Preschoolers bring boundless energy but a limited attention span to the game of soccer. A few players bring profound natural instincts to the game. Mia Hamm, as a child in Texas for example, by age 5 was fascinated with chasing and kicking a soccer ball. More typical preschoolers are easily distracted and need a lighthearted practice that begins to provide familiarity with the basics of the game.
Step 1
Plan a 45-minute practice designed to go from simple to complex, US Youth Soccer recommends in "The Novice Coach U6-U8." Start with a warm-up, follow with a drill to do alone or in pairs cooperatively, move to competitive pairs exercises, a small-sided game and finally a cool-down.
Step 2
Mark a 10-by-15-yard "dribbling zone" for players who arrive early to dribble the ball around as a warm-up, advises Dean Conway, former director of coaching for Massachusetts Youth Soccer, in "Soccer Calling: A Handbook for Youth Soccer Coaches." When the actual practice starts, direct the players in the dribbling zone for the first 10 minutes to bounce the balls between their ankles and to dribble in different directions, rather than in a straight line.
Step 3
Follow with 10 minutes of a drill such as Dribbling Gates, where the preschoolers try to get through as many paired cones in a grid measuring 20 by 20 yards as possible before you finish counting to 10. Or play Soccer Tag, where the children dribble in the grid as you try to tag them, which freezes them in place. A teammate can run up and untag them.
Step 4
Set up cones for 15 minutes of 2-vs.-2 games on fields marked by cones to measure 20 by 15 yards, with cones spaced 4 yards apart for goals. Follow with a five-minute water break. Allow the preschoolers to play and experiment with minimal instructions or stoppages in play.
Step 5
Close with a half-hour game of 3 vs. 3 with no goalkeepers. Set up as many mini-fields, no larger than 20 by 30 yards, with cones marking the goals and corners of the grid as needed for each group of six players. Outfit the players on each team with matching practice vests, or pinnies, so the preschoolers can see the rest of their team at a glance. Follow with a cool-down involving juggling the ball or easy running.
Tips and Warnings
- Talk as little as possible "and let the games stimulate and educate the kids," Conway says. When you do speak, ask the preschoolers to hold the balls still and stand where each player can see you. Have the nearest players crouch down so others can see, recommend the authors of "The Novice Coach U6-U8." Ask parents to provide their children with comfortable shorts, a T-shirt, a filled water bottle and a smaller size 3 ball for this age group. A windbreaker completes the kit in cooler weather.
Things You'll Need
- Cones
- Pinnies
