First-Time Coach · Ages 13–17 · Grassroots Football
Football
Training
Drills
A Complete Beginner Coach's Guide · Teenagers · U13–U17 · Passing · Dribbling · Shooting · Defending · Small-Sided Games
⚽ Your First Session
Don't panic! Teenagers want to play, not listen. Keep instructions under 60 seconds, demonstrate every drill yourself, and keep everyone moving at all times. Boredom is your biggest enemy — if players are standing in a queue for more than 30 seconds, change the drill.
🏃 Golden Rules
Every player should have a ball (or share 1 between 2 max). Always warm up first. Progress from simple to complex within each drill. Use small-sided games — they produce 3× more touches than full-sided play. Praise effort loudly; correct technique quietly.
📋 Equipment Needed
Footballs (1 per 2 players) · 20–30 cones · Bibs / training vests (2 colours) · 4–6 small goals or cone goals · 1 full-size goal · Whistle · Enough space: minimum half-pitch. Optional: training poles, agility ladders.
Warm-Up Drills
The most fundamental drill in football — and the most important lesson for new players. Every pass must be followed by movement. Stand still after passing and you're teaching bad habits from day one.
- Split into pairs, 10–15 yards apart. Player A has the ball.
- Player A passes to Player B using the inside of their foot.
- Immediately after passing, Player A moves to a new position — left, right, forward.
- Player B controls and returns the pass to Player A's new location.
- Repeat continuously. Focus on quality of touch and weight of pass.
Shout "show for the ball!" to encourage players to move to an angle rather than just standing in a straight line. Pass and move is the foundation of every possession-based system in the world.
Limit to two touches (one to control, one to pass). Then try one-touch passes only. Increase distance to 20 yards. Add a third player to create a triangle.
The classic Rondo — loved by Pep Guardiola, Xavi, Johan Cruyff. Players on the outside keep possession while the defenders try to intercept. Simple, high-intensity, massively effective for teenagers.
- Mark a circle about 10 yards in diameter with cones.
- 6 players spread evenly around the outside. 2 defenders inside.
- Outer players keep the ball away from the 2 defenders.
- If a defender wins the ball, the player who lost it swaps to defend.
- Rotate defenders every 90 seconds so everyone takes a turn.
Tell players to keep their body "open" — side-on so they can see the whole circle when receiving. One-touch passing makes it almost impossible for defenders to intercept. Reward good one-touch play with loud encouragement.
Limit outer players to 2 touches max. Then 1 touch only. Add a 3rd defender. Make the circle smaller (8 yards) to increase pressure. Try 4v2 in a 10×10 square instead.
Dribbling Drills
The classic cone weave is the foundation of close ball control. Teenagers need to develop comfort dribbling with both feet in tight spaces — this delivers exactly that, plus you can turn it into a timed race to keep motivation high.
- Set up 6–8 cones in a straight line, 1.5 metres apart.
- Player dribbles through the cones using both feet alternately.
- At the end, turn and dribble back through the other side.
- Focus on small, tight touches — don't knock the cones over.
- Time each player — race format makes teenagers work harder.
Shout "head up!" constantly. Players who look at the ball instead of the field will struggle in matches. Turn it into a relay race between two lines for maximum energy.
Inside foot only → outside foot only → both feet. Add a finishing shot at the end. Make cones closer (1m apart) for advanced players. Try with a trailing defender to add pressure.
Teenagers love competition. The 1v1 box battle puts two players against each other in a tight space — attacker tries to dribble through or around the defender to score in a mini goal. It develops skill moves, body feints, and defensive positioning simultaneously.
- Set up multiple 15×10 yard boxes. One mini goal on each short end.
- Pair players — one attacker, one defender per box.
- Coach plays ball in. Attacker tries to score. Defender tries to win ball.
- If defender wins the ball, they immediately become the attacker.
- Play 3-minute rounds. Rotate pairs after each round.
Coach attackers to use a change of pace — slow down to invite the defender in, then explode past them. Coach defenders to stay on their feet and not dive in too early.
