60-Minute Beginner Youth Soccer Practice Plan
A longer beginner soccer practice that adds ball mastery, passing choices, 1v1 confidence, and a game with simple constraints.
Audience: Volunteer soccer coaches working with beginner youth players.
How to use it
A longer beginner soccer practice that adds ball mastery, passing choices, 1v1 confidence, and a game with simple constraints.
- 0–10 min: Dribble-and-stop warm-up with turns, changes of speed, and a visual stop signal.
- 10–23 min: Ball mastery stations—inside touches, sole rolls, pullbacks, and a favorite move.
- 23–36 min: Passing gates with a move-away/check-in pattern and a receiving touch into space.
- 36–48 min: 1v1 to two gates so the attacker chooses direction and the defender learns to contain.
- 48–56 min: 4v4 game with a width rule and a restart routine.
- 56–60 min: Ball return, water, and one player-led coaching cue.
Setup notes
Set several small areas and place a ball at each start point. Keep the final game small enough for frequent touches and clear restarts.
Coach cues
- First touch away from pressure.
- Defend the space before chasing the ball.
- Use questions that help players see the next option.
Equipment
- Soccer balls
- Cones
- Pinnies
- Small goals
- Water access
Watch for
- Over-coaching the technique
- Letting one player dominate the ball
- Adding rules faster than players can use them
Download and print
The approved file formats remain available from the resource page.