning: gates, commands, and dribbling in traffic.

   0-10	Arrival gate dribbling, counting gates out loud
   10-24	Stop-and-go dribbling with coach's unpredictable calls
   24-38	Gate game with scores: most gates in 60 seconds, weak foot doubles
   38-52	Sharks and minnows with shrinking grid
   52-60	Free 3v3 play, huddle, cheer

   The full printable plan above carries this session's setup diagrams and adaptations.

   Practice 2 · 60 min

   Traffic School

   Dribbling under pressure: shielding, escaping, and keeping the ball alive in crowds.

   0-10	Free dribbling with coach calling body parts to stop the ball
   10-24	Shield and steal in pairs: body between defender and ball
   24-38	Red light, green light with a shark added on green
   38-52	1v1 to four goals: pick the open door
   52-60	Cool-down juggling attempts, huddle

   Praise every escape attempt loudly; bravery this week buys skill next week.

   Practice 3 · 60 min

   Dribble Olympics

   A competition session spending the week's touches in races and games.

   0-10	Toe taps warmup with personal-best counts
   10-25	Gate-count championship in three rounds
   25-40	Stop-and-go elimination rounds, last perfect stopper wins
   40-55	Sharks and minnows tournament bracket
   55-60	Medal ceremony huddle: every player named for one thing

   Rig the events so different kids win different rounds; varied winners keep the Olympics loved.

   Review before moving on: Do players look up between touches, even briefly?; Are both feet touching the ball, or only the strong one?

   Optional home activity: Dribble around three household objects, both directions, five circuits.

   Coach reflection: What percentage of your talking was praise versus correction?

3. Week 3: Turns and escapes

   Named turns (pull-back, outside cut) give players tools to escape pressure instead of panicking.

   Core skills: Pull-back turn, Outside cut, Accelerating after the turn

   Full printable plan: Dribbling and 1v1 Practice: 60 Minutes, Ages 7-8

   Practice 1 · 60 min

   The Pull-Back

   One named turn taught properly: pull-back mechanics, then pull-backs under pressure.

   0-10	Gate dribbling arrival with free direction changes
   10-26	Four-corner turn pattern: pull-backs at every corner
   26-40	Stop-and-go with a pull-back required at every stop
   40-54	Sharks and minnows: a pull-back escape is worth double
   54-60	Slow-motion group turn demo, huddle

   One turn per session; the outside cut waits for Practice 2.

   Practice 2 · 60 min

   The Outside Cut

   The second escape tool, plus choosing between the two turns under a chaser.

   0-10	Warmup: pull-back review lap around the grid
   10-26	Four-corner pattern with outside cuts at every corner
   26-40	Shield and steal: escape with either named turn
   40-54	1v1 to four goals: turns win games here
   54-60	Turn showcase: volunteers demo, team copies, cheer

   Watch which turn each player reaches for under pressure; that is their turn, and both are fine.

   Practice 3 · 60 min

   Escape Rooms

   Games only: every format this week rewards a turn that beats a defender.

   0-10	Gate warmup with a required turn at each gate
   10-25	Sharks and minnows, turn escapes celebrated by name
   25-42	1v1 four-goal tournament with rotating matchups
   42-56	3v3 wide goals: turns appear in real traffic
   56-60	Huddle: who escaped with a turn today?

   Zero new teaching in this session; the games collect what the week planted.

   Review before moving on: Can most players demonstrate one named turn slowly?; Do turns happen in the ending game without prompting?

   Optional home activity: Twenty pull-backs alternating feet, then show a family member the move.

   Coach reflection: Which drill produced the most touches per player this week?

4. Week 4: Passing with a purpose

   The inside-of-foot pass arrives, attached immediately to moving afterward. Pass and stand is never taught.

   Core skills: Inside-of-foot passing, Moving after the pass, Calling names

   Full printable plan: Passing and Moving Practice: 60 Minutes, Ages 7-8

   Practice 1 · 60 min

   Inside-of-Foot Day

   The passing technique session: strike, target, and the move that follows.

   0-10	Arrival dribbling, then partner ball exchanges
   10-26	Partner passing through gates with streak counts
   26-42	Pass-move-replace triangles: the pattern begins
   42-55	3v3 with a bonus point for any completed pass before a goal
   55-60	Huddle: pass then move, said by the players

   The full printable plan above is this session with full detail; print it for the field.

   Practice 2 · 60 min

   Wall Passes and Give-and-Go

   Passing becomes a two-player weapon: the one-two arrives.