Make the box smaller (10×8 yards) for advanced groups. Add a time limit — attacker must score in 10 seconds. Allow defenders to counter-attack if they win the ball.
Passing Drills
The 4v2 Rondo is arguably the most-used drill in professional football academies worldwide. Four players keep possession against two pressing defenders in a small square. It teaches decision-making under pressure faster than any other drill.
- Mark a 10×10 yard square with 4 cones at the corners.
- 4 players take up positions around the outside of the square. 2 defenders inside.
- Outer players pass among themselves, keeping the ball from the 2 defenders.
- If a defender wins the ball, the player who made the error swaps in to defend.
- Award a point for every 10 consecutive passes completed.
Tell possession players to move along the edge of the square after passing — don't stand still. The hardest thing for teenagers to learn is that the player without the ball is doing the most important work.
2-touch rule → 1-touch only. Make the square smaller (8×8 yards). Try 5v2 or 6v3. Introduce a "safe zone" where the ball carrier can take unlimited touches but only for 2 seconds.
Three players form a triangle and pass around it — but critically, after every pass the passer follows their pass and takes the receiver's position. Teaches passing angles, movement, and the concept of "third-man runs".
- Place 3 cones in a triangle ~15 yards per side. One player at each cone.
- Player A passes to Player B. After passing, A runs to where B was standing.
- Player B receives, controls, and passes to Player C. B then runs to C's position.
- Continue rotating — always follow your pass.
- Count how many passes the group completes in 60 seconds.
Make it competitive: which triangle can complete 20 passes first? Later, add a "switch direction" command so they have to adapt mid-drill — great for developing spatial awareness.
Shooting & Finishing Drills
High volume shooting drill that gives every player lots of attempts on goal. Three queues of players approach from the left, centre, and right, taking turns to shoot. Simple, high-energy, and teenagers never get bored of it.
- Set up 3 cones in an arc, 14–18 yards from goal. One queue behind each cone.
- Coach or a player rolls/passes the ball to the shooting cone position.
- Player takes one or two touches to set their body, then shoots.
- After shooting, player collects ball and joins end of a different queue.
- Focus on technique: plant foot beside the ball, knee over ball, strike through the middle.
Correct technique first, power second. Teenage players almost always try to blast the ball — teach them that accuracy and placement beats raw power. Award bonus points for hitting the corners of the goal.
Add a defender to close down the shooter. Have shooter receive a pass first (first-time finish). Try crossing and finishing — ball delivered from wide, striker meets it in the box. "World Cup" game: knock-out format, last player to score is eliminated.
Combines dribbling and finishing in one fluid motion — much closer to a real game scenario than static shooting. Players dribble through a short slalom then drive at goal. Encourages carrying the ball at speed with composure in front of goal.
- Set 4 cones in a zigzag pattern, starting 30 yards from goal.
- Player starts with ball at feet, dribbles through all 4 cones.
- After the last cone, player shoots from the edge of the area.
- Time each run — fastest player with a goal wins the round.
- Next player goes as soon as the previous player has cleared the final cone.
Encourage players to look up before the final cone to pick their spot in the goal before they shoot. Decision-making before the shot is the mark of a clinical finisher.
Defending Drills
Teaching teenagers how to defend is often more valuable than any shooting drill. Shadow Defending teaches the basic principles: stay goal-side, keep your shape, slow the attacker down, and only tackle when you're certain to win.
- In pairs, inside a 20×10 yard channel. Attacker has ball at one end.
- Attacker tries to dribble to the far end. Defender mirrors their movement.
- Defender stays 2–3 yards away, side-on stance, one foot forward.
- Defender's aim: delay, force the attacker wide, and only tackle at the right moment.
- Swap roles after each rep. Discuss what worked and what didn't.
The biggest teenage defending mistake: diving in. Teach them patience — a good defender waits for the attacker to make the mistake. "Jockey, don't tackle" is a phrase worth repeating until it sticks.
