The following is an excerpt from The Ultimate Youth Coaches Training Guide; A Complete 6 to 10 Year Old Developmental Coaching and Training Program.

This program is perfect for youth coaches wanting practices to start their soccer coaching education and it is also for those more advanced and experienced coaches wanting to train their players as best they can at these wonderful open minded ages for development and education

To increase the players awareness instincts ask them to call the name of the player out who they will be passing to, before they receive the ball. This ensures they look to see who is free before they receive the ball so they know in advance who is free to receive.

One ball, (1) runs and passes to (4) and takes their place. (4) Takes the ball, runs and passes to (8) and so on.

Progression: Introduce two, then three, then four balls all going at the same time. “Awareness” of where each player is running is needed here so they don’t collide and where potential free players to receive are “before” you make the run and pass.

Coaching Points:

1. Good communication between the players.
2. Quality of the pass (timing, accuracy and weight).
3. Good first touch by the receiver.
4. Progression – Passer becomes a passive defender who puts the receiver under pressure. The receiver must move the ball away at an angle from the pressure on their first touch.

Get more circle awareness training and lots more in the Soccer Awareness Ultimate Youth Coaches Training Guide.