P2 Periodization

Social-emotional

Physical

Technical

Tactical

• Getting kids comfortable on the field

• Co-operative program with parental involvement

• Having fun and showing them the field, the ball, the goals and the basic principles

• Don't pick up the ball

• Understanding the boundaries/field

• Listen and respond to coach

• Kick the ball to the goal

• Dribbling, stopping and kicking the ball

• Responsiveness (stop, go, fast, slow)

• Which direction to go

• Introduction of 1v1 play

• Motor skill development (run, skip, jump, turn, hop, balance)

• Key terms: offense, defense, out-of-bounds, goal

• Getting kids away from their parents to play

• Parental volunteerism is often requested

• Having fun, being challenged and learning the rules

• Go after the ball

• Stay on the field and keep the ball inbounds

• Trap it when it comes to you (crocodile)

• Close control, stopping, turning and navigating past an opponent

• Which direction to go

• Playing vs an opponent (Understand team v team format)

• Taking the ball away from an opponent

• Not taking the ball from your teammate

• Sharing the ball with a teammate

• Dribble then stop (ball control)

• Dribble then kick (shot/pass)

• Scoring goals and rushing back to protect your goal

• Introduction of scrimmages (no goalkeepers)

• 2v2 or 3v3

• Continued (motor-skill development - running, turning, jumping, skipping,, balance)

• Key terms: steal, dribble, kick, trap, pass, shoot

• Getting kids used to being on a team; team name, uniform, cheer

• Parental coaching is often requested

• Having fun, learning new skills, competing

  • Introduction to kick-ins and goal kicks

  • Ball control; turning, stopping, navigating

• 1v1 attack and defense

  • trap, dribble, kick

  • Stealing the ball from an opponent (transition to attack)

• Passing, spacing and movement

• Scoring goals and rushing back to protect your goal

• Intro to laces kicks

• Introduction of a kick-off

• Goal-kick positioning to encourage a pass to a player in space

• Continuation of scrimmage (3v3 or 4v4)

• Reinforce team v team format

• Continued motor skill development - changing direction, running, stopping, turning, balancing

• Key terms; spread out, get open, tackle, get back

• Regular team play

• No goalkeepers

• 5v5

• Introduction of throw-ins & goal-kicks

• Reaffirming passing, spacing & teamwork

• Offensively

  • Making a plan (basic decision making)

  • Controlling the ball - first touch, passing, dribbling

  • Shooting to the corners

  • 1v1 and 1v1 transition

  • 2v1 attacking (when to pass vs when to dribble)

• Defensively

  • patience and delay

  • 1 player defends the ball, others defend the goal

• Continued motor skills - balance, sprinting, changing speed/direction

• Key terms: get wide, cross, down-the-line, midfield, winger

• Regular team play

• No goalkeepers (recommended)

• If using GKs, intro to blocking, catching and throwing as well as rules for a GK

• 5v5

  • Introduction of free-kicks & corner kicks (offensive and defensive)

  • Reaffirming passing, spacing & teamwork

• Offensively

  • When to pass and when to dribble?

  • Dribble to shoot at goal (mechanics)

  • Changing direction with the ball

  • Attackers and defenders in a team (function)

  • Understanding width of the field and using it

  • All players are attackers and defenders

  • Sideways passes

• Defensively

  • 2v2 transition from attacking and defending

  • Roles of the second defender

• Key terms: drop pass, wing, cover, get wide, support, goalkeeper

• Regular team play

• Introduction (or continuation) of goalkeeper techniques

  • movement, parrying, body shape

  • handling high, low and bouncing balls

  • distributing with throws and rolls

  • basics of diving

• Introduction of goalkeeping strategy when in possession (play to the side, make the ball easy to control, etc)

• 7v7

• Rotating and understanding field positions.

• Introduction of offsides and build-out line

• Introduction of basic strategy

• Offensively

  • Players can connect passes to teammates in space

  • Decision making off the ball - checking surroundings

    • choosing a spot to be open

    • can I be in a position to go forward?

    • what's the next thing that can happen?

  • Changing direction with ball - protecting the ball from defender under pressure

  • lead passes and through balls

  • Working as a team and in small groups

  • Introducing the 3rds of the field (att/mid/def)

  • Playing wide and making crosses

  • Shooting for the corners, across the keeper

  • Set pieces - corners, throw ins, free kicks etc.

• Defensively: jockeying and guiding attacker towards support

  • when to try and get the ball vs when to hold

  • Players can delay an attack and wait for support

  • Decision making off the ball - checking surroundings

    • go to ball vs go to cover

    • straight-line runs

    • adding layers

  • Working as a team and in small groups

• Key terms: long ball, through ball, switch field, push-up, where's the space, delay, center back, full back, striker

• Regular team play

• Introduction of goalkeeper punting

• - Development of goalkeeper strategy (play quick, delay, take the pressure off)

• 9v9

• Development of team and individual strategy

• Offensively

  • Recognizing potential opportunities to attack

    • imbalanced or unorganized opposition

    • opponents out of position

    • potential to make an overload

  • Recognizing lack of potential opportunities to attack; possess

    • drop passes

    • circulating possession

    • sitting deeper

  • Using rotation and mobility

  • Players to have field awareness and be checking for space, teammates, and opponents for autonomous decisions to be made

  • Players understand duties of positions and set individual goals in games

  • Set pieces - corners, throw ins, free kicks etc.

• Defensively: team shape and balance; when we lose the ball we're all defenders

  • Team shape without the ball

  • Reading the cues to press the ball

  • Reading the cues to maintain shape

  • Pressure, cover and balance

  • Players to have field awareness and be checking for space, teammates, and opponents for autonomous decisions to be made

  • Players to understand roles of positions and set individual goals in games

  • Defending set pieces - corners, throw-ins, free kicks etc.

• Key terms: drop/step, overlap, give-and-go, rotate, possess, shadow

• Regular team play

• Introduction of heading

• Incorporating the GK to keep possession

• 11v11

• Understanding

  • Players to make decisions in game based on awareness of field and opposition

  • Players technically play with control and ability for increased passing range

  • Players in control when tackling/stealing the ball

  • Players understand their positions and can set goals for individual and team performance

  • Players to demonstrate set-piece execution

  • Tactical emphasis on maintain shape and using strategy

  • Players and teams to have strategy for attacking and defending the different thirds

  • Players can adapt and have game understanding

  • Leaders on the field, positive encouragement and problem solving

• Key terms: underlap, diagonal ball, triangles, standard USSF numbering system