Listed below are recommended games, drills and exercises for U6 and U7 teams.

Boom!!!
Game Set Up
A number of tall cones are distributed throughout the field.  Two players are cone replacers; everyone else has a ball.

Game Structure
The players with balls try to knock over as many cones as they can with their ball.  The cone replacers try and set up the cones that have been knocked over as quickly as they can.  When a player with a ball knocks over a cone, they yell "BOOM!"  The player with the most BOOM’s, wins! (the boom adds to the excitement for the kids)  Players take turns as the cone replacer.

Key Coaching Points: Remind the players to keep the ball close as they dribble from cone to cone.  Ask them to either pass the ball with the inside of their foot or to shoot it with their laces when trying to knock a cone over.  Discourage them from hitting it with their toe.

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Clean Up Your Room!

Game Set Up
A centerline divides the field in half.  Players are divided into two teams, one in each half.  There are about half as many balls as there are players.

Game Structure
Each team tries to keep it’s own half "clean" by shooting all the balls into the other half as fast as possible.  Players may not cross the centerline (shooting line).  At different times the coach freezes the game and counts the number of balls in each half.  The team with the "cleanest room"  or least number of balls gets a point.  Play to a small number of points such as five. 

Key Coaching Points: Remind the kids to not hit the ball with their toe but to use their laces to get power and accuracy!  Lock the ankle of the foot hitting the ball with the toe pointed down and have the plant foot point in the direction that they want the ball to go. 

 

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Every Man for Himself

Game Set Up
Four mini goals are set up in a field.  There are about half as many balls as players.

Game Structure
Each player tries to win a ball and then score a goal by shooting between the cone goals.  Each goal counts as one point.  After scoring that player must try and score in a different goal.  Any player who does not have a ball try and take it from those that do have a soccer ball.  The focus of this game is to keep the ball close when dribbling.  "Soft touches" on the ball are very important to becoming good dribblers.  Remind players to shoot with their laces or the inside of their foot and to not use their toes to shoot.
Variation:
-Require dribblers to dribble through the cone goals to get a point.
-Have them get in pairs to focus on the one vs. one dribbling battle.

 

 

 

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Hunters And Rabbits
Game Set up
Two players (hunters) have one ball each.  The other players (rabbits) spread out over the field.  The coach stands off to the side with more soccer balls

Game Structure
The hunters try to "shoot" the rabbits below the knees with their balls.  When a rabbit is hit, he gets a ball from the coach and becomes a hunter as well.  The round ends when only two rabbits are left; they become the first hunters for the next round.  Areas of focus are that when shooting or passing a ball at someone that they should not kick the ball with their toe but should use their laces for shooting and the inside of their foot when passing because their is no control of where the ball is going when shooting with the toe.

Key Coaching Points:  The plant (non shooting) foot should be beside the ball and pointed toward where they want the ball to go.  When passing or shooting the ankle needs to be locked (no floppy foot!!!).  When passing the foot hitting the ball should be parallel to the ground and when shooting the toe should be pointed like a ballerina at a 45 degree angle from the body.    

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Knockout
Game Setup
Everyone has a ball.

Game Structure
Each player tries to kick everyone else’s ball out of the square while dribbling their ball and protecting it from the other players.

Variation: If a player’s ball is kicked out and they can run and get to it before the ball stops rolling, then they can come back in the game and keep playing.  If it stops, they must come to the coach and so something goofy or do a skill with the ball before they can go back in the game.

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Shark Pool

 

 

Monsters on the Great Wall of China

 

 

Ouch!!!

 

 

Sharks and Minnows

 

 

Soccer Tag

 

 

Tiger Ball

 

 

Crab Crossing

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Key Coaching Points: Encourage the players to change directions quickly and to change speeds to stay away from others.  Encourage them to use different fakes and moves to keep their ball effectively.