U12 Coaching Resources

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U12 is a great age to play soccer. The game speed is much higher than in U12 and players are starting to think ahead. There is a marked improvement in skills and players can show a wider variety of skills. Long passing enters the equation for both crossing the ball and playing it forward early to break pressure. Players are finally allowed to head the ball and they start to settle into more clearly defined positions.

With our implementation of the new US Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) recommendations, the U12 grows from 7 v 7 to 9 v 9. More players on the field makes the game more complex, so the challenge for you is how do you prepare the players to first survive and then excel at the game.

The most obvious strategy is to focus on the three core skills: dribbling, shield/turn and controlling the ball for your least experienced/ skilled players. Each of these can be developed using the model training session I have posted elsewhere on this blog. It mixes the core skills along with some physical training, building up to a game to finish off the practice.

I have also searched youtube and found some good exercises to help you get some ideas as well for practice activities. I assembled them into a playlist for easy access.

An old U10 coaching manual  and an 11 v 11 coaching manual both still has some good ideas / activities in it and a lot of my philosophy.

I also have a document you can share with your parents from a parent education program I used to do.

We do things a little differently at Impact. In the U12 rec program, punting is discouraged. This forces the GK to distribute the ball and increases the likelihood that the attacking team will try to possess the ball. It also reduces the probability that a child will try to head the ball. With the new USYSA rules, heading is allowed in the U12 age group. If you want to know more about how to manage the game, check out my U10 game modifications post (also appropriate for the U12).

What formation should you play?
The USYSA recommends a 3-2-3 or 3-3-2 formation.
I prefer the 3-3-2 formation as it gives better balance between defense and attack. If you play with 3 forwards, then the outside forwards may have to come back to both defend and receive a ball from the defenders who can't make an accurate long pass. With 2 forwards, it give the wing midfielders space to get forward and more easily link up with both forwards and defenders.

Elsewhere in this blog, I have posted some other activities that are good for the U12 age group including:
3 v 3 that introduces combination play to the U10 and older age groups.
Sharks and Minnows reimagined as a game-like dribbling activity.
Transition games that are MUCH better than World Cup.

I also have some good advice about
how to enjoy watching your child play and
how to use video to enhance player development and
how to really help your players during games.

To get a reality check on how you are doing as a coach, please come to my U12 open training on Tuesday nights on field 1 @6:30.

Questions? email me jmurnan@csaimpact.com

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