defensive recovery / tracking back U13 soccer drills

Collective replacement and management of offensive and defensive space

Through this exercise, your players work on collective repositioning, closing down space, and defensive build-up play, as well as finding the available teammate and creating an overload in attack.

On a half-field, set up 2 small goals with cones on each side of the center circle. Place 5 attackers and 4 defenders with a goalkeeper.

The attackers must try to score in the large goal and the defenders in the small goals. The defenders must make at least 3 passes before they can score. The attackers must play quickly, with a maximum of 2 touches.

Change players every 3 minutes.

Explain clearly to the defense the defensive transition when losing the ball: the defender closest to the ball will press the attacker while the others track back into their zone or mark one of the attackers.

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Defensive recovery / Tracking back

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What is the U13 category?

The U13 category represents children aged 12 to 13 years, and it is at this time that soccer concepts and training intensity increase a notch. At this age, children face significant physical changes, requiring training adaptation to support their growth, muscle development, and coordination improvement. Sessions must therefore be designed to meet these needs while continuing to develop their technical and tactical skills.

Objectives of the U13 category

The objectives for U13 expand to include not only technical development and coordination but also the integration of more complex and technical exercises. The focus will be more on developing game awareness both individually and collectively, decision-making in match situations, and improving more specific qualities like passing, shooting, set pieces or even dribbling.

Some tips for coaching a U13 team

For U13 players, it is advisable to avoid overly physical training and to favor activities that promote agility, endurance, and mastery of fundamental soccer qualities. Sessions should be simple yet dynamic, allowing players to improve through exercises that stimulate both their psychomotor development and tactical understanding. The integration of recovery periods is also essential to prevent injuries and promote healthy growth.

To summarize, here are our tips regarding your U13 training sessions:

Avoid "physical" training as you are used to practicing. Favor exercises for agility, endurance, and flexibility to promote psychomotor development.
Conduct simple exercises for your players. Simplicity is crucial as it allows for better learning. It is your animation that will give rhythm to your U13 workshops, not the complexity of your training sessions.
Remember to integrate recovery periods.

What training exercises for U13?

Exercises for U13 should include games and workshops that emphasize individual technique while integrating more advanced tactical elements. Small group play exercises, shooting sessions, and sessions focused on developing team strategy should be prioritized for your training.

Here are some additional ideas to help you:

Possession game: In small groups to improve game awareness and maintaining possession.
Shooting workshops: With various scenarios to work on shooting under pressure, from different angles, with both strong and weak foot…
Quick transition exercises: Attack-defense exercises, and vice versa to develop reactivity and team strategy.
Dribbling sessions: With technical challenges to improve agility and control in match situations.
Small-sided games with specific conditions: For example, limiting the number of touches to encourage quick play and decision-making. Also consider implementing different tactics to teach players the importance of positioning and understanding what works best for your U13 team.