Week 6 · U14
Passing & link-up play
Objectives — what the players will do
- 1Hit firm, accurate inside-foot passes over 10–15 yards with both feet
- 2Run the up-back-through pattern: pass in, lay it off, play the through ball to a runner
- 3Choose when to pass forward and when the backward pass is the smart reset
Play 1 — starts when the second player arrives
Rondo Builder
Same arrival habit as last week: first players in start a 4v1 keep-away, growing to 5v2 as the team shows up. New rule this week: a pass that goes BETWEEN the two defenders (a ‘split’) is worth 3. Count points out loud; 15 minutes.
Practice — the one taught activity of the night
Up-Back-Through (the Y)
Cones in a Y shape. Player A at the base passes UP into B (the target, back to goal), B lays it BACK softly to A at an angle, and A plays the THROUGH ball past the cones for C, who has timed a run. Everyone follows their pass and rotates A→B→C. Walk it through once, then demand game speed. Run both directions so both feet work. About 25 minutes.
Newer players: shrink distances, ditch the Y, and run simple pass-and-follow in pairs until the inside-foot pass is firm and true. Add the lay-off only when the straight pass is solid.
One-touch lay-offs only, then drop a live defender into the middle who tries to cut out the through ball — now the timing of C’s run and the disguise of A’s pass actually matter.
Play 2 — always finish playing the real game
Line-Break Game
5v5 to small goals, 25 minutes. A pass that goes PAST a defender or a line of defenders and reaches a teammate (a ‘line-breaking pass’ — it removes opponents from the game) earns a bonus point on top of goals. Backward passes that keep the ball are never punished — they are how the next forward pass gets created.
Key coaching points — in your own words
- ·Pass with pace — a soft pass is a tackle waiting to happen.
- ·The lay-off is a gift: soft, angled, into the path of the runner.
- ·Sometimes the bravest pass goes backward — it keeps the ball and resets the attack.
- ·‘Up, back, through — who is your third man?’ Make them name the runner before the rep starts.
- ·Never three players in a straight line — angles make passes possible.
Defender in the pattern, one-touch lay-offs, and a two-touch limit in the game.
Bigger grid, unlimited touches, pattern run unopposed at walking pace first.
Game-day focus — watch for this on Saturday
Break lines on purpose: challenge the team to find ONE forward pass each possession that skips past an opponent line. The midfield three make triangles — two options at angles, never flat. Ask a leader at halftime: ‘how many line-breaks do we have?’ and let them keep count.
Message to forward to your parents
This week is passing with purpose. Next time you watch a game together, count how often a good team passes BACKWARD in order to go forward — then ask your teenager why. Getting them to explain the game is worth more than any sideline instruction.
This week's two videos
Prep the night before; copy the activity on the field.
Best Passing Pattern Youth Soccer
Watch the night before to understand the idea
A youth-specific walkthrough of the up-back-through pattern with setup, coaching points, and progressions — your Week 1 Introduce session almost off the shelf. Note how the 'back' pass is a set for the third player, not a retreat. Coach the trigger loudly: bounce pass hit, third man goes.
Watch on YouTube'Y' Passing Pattern | 5 Variations | Combination & Third Man Run | Football/Soccer
A drill you can copy on the field
The 'Y' pattern with five variations — set plays for training passing range, wall passes and third-man movement. Make it your Week 1–2 technical block and walk up the variations as execution sharpens. Demand game speed by the final rep.
Watch on YouTube