U5 Coaches Guide and Drills

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Hazel

U5 Coaches Guide and Drills outlines coaching goals for very young soccer players, emphasizing fun, continuous involvement, and skill learning through play. It explains practice design principles such as giving every child a ball, avoiding elimination games, and using parent-involved activities. The guide lists key concepts and rules, including not using hands, staying within a defined field, understanding “our goal” versus “their goal,” proper kicking mechanics, and focusing on dribbling and kicking. Sample practice plans with timed warm-ups, drills, and games are provided.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Practice Goals

Core Coaching Principles

Key Concepts and Rules

Proper Kicking and Dribbling Focus

Practice Plans

Practice Plan #1 (60 minutes)

Introductions

Warm-ups and Skills

Drills (Coach Says, Mr. Wolf)

Review

U5 Coaches Guide and Drills With the U5 age group our goal is to keep all players involved and active. Given the young age of these groups, the goal of each drill is to teach a small subset of underlying skills in a fun manner. This helps to keep ALL the children active, interested and having fun. Contained in this package is a variety of sample practice and game plans, as well as a list of various drills and games. The games and drills are “self-teaching”where each child develops by simply participating and playing. Each game is designed to teach different soccer skills and concepts without “boring” the kids. There are 6 key points that you should be concerned with when coaching the U5 division: 1. Make it FUN!!– Whether or not your players will continue to play soccer in the years to come will depend on whether it’s fun. Make the games and drills fun while having fun yourself and the kids will fall in love with soccer. 2. A ball for every player – It’s of utmost importance that EVERY player have a ball during practice. Also be sure to use a variety of drills and games so that the amount of time each player has with a ball is maximized, as opposed to watching, listening to instructions or standing in a line) . 3. Choose good practice games – Avoid games that use “knock-out” or elimination games. This results in kids standing and watching others. The goal is keep all the kids involved. Also, use games that involve the parents (ie: Soccer Bees) to further enhance the players’experience. 4. Teach the following Concepts & Rules: i. Don’t use your hands. Encourage players to use feet, legs, chest but not their arms and hands. ii. The concept of a “field” that has lines that they must stay within. iii. The concept of “our goal” and “their goal” 5. How to properly kick the ball: Focus on teaching the kids to use the inside of the foot and the instep of the foot (ie: “the laces”) and not the toe. 6. Focus on dribbling & kicking – The foundation of the game soccer is to kick the ball. All kids want to do it. Focus your drills and games on having the kids dribble and kick the ball as often as possible. The more comfortable they are kicking and dribbling the ball, the more inclined they will be to enjoy the game and actively partake in it. Practice Plans – Keep it Simple!! The following are some sample practice plans with approximate timings and drills/games. There are additional drills at the back of this guide. If you find the players have lost interest in a drill pick a new drill from the back pages. Most drills are set up to include a soccer ball. It is ok to start the drill without the ball and then add the ball in. Practice Plan \#1 (60 minutes) Introductions: Gather players; have them sit in a circle. Coaches start off with introducing themselves, go around the circle and have players say their names. Have some fun with it, maybe ask them to say their name and favorite color as well. Before Starting Warm-Ups: Teach the following Concepts & Rules: i. Don’t use your hands. Encourage players to use feet, legs, chest but not their arms and hands. ii. ii. The concept of a “field” that has lines that they must stay within. Warm-Up: Follow The Leader (dribbling) (6:15pm – 6:20pm) Summary: A great warm-up that teaches dribbling skills. Easy set-up and everyone has a ball. Teaches: “Control dribbling” and “speed dribbling”. The “leader” will set the various paces. The Game: Each player has a ball. Coach starts off as leader, all others line up behind the coach and follow the coach dribbling while the coach dribbles around the field at moderate speed for about 1 minute (or, if you wish coach can speed up) . Only go forward (no pullbacks), but leader can circle around and cross thru the line. Emphasize control of the ball over speed. Ask for a volunteer leader and have them lead for another minute; then a third. Let the kids take a quick water break. Basic Skills: Teach the kids simple ball ha

FAQs

What is the main coaching goal for the U5 age group?

Keep all players involved and active while teaching a small subset of underlying skills in a fun, self-teaching way through games and participation.

What should coaches focus on regarding practice games?

Make activities fun, ensure every child has a ball, and choose games that keep everyone involved (avoid knock-out or elimination formats).

Which rules and concepts should U5 players learn first?

Don’t use hands, use feet/legs/chest for play, understand the field boundaries, and know the difference between “our goal” and “their goal.”

Sep 22, 2026

Upload by Hazel