Your First Football Training Session: A Simple Plan

It's the night before your first session and the nerves are kicking in. Relax — you don't need to be a football expert. You need a plan. Here's a simple, proven structure you can walk onto the pitch with tonight.

Before you arrive: the basics

Bring more balls than you think you need (ideally one per child), a set of cones, and bibs in two colours. Arrive ten minutes early to set up so you're not scrambling when children show up. Have a plan written on a card in your pocket — you'll forget it otherwise, and that's completely normal.

Minutes 0–10: Arrival activity

As children arrive, get them straight onto a ball. Don't wait for everyone. A simple free-dribbling game in a marked square — "keep your ball moving, don't bump anyone" — works perfectly. It burns off energy and settles nerves, theirs and yours.

Minutes 10–25: One simple skill

Pick one thing to work on — dribbling is perfect for a first session. Set up a simple activity: dribble to a cone and back, weave through a line of cones, or dribble through "gates" made of two cones. Show it once, quickly, then let them go. Resist the urge to over-explain.

Minutes 25–45: Small-sided games

This is what they came for. Split into small teams — 3v3 or 4v4 — across small pitches. Small numbers mean every child gets loads of touches and goals. Let them play. Step in only to restart the game or offer a quick word of praise.

The golden rules for session one

• Keep everyone moving — no long queues or standing about.
• Talk less than you think you should.
• Praise effort loudly and often.
• Finish with a game so they leave buzzing.

Coaching the youngest age group is genuinely one of the most rewarding jobs in the game. Keep it simple, keep it fun, give them the ball — and you'll do brilliantly. For done-for-you sessions with every drill mapped out, take a look at the DRILLPITCH manual shop.