U8 New Soccer Coaches Training -Video 1 - Star Formation

Video Tutorial for New Soccer Coaches in the U8 (ages 6 and 7), 5 v 5 (5 players on the field). Boys or Girls. Learn how to easily teach your kids to stay in formation, hold their position, move as a unit and where to stand on the field during different game situations.
Click on the link below to obtain an outline of the video series:
www.dropbox.com/s/nf9h1gd852b...

[@aprilimagine6214]

Thank you! I just took on my boys 5 year old team so the boys had a coach, theirs ditched last minute. I have never played soccer or coached a team. Im excited, but nervous. This is GREAT help!

[@kingyair21]

That’s what I gotta do today 😂

[@KidsAndCardsAndSoccer]

Wish I saw this two years ago! Encouraging spread play is challenging at this age group but I LOVE this strategy! Thanks Brian!

[@Calebminor2013]

Great video! I begin my journey as my sons coach tomorrow and saving these for reference!!

[@24vince1]

This is brilliant, I’m new to all this & this is definitely going to give me a starting point, thank you

[@BlueVosq]

Thank you for this video Brian. Today will be my first day coaching U8. This video has me excited to practice star formation with my kids as we have a match this weekend

[@iamjblas]

Thank you so much for this! I needed this!

[@nallegam007]

Thanks for making this video! Shame it only took me 2 yrs to find it. I've been struggling with how to teach positions. Great!

[@croneyr]

Thanks a bunch!! Exactly what I needed!

[@davidheller2662]

Brazil (5 world cup titles) doesn't introduce positions until high school. U.S. (0 world cup titles) introducing positions to 5 year old kids. focus on fundamentals, big principles of play. don't get locked into positions. this isn't american football.

[@RaynaxSwan]

Thank you 💕

[@ChrisM-kj4es]

Great system. We used this with our U8 girls and saw great success this season. At our age level in Canada, we play 6v6 (with goalie). I love the star formation and how it can be applied to any situation on the field. This formation teaches fundamentals of role, responsibility, positioning and passing.

[@MannyR7777]

What formation do you use with 6vs6

[@jefffreyling6327]

@@MannyR7777 try playing a 1-1-3-1. That formation has built in depth and width, lots of triangles (support) all over the pitch.

[@ricardorodriguez9508]

Man. Our AYSO league has 1 Goalie and 4 field players. I’m gonna take this and see how and what I can do with 4 players on the field. Thank you for this. Much appreciated!

[@JustSeanIllumenaudi]

Man you helped so much

[@SeasickKhan]

We can only have 5 on field. That’s 3 upfront with 1 defender and 1 goalie. I like the star formation. Gonna try that

[@careyryan6319]

Every kid should play in every position? That way they understand how the shape works?

[@jusdnx]

Do you assign players positions at this age?

[@accbcb]

In a march there's no offside so telling them all to gather around a single point means no defence and the opposition attackers are going to just stand up front leaving the goalkeeper vulnerable.

[@kennethko7715]

Big help!!!

[@lukebignell7846]

I sincerely hope you haven’t tried playing without a keeper and only 1 defender. Did you try it and what were the results? 😂 This tactic will equal a high scoring loss everytime. I can only think of two opponents last season who were so hopeless that having no keeper didn’t matter. And to beat them you don’t need an extra outfield player.

[@lambertj.2892]

This is great if you field 5, but we field 4 in our league. 4x4. No star formation. How do we setup 4 on the field? These are girls, fyi, 6 years old.

[@amselby81]

We play 4v4 in our AYSO league for 8U. Since we don’t have a 5th player on the field, what sort of formation do you recommend?

[@djcobb74]

Diamond or square.

[@juliomedina4596]

1-2-1 with midfield staggered.

[@Diva360booths]

We play 5v5 in the uk with goalkeepers which makes things a little more complicated. I often recommend to the coach to play a diamond formation with 2 midfielders who are to defend and attack but he opts for a 2-1-1 which creates no width and often means one defender defends whilst the other looks a bit lost next them.

[@accbcb]

Not so great for the GK though having to deal with having nobody defending if they all move up.

[@jeffmendoza8947]

What would be the ideal formation for 7 players ?

[@MattCollinge]

I'm going to use 2-3-1, plus a sweeper keeper.

[@stephenkimble8351]

We play 4v4. How would you adopt this for only 4 players on the field?

[@2ded_dan951]

I have a question man when it says 4 quarters 10 minutes each two minutes break between first second third and 4th half does that mean 10 minutes then 2 minute break then another 10 min then its halftime

[@DustinBenton]

No goalie is what got me. We have 5 on a filed but have to have a goalie

[@lukebignell7846]

It would only work if you were playing against opponents who had never kicked a ball before and were hopeless. Any team with anything about them just shoots from long range and scores loads of goals against you. Until you eventually become so embarrassed that you put the 1 defender you have in goal.

[@chrisgoold9816]

Diamond works better. One back, two wings, center mid and striker. Then rotate positions

[@chrisgoold9816]

Nice for triangle passing.

[@marketbasket320]

what about 7v7?

[@jefffreyling6327]

1-2-3-1 formation. All depends on age and ability. Can you teach the principals of play and moments of the game. What age are you coaching?

[@marketbasket320]

Thanks @@jefffreyling6327 That is currently the formation I am running with my U9 but they should really be U8 but because of 1 player they had to move us up.

[@jefffreyling6327]

@@marketbasket320 wow 7v7 at that age. We do 5v5 in U9, 6v6 in U11, 7v7 and 9v9 in U13, U15 and up is 11v11. Look into Funino and Meulensteen soccer methodology’s. At that age lots of touches on the ball, lots of SSG (small sided games) to let them make decisions in. Mistake based learning is key.

