Practice plans & activities

US Soccer curriculum

The US Soccer coaching curriculum sets out how to organize practice for each age group.

US Soccer coaching curriculum: age group organization (PDF)

Themes by age group

U6

• Passing and receiving
• Running with the ball
• Dribbling with your head up
• Dribbling and turning
• 1v1 play
• The push pass
• Striking the ball

U8

Build the season around dribbling:

• Dribbling to keep possession
• Dribbling to get past a player
• Dribbling to finish
• Keeping possession

U10

• First practice: welcome, and teach how small-sided games work
• Attacking on your own: dribbling to get past a player, dribbling to keep the ball, when to keep it and when to go forward, creating and finishing chances
• Attacking in small groups: passing and receiving to keep possession, creating and finishing, the give-and-go, fast-break attacks
• Defending on your own: pressing from the front, from behind and from the side
• Defending in small groups

U12

Build on the U10 themes, with more possession, combination play and switching play. See the development model.

Keep it fun

Soccer should be a mix of hard work and fun. If players aren’t enjoying the game, they burn out and stop playing. Games that keep things light while building skill work at practice and at home.