Allow the defender to actually tackle (not just shadow). Add a mini-goal at each end — attacker scores in the far goal, defender scores in the near goal if they win the ball. Group defending: 2v2 in the channel.
Pressing is a core skill in modern football. This game puts 3 defenders against 4 possession players — the outnumbered defending team must press together to win the ball. Teaches coordinated pressing and immediate transition after winning possession.
- 25×20 yard grid. 4 players keep possession. 3 players defend.
- Defending team presses together as a unit to win the ball.
- If defenders win the ball, they immediately counter-attack to a mini goal.
- If possession team completes 10 passes, they score a point.
- Swap roles after 4 minutes. Which team concedes fewer points?
Teach the concept of "trigger pressing" — the whole team presses when the ball goes to a specific player (e.g. the one under pressure or facing away from goal). Press as a unit, never alone.
Small-Sided Games
One of the best small-sided games in existence — 4v4 with a goal on each side of the pitch means teams can attack AND defend in multiple directions. Players are constantly scanning and switching, developing awareness and decision-making at an incredible rate.
- Set up a 30×25 yard pitch with one mini goal on each of the 4 sides.
- Two teams of 4. No goalkeepers.
- Teams can score in ANY of the 4 goals.
- To score, the ball must pass through the goal from the outside.
- After every goal, restart from the centre. First to 5 goals wins.
This game produces 3× more touches per player than a full-sided game. Because goals can be scored anywhere, players must constantly move, scan, and switch the point of attack. Watch and marvel — then give minimal instruction. Let the game teach.
Add a 2-touch rule to force quicker play. Allow players to score only by playing a through-pass that a teammate runs onto. Add a centre circle — teams must pass through it before scoring.
The session finisher — a conditioned game that applies everything from the session. The condition (wide zones = free touches) encourages players to use width, which teenagers naturally avoid. Running a structured conditioned game teaches tactical concepts without a lecture.
- Set up a 7v7 on half a pitch with 2 full goals and goalkeepers.
- Mark wide zones (~12 yards wide) down each touchline with cones.
- CONDITION: Any player in the wide zone gets unlimited touches (free play).
- Teams must try to use the wide players to attack, rather than going direct.
- Play 2×8 minute halves. Swap sides and change the condition if needed.
The "condition" is the teaching tool. Change it weekly to reinforce different lessons: 2-touch only = passing speed; must score with a header = crossing; 3+ passes before shooting = build-up play. The game is always the best teacher.
Every player must touch the ball before a shot · Must score with a first-time finish · Goals only count from crosses · Every goal requires a pass from inside the opposition half · Outfield players can only shoot from outside the area
90-Minute Session Plan
⏱ Sample 90-Minute Session — "Passing & Movement"
First-Time Coach Survival Guide
Keep Instructions Short
Teenagers switch off after 60 seconds of talking. Explain a drill in under 30 seconds, demonstrate it, then start. Fix mistakes during the drill, not before. If they're doing it wrong, stop briefly, correct one thing only, and restart.
Everyone Touches the Ball
Standing in a long queue waiting for one shot at goal is the death of engagement. Design drills so every player has the ball at their feet as much as possible. Aim for: every player touches the ball at least once every 30 seconds.
Make Everything Competitive
Teenagers are motivated by competition. Turn every drill into a game: who completes 20 passes first? Who dribbles through the cones fastest? Which team wins the rondo? Competition multiplies effort and focus automatically.
End Every Session with a Game
Always finish with a small-sided game. It applies all the skills, gives maximum ball time, and players leave feeling they played football — not just did drills. They'll come back next week because the session was fun.
Praise Loudly, Correct Quietly
When a teenager does something well, shout it. When they make a mistake, walk over and quietly show them how to do it better. Public humiliation kills confidence and engagement. Public praise builds team culture.
Have a Plan, but Be Flexible
Write your session plan before training — but if something isn't working or the energy drops, adapt. The best coaches read the room. If players are loving the rondo, keep it going. If energy is low, go straight to the small-sided game. The plan is a guide, not a script.