   0-10	Gate passing warmup in pairs
   10-26	Wall-pass one-twos around cone defenders
   26-40	Triangle keep-away: pass and support angles
   40-54	2v1 end-zone attacks using the one-two
   54-60	One staged give-and-go demo, huddle, cheer

   Celebrate the pass that beats a defender louder than any goal this week.

   Practice 3 · 60 min

   Keep-Away Carnival

   Possession games spending the passing reps under playful pressure.

   0-10	Pass-move-replace warmup at half speed
   10-26	Triangle rondo rounds with rotating defenders
   26-42	Monkey-in-the-middle style 4v1 grid transfers
   42-56	3v3 wide goals with a three-pass bonus rule
   56-60	Huddle and streak-record announcements

   Count passes out loud in every game; the number becomes the team's shared scoreboard.

   Review before moving on: Are passes struck with the inside of the foot to a target?; Does anyone move after passing without being reminded?

   Optional home activity: Twenty wall passes with each foot, controlling the return.

   Coach reflection: Did your quietest player get as many reps as your loudest?

5. Week 5: The first touch

   Receiving becomes its own skill: touches out of pressure through gates, open body shapes, scanning first.

   Core skills: Directional first touch, Open body receiving, Scanning before receiving

   Full printable plan: First Touch and Receiving Practice: 75 Minutes, Ages 9-10

   Practice 1 · 75 min

   First Touch Foundations

   Receiving as a skill: directional touches into space, away from pressure.

   0-10	Arrival dribbling and partner exchanges
   10-28	First-touch escape boxes with called directions
   28-45	Gate passing where the first touch must set the return pass
   45-62	Rondo keep-away grading first touches under pressure
   62-75	3v3 wide goals, coach narrating great touches, huddle

   This is the full printable plan above; the touch's direction is the only correction all day.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Receive and Turn

   First touches that become turns: receiving on the back foot and escaping behind.

   0-10	Warmup: escape-box touches at half speed
   10-28	Four-corner receiving: touch across the body, turn, escape
   28-46	Shield, receive, and escape with a shadow defender
   46-64	1v1 four goals starting from a received pass
   64-75	Free play, huddle, one touch demonstrated for parents

   Check shoulders before the ball arrives; say SCAN once per rep until they beat you to it.

   Practice 3 · 75 min

   Touch Under Fire

   Game session: every format starts with a receive, so touches meet real defenders.

   0-12	Escape-box warmup with defenders walking through
   12-30	4v1 possession grids with transfer passes
   30-48	2v1 end-zone attacks off a coach's entry pass
   48-68	End-zone possession game
   68-75	Huddle: whose touch won them a ball today?

   Expect touches to get worse when defenders arrive and say so beforehand; survival is the lesson.

   Review before moving on: Do first touches move the ball into space instead of stopping it?; Is anyone checking their shoulder before the ball arrives?

   Optional home activity: Toss the ball against a wall, receive with a directional touch, ten each side.

   Coach reflection: Where did practice flow break down, and what setup change fixes it?

6. Week 6: 1v1 bravery

   Duels take center stage: attacking a defender, protecting the ball, and defending patiently.

   Core skills: 1v1 attacking, Patient defending, Using turns under pressure

   Full printable plan: 1v1 and 2v1 Attacking Practice: 75 Minutes, Ages 9-10

   Practice 1 · 75 min

   Brave 1v1s

   Taking players on: moves, bursts, and the courage economy of duels.

   0-10	Gate dribbling with a required move at each gate
   10-28	Stop-and-go with explosive bursts after every move
   28-48	1v1 four-goal duels with rotating matchups
   48-65	Defend the gate: attackers vs patient defenders
   65-75	Duel championship, huddle, bravery award

   The full printable plan above carries this session; applaud failed moves as loudly as goals.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Defending the Duel

   The other side of 1v1: approach, patience, and forcing play sideways.

   0-10	Warmup shield and steal pairs
   10-28	Defend the gate with graded approach runs
   28-46	2v2 pressure and cover defending
   46-64	1v1 four goals: defenders score by forcing five sideways touches
   64-75	3v3 with defensive stops counted, huddle

   Score stops out loud all session; defense needs its own scoreboard this week.

   Practice 3 · 75 min

   Duel Tournament

   The week's bravery spent in a full 1v1 and small-game tournament.

   0-12	Move rehearsal lap: every player's favorite move at each gate
   12-35	1v1 four-goal bracket with rotating courts
   35-52	Sharks and minnows: last minnow crowned
   52-68	3v3 wide goals finals
   68-75	Awards huddle: bravest attempt, best stop, best move

   Three awards, three different kids, chosen before practice ends; write names down mid-session.

