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U12 Soccer Drills and Games

Development for U12 soccer players includes making the most of the moment of transition in counterattacks, being compact in defence, preventing forward play and penetrating lines. Small-sided games are ideal at this age to get across defend attack principles.

Recommended to play 9v9

PRIORITY: Development of Individual Technique at Speed

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Your number’s up

You can really challenge your players’ concentration and reaction skills in this fun and fast-paced activity.

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Spot opening – shoot

This is a fast game of rapid one-twos, thinking quickly and, crucially, spotting the opportunity to score goals.

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Small-sided game: Through the thirds

Develop your players’ ability to play through a crowded midfield with this three-part session.

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Practice: Through the thirds

Develop your players’ ability to play through a crowded midfield with this session.

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Warm-up: Through the thirds

Develop your players’ ability to play through a crowded midfield with this session.

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Practice 1: Attack to defence

Your team has lost the ball – these practices will help sharpen their reactions to win it back.

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Practice 2: Attack to defence

Your team has lost the ball – these practices will help sharpen their reactions to win it back.

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Small-sided game: Attack to defence

Your team has lost the ball – these practices will help sharpen their reactions to win it back.

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Breaking the lines

This possession practice allows players to work on multiple aspects in a game-realistic setting.

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Passing and receiving

A possession-based practice to develop players’ passing, receiving and movement skills.

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Warm-Up: Defending in our half

A three-part session focusing on defensive principles and developing defensive techniques.

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Flexible practices - an example

Tweaking a core idea can open up many possibilities when it comes to session planning. Here’s an example...

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Goals, goals, goals

Give players the chance to score from varying distances and using different kinds of shot. By MIKE VINCENT

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Warm-up: Passing with purpose

Encourage players to be adventurous and create angles in this three-part session plan.

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Practice: Passing with purpose

Encourage players to be adventurous and create angles in this three-part session plan.

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Small-sided game: Passing with purpose

Encourage players to be adventurous and create angles in this three-part session plan.

Trusted by thousands of coaches

Volunteer coach

You volunteered to coach but have no coaching experience or qualifications. You’re short of time and could benefit from being told what to ...

more

Travel / ODP coach

You’ve been coaching a while but are looking for ideas and inspiration to help you take your team to the next level.

more

High School coach

You’re looking for an extra edge in the pursuit of excellence and will do whatever you can to help the players in your care be successful ...

more

Director of Coaching

You manage a team of coaches who rely on you for coaching plans and advice. You could benefit from finding a reliable resource to help them ...

more

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Small-sided game: Principles of pressing

Allow players to practise pressing in a game-realistic environment.

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Practice: Principles of pressing

This practice develops some of the key elements around pressing in a structured game.

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Warm-Up: Principles of pressing

Introduces some of the key elements around pressing.

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Practice 1: Finding space and offering an option

This session promotes the benefits of players finding space and being in position to receive passes. Use this session as a standalone ...

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Practice 2: Finding space and offering an option

This session promotes the benefits of players finding space and being in position to receive passes. Use this session as a standalone ...

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Practice 3: Finding space and offering an option

This session promotes the benefits of players finding space and being in position to receive passes. Use this session as a standalone ...

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Play over or through

A ‘piggy in the middle’-style game in which players learn when to go direct to team-mates while under pressure.

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Movement and combinations to attack

Helps attackers to understand how their movement and position can create space and, ultimately, scoring chances.

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U12 Soccer Drills and Games

Search or browse our library of drills

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Coaches' Testimonials

Gerald Kearney, Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club

Paul Butler, Florida, USA

Rick Shields, Springboro, USA

Tony Green, Pierrefonds Titans, Quebec, Canada

Discover the simple way to become a more effective, more successful soccer coach

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