Week 1 · U12
Playing out from the back
Objectives — what the players will do
- 1Spread out the second our goalkeeper gets the ball — wide, deep, and at angles
- 2Count the press to find the free player, and play through with short firm passes
- 3Use the goalkeeper as an extra player, and switch sides when one side is crowded
Play 1 — starts when the second player arrives
Goal-Kick Starts
Small-sided game where every restart is a goal kick and both teams must play out short — no long boots allowed. Just watch round one: who finds a spot to help the goalkeeper without being told, and who hides behind a defender?
Practice — the one taught activity of the night
Escape the Third
Mark a defensive third with a halfway line to escape over. Goalkeeper + 3 teammates (two split defenders and a midfielder) vs 2 pressers, live from a goal kick. Escape by passing or dribbling over the line under control = 1 point. The math is the map: they press with 2, so one of our 4 is always free — find them. Two rules from the pros, sized for kids: never three players in one straight line (angles create passing lanes, lines kill them), and a pass back to the goalkeeper is a RESET, not a retreat — it moves their press and starts a new picture. Team mantra: Protect the badge. Rotate the pressing pair often.
Pressers may not go live until the second pass — time to breathe and see the free player.
Add a third presser and cap everyone at two touches — now the switch to the far side is the escape.
Play 2 — always finish playing the real game
Built Goals Count Double
Full scrimmage: any goal from a possession that was built out from the goalkeeper under control counts double. A blind clearance that gifts the ball back gets a quick question, never a punishment — mistakes near our goal are tuition.
Key coaching points — in your own words
- ·They press with two — who is our free player? Count out loud.
- ·Is a pass back to the goalkeeper going backward, or resetting the picture?
- ·Both pressers chase to one side — where must the ball go next?
- ·Angles, not lines: from your spot, can you see the passer AND the way forward?
Add pressers one at a time and let them start closer — never outnumber the builders by more than the game would.
Fewer pressers, bigger third, pressers walk until the first pass.
Game-day focus — watch for this on Saturday
This week borrows big-field 9v9 build-up ideas, but remember: on Saturday we PLAY 7v7 in the 1-2-3-1, so translate it. The goalkeeper splits our two defenders wide of the goal, the nearest midfielder drops in as the free player, and once the press is beaten the defenders step up to midfield instead of staying deep. Crowded side? Switch it wide. Be loudly proud of every brave build, even the ones that break down.
Message to forward to your parents
Playing out from the back is one of the hardest skills in soccer — your child is learning composure under pressure near their own goal. Mistakes here are essential to learning. Cheer the brave pass, never groan the giveaway.
This week's two videos
Prep the night before; copy the activity on the field.
9v9 Soccer: Playing Out from the Back!
Watch the night before to understand the idea
The most complete free 9v9 goal-kick build walkthrough anywhere — setup, patterns, and training design. It's 26 minutes; watch in two sittings before Weeks 1–2.
Watch on YouTubePlaying Out the Back With Neutrals (U10–U13)
A drill you can copy on the field
Neutral-player build game that manufactures the overload so players learn to find the free man on repeat — Session 4's expanded activity, ready-made.
Watch on YouTube