[@iviaqua]

Finally decided to start a team. I’m tired of seeing the same kids on the bench. Sports should be fun and a means to making friends not becoming the next Messi.

[@jefffreyling6327]

This guy should never be allowed to work with kids. He’s going to teach us to “control your team”. Yelling at them to spread out or force them to stand on a cone. Then he will pick the best 7 year old and put him (because he only refers to the athletes as “guys”) in the middle of the field. Kids at that age should play all over the pitch. Whats wrong with you? You’re coaching 6-8 year olds. Use Q and A or guided discovery coaching methodology. SSG will teach the kids more then yelling or controlling them to stand on a cone. Playing a 3v3 with no goalies would be a more affective game model. Lots more touches and time in the ball for each kid.

[@christopherrodriguez5534]

At 8 you should be able to understand without anyone shouting at you

[@lukebignell7846]

He doesn’t have a clue what he is doing if you try and play with no GK at my level you will get destroyed. Where players are capable of shooting from long range you just get destroyed. Being outnumbered by 5 v 4 outfield is nothing.

[@ianjolly8846]

No Goalie, This must be a spoof, alot of boys can have a good go at hitting the net from the halfway line this age, you would lose 20-0

[@djcobb74]

A lot of 7 and 6 year old on a grassy field cannot. Also, the no goalie rule is usually established by the league. Also, I would suggest that a 6 or 7 year old who can hit multiple half field shots into a small goal (3-4' wide) should be playing up a division.

[@robeastman-mullins7734]

@@djcobb74 We don't play with mini goals and an arc. We have large goals and need a goalkeeper or it would really be 20-0. He should have opened with the fact that they play mini goals.

[@djcobb74]

@@robeastman-mullins7734 That makes sense too. Have a good day!

[@lukebignell7846]

Playing with no goalkeeper is suicide in a 5 vs 5. You cant do that when you are playing against good players, you will get destroyed. In my local leagues in England no coach plays without a goalkeeper. I am not sure what level of players you have in the USA but it sure must be well below the level in England. I think thats because all the best athletes in the USA are playing the USA sports

[@joeyjojo5]

This comment makes no sense. The primary objective for u6 & u8 is to learn the technical skills to play the game - not sit in a goal on defense. Dribbling, passing, and working as a team. US soccer is moving away from the robotic nature of forcing players into positions at such a young age - it sucks the lifeblood out of learning and stifles ball creativity. South American players are the most creative players in the world because of the free flow style of youth play - which does not enforce positions. Forcing a player to sit in goal at U8 and lower is doing nothing to advance that player's skill. US is moving to distance themselves from that outdated thinking. Why on God's earth would you stick a player in front of a 4-ft net. If the unit cannot get back on defense, then the coach and players are doing something wrong.

[@lukebignell7846]

@@joeyjojo5 Ok lets get some ground rules in place here. 1. Its not soccer. Now I know you Americans play this strange tampon padded version of rugby that none of the rest of the world plays and watches called NFL Football. But the rest of the world calls football by its correct name; football. 2. No one cares about US soccer, your game is terrible. We have division 3 english standard strikers going into your top division and tearing it up. This video as I understood it was about coaching not about US "soccer". 3. "South American players are the most creative players in the world" . Actually they arent. The last 4 world cups have been won by European teams, look it up you may learn something. France, Germany, Spain and Italy are the last 4 world cup winners. South American football is way behind Europe now. We are dominant now so start listening to the leaders. 4. We arent forcing players to stay in goal at under 7s or under 8s, we rotate and allow them to be in goal when they need a rest. It isnt rigid. 5. Next time before shouting your mouth off try and get a clue. Stop calling it soccer. 6. Any questions let me know.

[@joeyjojo5]

@@lukebignell7846 you mad, bro?

[@lukebignell7846]

@@joeyjojo5 owned

[@joeyjojo5]

@@lukebignell7846 LOL! Given your inferiority complex, you must be English. How's your Brexit going?

[@WirableWig]

No keeper at this age isn’t the way forward. The games would be ridiculous.

[@lukebignell7846]

I have been around my sons team from under 7s and under 8 and not one single coach played without a keeper. This is seriously ridiculous and a farce. I downvoted because this man is dangerous and doesnt know what he is talking about.

[@jefffreyling6327]

No keepers at that age is a good idea, however 5 on the field is not. Play 3v3 with no goalies. Lots more touches on the ball, more time on the ball, more chances to make decisions. 3v3 you have a built in triangle formation and much easier for a 6 year old to grasp. Look into Funino or Meulensteen methodology’s.

[@lukebignell7846]

@@jefffreyling6327 I do 1 vs 1 and 2 vs 2 in training matches all the time. I do advanced technical sessions to begin with. However moving into a 5 v 5 match is the final step in training. This is also the format of the games in the football association league. I have connections to professional academies and full time professional coaches so I know what I am doing. This guy is a clown for suggesting you play games in a competitive league with no goalkeeper

[@jefffreyling6327]

@@lukebignell7846 1v1 progressed to 2v2 is fantastic for kids this age but playing 5v5 is only hindering their development. Who promotes a competitive league for 6-7 year olds? At that age it should be all about fun, time on the ball and mistake based learning, explored through SSG. If you put an emphasis on winning (especially at that age) you will lose athletes and what’s the LPD for soccer players?

[@lukebignell7846]

@@jefffreyling6327 Not sure if you coach yourself. But kids want to play against other teams, and the better ones like my group want competitive games. They can implement want they have learnt in games. The good coaches are not teaching them to win, but to develop in a match situation. The goalkeeper rotates position too.

[@saynotogoogleandrodgeralli4249]

No gk are you crazy 😂