U12 struggling with coaching tactics

I’ve got an awesome group of u12 girls I coach. They are strong, fast and have more endurance than just about every other team we play. They generally have good attitudes, save some grumpiness here and there. They are pretty lackadaisical in practice and I struggle to get them moving, but on game day, they spark

We’ve played teams that have higher skill level, but we win because of speed, endurance and aggression. And we have decent skills.

I am having a hard time finding fun, engaging tactical practices. I realize it’s on me and my fellow coaches to get them moving in practices. So just looking for some drills that will help us with field spacing, pass and move, positioning.

Thanks !

Top replies, most upvoted first

• (+9) Fairly strong of the opinion that most kids just need to play 1v1 2v1 3v2 It's easy to use those formats to recreate different in game scenarios. Put them into two teams, keep score, make it competitive.
• (+7) Make training as game focussed as possible, no cones, no gates, just intense small burst matches with different variations: uneven teams, 5 pass minimum before a shot, two touches only etc. this can be done as a whole squad or broken down into smaller groups. Forwards vs Backs is always fun
• (+2) This sounds fairly similar to my group at that age. Two things. Low practice effort - if they have a poor practice week and in turn have a poor game - jump on that and use it. Only briefly mention at the end of the game (so they hear it but don't linger on the negativity of it) and then at your next practice hit on the point harder. This may help deliver the message that practice and effort at such matter. Also, deliver the message that as they get older and play better teams, that they will be just as fast, just as aggressive, etc. So if they don't develop their skills, they won't have the...
• (+2) I think something that you may be struggling with in your practise is that it’s potentially to stop start. The issue with tactically sessions, especially for young players, is that they struggle to engage as it’s to “thinking” heavy over doing. Now that’s an assumption so I could be wrong. The key with ‘tactics’ at this age is to make it as basic as possible. What is your shape, what is your role and where you are in that shape, how do you create space in that shape and how do you deny it in that shape. You don’t need crazy detailed sessions about the striker does this, wingers do this,...
• (+2) Sounds like the girls groups I had when they were at that age. We always built in small sided games like 3v3 so nobody can hide and put in low effort. They all loved power and finesse, so we made variations on that to focus on certain skills like striking the ball certain ways, more time less time, more space less space, kick it over the bar kick it hard on the ground, and so on. My favorites were somewhat random group challenges we did after warmup or at the end of practice. Some you could classify as plain team building with a soccer theme, but others made them use their heads and their...
• (+2) interesting, we have 2 kids that are great 1-1, look like a million dollars-come game time they constantly try to keep the ball themselves doing their footwork that works 1-1 and they lose the ball everytime
• (+2) I have trouble with all them crowding together in scrimmage so I use cones for 75% to force them to stay spaced run to open lanes, etc
• (+1) Here I do 90 min training for u12 boys. Let them kick around some, so they have some fun and talk. Then start with cardio, not same things, try different variations. Let them race, time their laps, do duos etc. Then passing, dribbling variations, or in game style like monkey in the middle, foot volleyball, and scrimmage with coaches playing too. But you gotta see needed practices, that's the key I think. When I watch their game, I see some mistakes and a practice idea pops up im my mind. This requires some creativity, watching shorts, insight, knowledge to combine. I never replicate shorts,...
• (+1) Rondos, numbers game, conditional scrimmages, 1/2 v 1/2 are my go tos.
• (+1) From your replies, tactical means three things here. Staying spread out, moving after a pass and getting up the field together. Each one can be a single rule added to the scrimmage they already like, so nobody stands in a line. For spacing, a goal stands only when your team has somebody out near each sideline as the shot is taken. They workout fast that two players have to hold the width. For moving up together, a goal stands only when every outfield player on the scoring team is past halfway. That one cures defenders who watch from the back. For pass and move, once you pass you can't have...
• (+1) What do you mean when you say tactical?
• (+1) I also coach 12u boys/girls mixer. I keep my practice 45-60 minutes long depending on how the practice is going. We do things like dribbling between 4-5 cones ending with a goal shot, place same 4-5 cones in a u-shape and have some start on 1 side and others on the other side going at the same time to get comfortable in traffic; set 2 rows of 4 cones about 10 yards or whatever apart going down the middle of the field-i am defense in the middle, I have to stay in between 2 rows of cones, partners are each side of cones and have to play keep away from me and make it down the whole field. main...