How to Coach Excited 7 Year Olds in Soccer

Little kids get excited about most things. Unless their parents dragged them out to the field, they will be thrilled to try out soccer!

You’ll get those kids who won’t pay attention, will let the ball roll past them, or will fake injuries. You’ll also get some that eat up everything you say.

This👆is the exciting part about coaching 7 year olds!

In this article, I’ll teach you how you can impact most of your team (there are always a few that are one-and-done).

How Should I Coach 7 Year Olds in Soccer?

Children are still developing their motor skills and coordination, so it’s important to keep the focus on fun and learning.

It’s also important to keep them engaged as best as you can!

In this section, we’ll explore some tips for getting started with coaching 7-year-olds.

Understanding the Age Group

Before you start coaching, it’s important to understand their developmental stage.

Children are still learning how to interact with others and how to work as part of a team. They are also developing their physical, cognitive, and emotional skills.

For this reason, it’s important to keep the drills and activities simple.

Setting Realistic Goals

When coaching, it’s important to set realistic goals. Don’t expect them to master complex soccer skills right away. Don’t even try it.

Instead, focus on basic skills such as dribbling, passing, and shooting. Start with simple drills and gradually increase the difficulty level as the children progress.

Remember, the goal is to help the children enjoy the game and learn new skills.

The ultimate goal is that they come back next year!

If you have a 100% success rate, you’ve done your job very well. Kudos to you!

Creating a (Very) Fun Environment

Creating a fun environment is key to coaching younger kids.

There’s no doubt that children have short attention spans. So, it’s important to keep the activities short and engaging.

Use colorful cones, balls, and other equipment to make the activities more fun. Encourage the children to cheer each other on and celebrate their successes.

Above all, make sure the children are having fun and enjoying themselves.

What Do You Need For Coaching?

There’s not a lot you need to coach soccer. Here is a list of recommended things you’ll want to have:

1. Soccer Balls

You will want to have enough soccer balls for each child to use during practice. It is recommended to use size 3 balls as they are the appropriate size for 7-year-olds.

Make sure the balls are inflated and in good condition.

2. Cones

Cones are essential for setting up drills and creating boundaries.

They can also be used to mark the location of the goals.

You will need at least 10 cones to start with.

3. Goals

Small soccer goals are ideal for 7-year-olds, like this one…

If you don’t have access to small goals, you can use cones to mark the location of the goals. Make sure the goals are properly anchored and secure.

4. Jerseys (for games)

Your league should supply you with t-shirts or jerseys for games.

For practices, make sure you have pinnies on hand to separate the kids if you scrimmage or play other games.

5. First Aid Kit

Accidents happen all the time at this age. Most of the injuries are minor, some are weird, and very few are serious.

It’s important to have a first aid kit with you at practices and games.

Make sure it includes the essentials such as bandages, antiseptic wipes, and other items.

6. Water

Kids should bring their water bottles. But, there are always those busy parents who forget to send their child with one.

It’s a good idea to have some water bottles in your bag just in case a kid can’t play because they are “dying of thirst”.

What Are the Best Soccer Drills for 7 Year Olds?

Here’s where the fun begins. You can use these drills throughout your practices.

1. Dribbling Relay Race

This drill is an excellent way to teach your team how to dribble while running and changing direction.

1. Divide your team into two or more groups and have them line up at one end of the field.
2. Place cones at the other end of the field.
3. The first player from each team must dribble the ball to the other side and back.

Once they reach their team, the next player goes, and so on — the first team to finish wins.

As the season progresses, you can line up the cones closer and they have to dribble around them like this…

2. Red Light, Green Light

This is a classic! It teaches the kid to stop and go but also listen to the coach.

1. Have your players line up at one end of the field.
2. You stand at the other end.
3. When you say “green light,” the players start dribbling the ball toward you, and when you say “red light,” they must stop the ball immediately.

If a player doesn’t stop in time, they are out. The last player standing wins.

3. Sharks and Minnows

This drill is a fun game that can help your players learn how to dribble the ball while avoiding defenders.

1. Choose two players as “sharks,” and the rest as “minnows.”
2. The minnows must dribble the ball from one end of the field to the other while avoiding the sharks.
3. If a shark kicks the ball away from a minnow, they become a shark.

The last minnow standing wins!

Create a Positive Environment

Positive reinforcement is an essential aspect of coaching young children. It helps to build their confidence and encourages them to keep trying.

When a child does something well, make sure to praise them for it. You can use phrases like “Good job!” or “Well done!” to let them know they are doing well.

Always reward effort over the outcome (i.e. – winning).

Also, know the player. Some players need praise while others need to be challenged.

Understanding your players at the beginning of the season will help drive these coaching strategies.

Final Thoughts

It’s great that you’ve stepped up to coach the rugrats!

When I look back at my coaching days, this is the age where I had the most fun.

They were like sponges soaking up everything I told them.

Some of them are still playing, but most are not. But, I hope I had a (small) impact on their life.

You’ll be in a position to influence, motivate, and impact the future!