Technical

This is the age where technical training is usually wrapped around fitness training. Coaches will spend less time teaching technical skills in training sessions and more time creating environments using small sided activities to reinforce already learned technical skills.

The responsibility falls heavily on the players at this point to continue to work and hone their technical skills by spending time with a ball outside of organized training. Coaches can facilitate this by identifying player weaknesses and providing ideas and activities for the player to address those weaknesses on their own.

Tactical

All tactical concepts are in full play at this point. Coaches may demand that players see and understand the game like competent adults, even though they won’t be able to yet.

Global soccer concepts such as matchups, opponent strengths and weaknesses, formations, field and weather conditions, etc all coming together to dictate decisions.