Training For Soccer: Defensive Plans By Age

When it comes to training for soccer, one important thing that many coaches overlook is teaching the same skills to the players irrespective of their ages. This is something that can be waste of time and in spite of bringing good results, it may further reduce the performance of your team.
Therefore, it is very important for the coaches to design their training plan depending upon the age group of the team. The teaching plan must be appropriate to their ages.

Defensive Training Plan For U11

When it comes to designing a defensive training plan for U11, the coaches should focus on individual defending skills. It means, at this stage, it is not wise to teaching the players about get, turn, move, or shoot.
The coach should rather give emphasis on basic defending at restarts. However, you can give the players an introduction to team shape in defense. You can also include introduction to transition in your training plan.

Defensive Training Plan For U12-U13

At this stage, you can introduce teaching about second and third defender play. You can also teach them about shapes, such as how to get it, what techniques they need to follow to keep it, and 2what techniques and strategies they should adopt to change it quickly.
Transition basic counterattack and working with keeper can also be included in the training plan for U12-U13. Sweeper play can also be introduced at this stage, such as angles, communication, and basic visual cues.

Defensive Training Plan For U14-U15

This is the right stage when the coaches can introduce the players about the low-pressure defense with high-pressure attack and high-pressure defense with low-pressure attack. You can also teach them about how to read opponent's shape to decide when and where to go forward.
Counterattack and reading visual cues can also be included in the teaching plan at this stage. The coaches can also teach them about how to mark out dangerous player and how to recognize and adjust defending tactics to match conditions.
Likewise, there should be a different approach in training for soccer while you are teaching the players of different age groups.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority on the subject of training for soccer. His web site, Teaching Youth Soccer Coaching Drills: www.SoccerDrillsTips.com, provides a wealth of informative soccer articles, resources and tips for soccer coaches, parents and players.