When I work with young soccer players my main focus is on technique and more technique. Helping young players grasp and become efficient with the basic skills is vital. We do not expect them to  understand tactical aspects of the game unless they have a solid technical base. But one major issue seems to frustrate coaches time and time again, getting your players and teams to spread out to utilize the full space that the field allows.

A lot of the time the game itself will help players learn these aspects. But there are ways and activities to help guide your players and hopefully this month’s Spotlight which focuses on Creating Space and Team Shape, will help you overcome some of these hurdles.

Four Lesson Plans for Creating Space & Team Shape

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When ever I conduct a Kentucky Youth Soccer Association Coach Education course one of the most popular questions I am asked by the candidates attending is.

“How can I make my team spread out? They are always bunched up and follow the ball”

This is a familiar pattern with players that are U8 and below, which should be expected. At this young age children are just learning the concept of sharing and in the majority of team sports the child wants the ball. Even if you were to throw or hit a baseball into the outfield the likelihood is that more than one or two children will chase it down.

As these young players mature they will gain more understanding of the game, but as coaches we can help them gain a better understanding of team shape and field awareness at an early age. Children can sometimes take your word to the extreme, we throw different terminology out there that has no meaning and the players get lost, consequently the sessions will lose its purpose. 

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Negative space lies between the ball and an offensive player's own goal. It tends to be less well defended than the space being attacked directly, and because of that, it is useful for holding possession, in relieving pressure, in switching the point of attack, and in creating shots.

The reason: Defenders concentrate behind the ball once possession is lost; their interest in the negative spaces on the field lessens as the ball is played forward. The ball dropped back for a shot, the dribble back away from pressure, and the backwards pass are all examples of using negative space.

Bob Gansler, our former national team coach, once even advocated tricking defenders by intentionally playing a ball forward into crowded space, an action designed to draw defenders to the ball, while, at the same time, opening space and reducing pressure in other areas of the field. The passer, resisting a natural temptation to follow the pass, instead steps back away from the player forward in possession. That forward player, the so-called "target" man, draws the pressure then plays negatively. The receiver, now with a less obstructed view of the spaces under attack, can change the point of attack into more weakly defended areas. 

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In this outstanding book, Coach Emilio Cecchini teaches the game from the ground up using geometric figure exercises to coach the concepts of space, orientation and communication. This is a progressive and innovative teaching method geared towards players in the 9-16 year old age group and has proven highly successful in the development of many Italian youth players.

For more Recommended Books for Youth Soccer Coaches, click here!