took a while to get my U9 travel boys from playing forward directly after KO and trusting the process, everyone is buying in now. On Saturday morning match they strung together a kickoff to goal via S>CM>LCB>LFB>LCB>RCB>RFB>goal!! When they came in at water break I asked them about it and they were stoked, talking about how they created space!! When they get these little wins after buying into the process you can start to see it on their faces.

Love your videos. On this one, I'd strongly urge the fullbacks/CBs NOT to start wide. I've seen many players have a tendancy to stay wide, ball-watching a bit, leaving the middle of the pitch open for an attack down Route One. I tell my defenders I want them in the middle of the pitch, because that's where the goal is. Younger teams, especially Rec teams, will have those players go to their spots and... stay there. "Pinch in" and "Push up" the two most common instructions I hear myself giving.

This changes my perspective a lot and I think will take some work with my kids. But seems like the right moves.

Your U12s respond really well to pressure. Well done.

This is great stuff for a competitive team or what not but some of these things would never work during a recreation league game. If your lucky 2/3 out of the 7 field players are actually able to kick the ball correctly to play a pass which makes it very very difficult to play the ball back, create space and not lose it and give up a goal at this age group.

Thanks for the idea, I'll give this ago. I find all kids at most ages want to do is go forward and get the ball in the goal. They seem afraid to go backward and keep the ball, everything seems so rushed.

I have two kids in my U10 team who play a couple of quick wall passes and score. Obviously that does not always happen but often enough. Like this approach here though! Thanks Rory!

I agree with you about playing it back on the kick off. But every now and then I want to see them go forward because I think it's a good problem solving exercise. We want kids to be good confident dribblers. But if they are always afraid to dribble at and through defenders then they will never learn. So, sometimes I say go for it. Of course not every time. Plus, with only 6 field players, they don't have much to contend with relatively speaking. If they can get past the opposing forwards then they just have to get past one or two other players which is quite doable at this age if you have competent forwards. Is that bad for development? Well yes I think it would be if that's all they did. But let's face it, even in the pros there are many times where forwards are on the attack and maybe they are 2v3 or 2v4 and they should drive and not stop and play it back every time.

Are you allowed to have two or even three players in the kickoff circle if your team is kicking off?

please make more of 9 vs 9 tactics.. It's a request...

Looks like you are from the detroit area. What youth clubs do you recommend?

Doesn't the ball have to go forward before you kick it back? And the team on offense can be in the circle. It's the defending team who can't be inside the circle.

Can you make a video on how to defend in the 231

how about shoot direct to oppponet's goal?

what would matchday pregame warm up entail

Go all the way back to CB, check the press and build out. Check!

Playing it back and then switching fields at U8 is not going to end well if the opponent has any athleticism or skill.