cognitive U12 soccer drills

Creating space through movement in 5v5

This exercise will help your players position themselves well in space to offer support to the ball carrier. Many variations are possible with additional cognitive aspects.

Mark out an area of about 30x35m and then place 9 small squares of 2 different colors within the area (see diagram for more details). Then form 2 teams of 5 players. If you have more than 10 players at practice, you can enlarge the area or create a second area for the additional players.

The exercise will proceed as follows:

The team in possession of the ball must keep the ball as long as possible while scoring points by making a pass into a square of the color of their team.
The defending team must win back the ball by pressing the opposing team and minimizing passing angles.
Once the ball is recovered, the roles reverse.
It is important for players to position themselves well in space to constantly offer options to the ball carrier, while keeping an eye on the finishing squares.

Here are some variations you can implement during this exercise:

Reverse the colors: the blues score in the yellow squares, and vice versa. This will add an additional cognitive aspect to this exercise.
A point is scored when a player crosses a square.
The central square earns double points.

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What is the U12 category?

The U12 category corresponds to children aged 11-12 years. The advice we recommend for this category is generally the same as for the U13 category. Children at this age play on half of an 11-a-side soccer field. There are certain physical and physiological aspects to consider when setting up your U12 training sessions: your players are growing, their coordination is developing, and they are slowly starting to build muscle mass.

Preparing and structuring training sessions for a U12 team requires real organization. Between choosing exercises, the relationship with the players and the team, or even physical preparation, many elements need to be considered.

Despite their young age, a U12 player gradually begins to develop their playing style and a certain vision of soccer. To promote the growth and progression of each player, training sessions must be specifically adapted and structured. This is not always simple!

Here is a detailed sheet to help you organize your soccer training for your U12 teams.

The objectives of the U12 category in soccer

The U12 category represents a pivotal period in the life of a young soccer player, marking a unique period between a soccer practice oriented more as a leisure activity and the beginning of a more serious and competitive approach to the sport. Did you know? Many players from U12 onwards start to be scouted by numerous training centers!

It is at this age that the fundamentals acquired during the early years are consolidated, while introducing players to the first tactical concepts that require not only physical skill but also a slight strategic reflection. This is where, as a coach, your role is crucial. Awaken the competitive spirit, the personality of each player while maintaining the passion for the sport and a certain playful aspect to each training session.

Some tips for coaching a U12 team

Before going into more detail on the training exercises to offer your U12 players, it is important to remember some fundamental principles to better understand your preparation. In the context of training for U12 categories, certain objectives should be kept in mind, including:

The alternation of individual and team learning: knowing how to balance personal development and team play.
Improvement of technical gestures: Emphasize improving the most obvious technical skills for each player.
Teaching through play: Build sessions around fun games to develop techniques and principles of individual action.
Reinforcement of basic concepts: Focus on possession, ball progression, and exploiting spaces on the field.
Introduction to transition work: Start working on the changes between attack and defense, initial positioning, etc.
Do not focus your training sessions purely on the "physical" aspect as you may be used to hearing. Favor exercises of agility, endurance, and flexibility to promote psychomotor development.
Simplicity should be your watchword when preparing U12 training sessions. It is essential because it allows for better learning: it is then your animation that will give rhythm to your U12 drills, not the complexity of your training sessions.
Finally, do not forget to include recovery periods.

Similarly, your role as a coach will also be to develop for each player self-confidence, team spirit, discipline, and respect for rules and opponents, thus contributing to forming accomplished players capable of shining both on and off the field, even at this young age.

What training exercises for U12s?

Structuring training and choosing the right exercises for a U12 team is not an easy task. The objective? Direct most sessions and exercises towards improving their coordination, ball control, reactivity, and positioning, as well as the different phases of play (set pieces, direct shots…).

Through fun and interactive teaching methods, coaches must succeed in keeping young players motivated and passionate, which facilitates effective learning in a positive environment. The goal is also to strengthen their love for soccer and stimulate their creativity on the field.

To assist you as best as possible, here is a list of ideal exercises for U12 categories:

Passing exercises on the move: Encourage players to move while exchanging accurate passes to improve both their mobility and passing precision.
Possession games: Organize games where the objective is to maintain possession of the ball in small spaces, which helps develop quick decision-making and play under pressure.
Technical courses: Set up courses with cones to work on dribbling, changes of direction, and ball control.
Reduced match situations: Create mini-matches (5 vs 5 or 7 vs 7) to encourage team play and the application of basic tactical concepts in a match context.
Shooting exercises: Practice shots on goal from different positions to improve efficiency in front of the goal.
Oriented control and dribbling with the “escape from prison” drill: Add a fun element with an exercise that targets improving oriented controls and ball dribbling.