   Review before moving on: Do attackers try moves in duels, even unsuccessfully?; Are defenders staying patient instead of diving in?

   Optional home activity: Play 1v1 to a cone goal against a family member, first to three.

   Coach reflection: How did you celebrate brave failures this week?

7. Week 7: Playing with an advantage

   2v1 situations teach the game's core decision: commit the defender, then pass or drive.

   Core skills: 2v1 decisions, Committing the defender, Timing the pass

   Full printable plan: 1v1 and 2v1 Attacking Practice: 75 Minutes, Ages 9-10

   Practice 1 · 75 min

   2v1: Commit and Release

   The advantage decision: make the defender choose, then punish the choice.

   0-10	Wall-pass warmup pairs
   10-30	2v1 end-zone attacks: the timing question every rep
   30-48	Finish after combinations: advantage becomes goals
   48-65	Numbers transition game with called overloads
   65-75	3v3 free play, huddle

   Ask DID THE DEFENDER HAVE TO CHOOSE YOU after every 2v1 rep; it is the whole session.

   Practice 2 · 75 min

   Overloads Everywhere

   Advantage recognition in bigger pictures: 4v1 grids, 3v2 waves, and transfers.

   0-10	Rondo warmup
   10-28	4v1 possession grids with transfer targets
   28-48	2v1 end-zone waves alternating attackers and defenders
   48-66	End-zone possession game with overload rules
   66-75	Huddle: where was the free player hiding today?

   One question rules the session: WHERE IS THE EXTRA PLAYER; ask it until they ask each other.

   Practice 3 · 75 min

   Attack the Advantage

   Games session: transitions create advantages and the team learns to strike fast.

   0-12	Passing gates warmup with movement
   12-35	Numbers transition game, unpredictable calls
   35-55	Finish after combination with a recovering defender
   55-70	3v3 wide goals with fast-restart rules
   70-75	Huddle and the week's advantage story retold

   Advantages last three seconds; count them down out loud in every game until urgency is a habit.

   Review before moving on: Do attackers engage the defender before deciding?; Are passes released when the defender commits, not before?

   Optional home activity: Watch one soccer clip and count the 2v1s; report the best one at practice.

   Coach reflection: Which players see the advantage fastest, and how can others learn from them?

8. Week 8: Transition and celebration

   The season closes with transition play (react fast when the ball turns over) and a festival-style final practice.

   Core skills: Reacting to turnovers, Finishing, Playing with joy

   Full printable plan: Transition and Finishing Practice: 90 Minutes, Ages 11-12

   Practice 1 · 90 min

   Transition Full Throttle

   The season's speed lesson: win it and go, lose it and sprint back.

   0-12	Gate warmup at rising tempo
   12-32	Numbers transition game
   32-52	Finish after combination at game speed
   52-72	End-zone possession with transition scoring
   72-90	Full-team scrimmage, huddle

   The full printable plan above is this session; praise the first sprint back by name every time.

   Practice 2 · 90 min

   Season Review Stations

   Every skill of the eight weeks revisited in rotating stations.

   0-10	Free dribbling arrival with week-one nostalgia
   10-28	Station 1: turns and escapes
   28-46	Station 2: passing and moving
   46-64	Station 3: first touch under pressure
   64-82	Station 4: 1v1 duels
   82-90	Huddle: each player names their favorite week

   Let players coach one station rule each; the review lands harder in their voices.

   Practice 3 · 90 min

   The Big Game

   A festival scrimmage session: mixed teams, running commentary, and everything on display.

   0-15	Player-led warmup: captains run the gate game
   15-40	3v3 wide goals festival across two fields
   40-65	Big scrimmage with transition rules from the season
   65-80	Numbers game finale by player request
   80-90	Season celebration huddle

   Referee lightly and narrate generously; this session is the season's highlight reel.

   Practice 4 · 60 min

   Family Field Day

   An optional celebration practice: players demo skills and families join the games.

   0-10	Players demonstrate one skill each to the sideline
   10-25	Sharks and minnows with parents as extra sharks
   25-45	Kids-versus-grownups small games on shrunken fields
   45-60	Awards, photos, and the last team cheer of the season

   Every player gets one named award prepared in advance; the list is the session's real plan.

   Review before moving on: Do players sprint into action when possession changes?; Did every player leave the season wanting another one?

   Optional home activity: Write or draw the favorite moment of the season to share at the last huddle.

   Coach reflection: What will you do differently in week 1 next season?