COURSE INFORMATION
The 10/12U Course is a 14-hour course designed for Travel coaches working with players competing in the 7v7 (9/10U), 9v9 (11/12U), and 11v11 (13/14U) formats. Coaching players between the ages of nine and twelve is arguably the most critical period for long-term player development with the technical foundation and tactical understanding either successfully established, or irretrievably lost, during this stage.
The 10/12U Course consists of on-field practical information (11 hours), and the self-paced, online Novice Coach Course (3 hours), which, together, present ideas on teaching the technical, tactical, psychological and physical elements of soccer games ranging from 1v1 to 9v9.
Technical skills, including goalkeeper skills, are broken down in depth, as are small-group tactics (the Principles of Play) and game management relevant to 7v7 and 9v9 coaching. Soccer fitness is presented as a by-product of active play.
Fundamentally, the 10/12U Course strives to demonstrate how soccer “skill” (the application of technique under pressure) can be developed by playing soccer in a variety of game forms; and by utilizing a variety of simple conditions and scoring systems to promote learning. There is no formal assessment of coaching skills or soccer knowledge in the 10/12U Course.
Typically, the 10/12U Course is scheduled for one weeknight (Friday, 6pm-9pm) and one weekend day (Saturday or Sunday, 8am-5pm), but can be adapted to accommodate most local needs. Host organizations – and participating coaches -- are encouraged to provide 10/12U players for the course.
The minimum enrollment for a 10/12U course is twelve.