U6 Coaching Resources
General U6 Information
Roster: 6 players max
Practices: 30-45 minutes
Game Form: 4 v 4 (min 3)
Game Length: 2 - 16 minute halves
Goalkeeper: No
Ball Size: 3
Field Size: 25-35 yards long x 15-25 yards wide
Player Equipment: Team t-shirt, shorts, shin guards, soccer cleats, and socks.
Playing Time Requirement: All players must receive 50% playing time in a game.
Referee(s): Coaches will be informal referees.
U6 Learning Objectives
Developmental Characteristics
Short attention span.
Most are individually oriented (me, my, mine).
Constantly in motion.
Psychologically bruised very easily.
Little or no concern for team activities.
Physical and psychological development of boys and girls is quite similar.
Physical coordination is immature.
Eye/hand and/or eye/foot coordination is most primitive at best.
Love to run, jump, roll and climb.
Catching skills are not developed.
Can balance only on good foot.
No sense of pace — GO FLAT OUT!!!
Practice Objectives
Coaching Emphasis: Fun!
Technique:
Dribbling.
Changing direction while running with the ball.
Shooting and kicking with different surfaces.
Throw ins, 2 hands over head, don’t lift feet.
Goal kicks – when a goal kick is awarded, the defending team’s players must retreat into their own defensive half and may not move past the half-line until the goal kick is taken. The kicking team may take the goal kick before the defending team has retreated completely into their defensive half.
Corner kicks
Psychology: Sharing, fair play, how to “play”, emotional management.
Fitness: Balance, running, jumping, coordination, movement education.
Tactics: Players should be aware of the direction they are attacking, where they are on the field and be encouraged to be ball-orientated (always wanting to be involved in the action). Team shape can be addressed but under no circumstances should players be put in positions or made to stay in a certain area. In the U6 age group, players can be set up in a triangle shape to start the game and at other natural breaks (kick off, goal kicks, etc.)
Training Videos
Many of the U7/U8 videos can be used for U6 players.