Library

What players and parents ask most about youth soccer here: the leagues, the cups, and what they mean for your team.

• What are the different leagues?RCL, WPL, ECNL, MLS NEXT, EA, GA — what each league is.
• How do tournaments and cups work?What a cup weekend looks like, what the flights mean, and the cups our teams play.
• How are teams and clubs ranked?The idea behind our team and club rankings, in plain words.

Practice drills, animated. Open one to watch it.

• Pass and follow trianglePass to the next cone and follow your pass. Four players keep the ball moving around a triangle.U8–U12 · 4 (or more, queued at the first cone) · 10 min
• 1v1 to goalThe defender serves and closes down; the attacker beats them and finishes past the keeper.U9 and up · 2 lines + a keeper · 12 min
• 4v2 rondoFour keep the ball around a square from two defenders in the middle. A defender who wins it swaps with the passer who lost it.U10 and up · 6 · 15 min
• Stop-and-go dribblingEveryone dribbles their own ball and listens for the coach: go means push the ball toward the coach, stop means freeze the ball under your foot. Get close enough and tag the coach.U5–U6 · Whole group, a ball each — one dribbler shown · 8 min
• Dribble through the moving tunnelTwo coaches hold a bib between them and walk around the grid. Every player dribbles and tries to get their ball through the tunnel as many times as they can.U5–U6 · Whole group, a ball each — one dribbler shown; 2 coaches make the tunnel · 8 min
• 2v2 to four corner goalsTwo against two on a small field with a mini goal in each corner. Each team defends two goals and can score in either of the two at the other end, so a crowded goal means switch to the open one.U7–U8 · 4 on the field, 2 more teams waiting to swap in · 18 min
• 1v1 to the end zoneAn attacker dribbles out to score by stopping the ball in the far end zone; a defender comes out to stop them and win it. Two duels run at once on the same field.U7–U8 · 2 teams at opposite ends; two 1v1s at a time — one shown · 20 min
• 2v1 to the end zoneTwo attackers with one ball try to dribble into the far end zone past one defender. Dribble at the defender to pull them in, then pass to the free teammate.U7–U8 · 3 per round, the rest waiting at the ends · 20 min
• 2v2 from a coach's serve: protect the goalThe coach plays a ball in from the side; two from each team race on. The team without it works as a pair: one steps to the ball, the other gets back to block the goal, and a steal turns straight into an attack.U7–U8 · 2 teams split between the corners; 2v2 each round · 18 min
• Pairs beat the defendersPartners share a ball and try to score in any of three mini goals at an end line, past two or three defenders. After a goal they turn and attack the other end.U7–U8 · Pairs with a ball each, 2–3 defenders — one pair shown · 18 min
• 3v3 to goal, defenders counter through a gateThree attackers try to score past a keeper and two defenders. If the defenders win it, they score by dribbling out through a gate at the far end.U9–U10 · 3 attackers v keeper + 2 defenders · 20 min
• Keeper and two defend the goalA keeper and two defenders protect a goal against two attackers. The nearest defender presses, the other covers, and a won ball is scored by passing into one of two small goals.U9–U10 · Keeper + 2 defenders v 2 attackers · 20 min
• 4v2: play out from the back through a gateA keeper and three teammates play out from their own goal against two forwards, scoring by dribbling through a gate at halfway. The forwards score in the goal if they win it.U9–U10 · Keeper + 3 v 2 · 20 min
• 5v3: build out to a gateA keeper and four players build out of their own half against three defenders and score by dribbling through a gate at the far end. If the three win it, they shoot at the goal.U11–U12 · Keeper + 4 v 3 · 20 min
• 4v3: press, cover, balanceFour defenders stop three attackers building toward a small goal. The nearest presses and pushes the ball wide, the others cover and balance, and a trapped dribbler gets double-teamed. Win it and score in one of two small goals.U11–U12 · 4 defending v 3 attacking · 20 min
• 5v6 attacking the goalFive attackers take on a back four, a holding midfielder and a keeper. Attackers combine and take players on to finish; if the defending side wins it, they score by dribbling through one of two gates.U13 and up · 5 attackers v keeper + 5 · 20 min
• Cone weave relayTeams take turns weaving the ball through a line of cones, touching the far cone to score, then dribbling back and handing over to the next player.U5–U8 · Teams of 4 in relay lines, one ball per team — one team shown · 8 min
• Number call shootingEveryone dribbles in a coned zone. When the coach calls your number, break out of the zone and shoot at goal.U5–U8 · Teams of 4, each player with a ball and a number — one ball shown · 10 min
• 4v4 with four outside playersTwo teams of four play inside a box with four players on its edges. The team on the ball scores a point each time it finds an outside player.U5–U8 · 12: 4v4 inside, 4 on the outside (N) who play for whoever has the ball; swap a team out at 5 points · 12 min
• 3v3 with target playersThree play three, and each team has two target players beside the goal it attacks. A pass to a target is one point; a goal is three.U5–U8 · 10: 3v3 on the pitch, two targets (T) per team beside the goal it attacks · 15 min
• 2v1 keep ballTwo keep the ball from one defender in a small square. Whoever gives the ball away swaps with the defender.U9–U12 · 3 per square (several squares at once) — one square shown · 10 min
• Rondo and switchFour keep the ball in an end zone from two pressing defenders. After four passes they switch it over the middle to the four at the other end.U13–U15 · 12: two teams of 4 in the end zones (1–4, 5–8), 4 defenders in the middle; rotate the pressing pair after 5 points · 15 min
• 3v3 with wide neutralsThree play three in the middle, with a neutral player in each wide channel who plays for the team on the ball and cannot be tackled.U13–U15 · 8: 3v3 plus 2 neutrals (N) in the wide channels · 15 min
• Red light, green lightPlayers dribble from one end to the other, changing speed to the coach's calls: green is fast, yellow is slow motion, red is stop.U5–U8 · Whole group, a ball each — one player shown · 8 min
• Race around the goal 1v1Two players sprint around the opposite goal; the coach rolls the ball to whoever gets back in first, and it's 1v1 to the goal they started behind.U8–U10 · Pairs from two lines behind the goals, one pair at a time · 15 min
• Keep it in the boxThree players dribble inside a box while two defenders come in through a gate. A defender who wins a ball and dribbles it out of the gate scores.U8–U10 · 8 in two boxes: 3 dribblers with a ball each, 2 defenders per box — one box and one ball shown · 10 min
• Four-goal game4v4 with a goal on every side: each team attacks one end goal and one side goal, so when one is blocked the other is open.U8–U14 · 8 (4v4, up to 6v6), no keepers · 15 min
• WindowsPlayers inside a square dribble, find a free player on the edge, pass, and receive the return while moving into space.U8–U14 · Up to 12: half inside with a ball each, half on the edges — one inside player shown · 10 min
• KnockoutEveryone dribbles in a square while the coach tries to knock balls out. Escape with a pull-back; if you're knocked out, you help the coach.U5–U8 · 6–10, a ball each — one player shown · 15 min