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Rec Coach Curriculum

U6 Curriculum

4v4 diamond (no goalkeepers) · 75-minute sessions · 10 weeks

Welcome, coach — you have the best job at the club. At this age soccer is dribbling, giggling, and scoring goals, so every week is built from games your players will beg to play again. Keep everyone moving, keep a ball on every foot, and finish every session with the kids smiling.

What this season builds toward

  • Every player gets hundreds of touches: dribbling, stopping, and turning with both feet.
  • Simple passing and shooting start to show up in games — a pass to a friend, a shot the moment they see goal.
  • Players try things bravely and learn that mistakes are always okay here.
  • Everyone attacks AND everyone defends in our 4v4 games — no goalkeepers, no fixed positions.
  • Kids leave every single week excited to come back.

Fall 2026

Wk1: BUILDWk2: SEALWk3: SEALWk4: SEALWk5: SEALWk6: OBSERVEWk7: OBSERVEWk8: REACTWk9: REACTWk10: REACT

Fall Break Oct 10–17 — no soccer (between Weeks 6 and 7)

Spring 2027 (provisional)

Wk1: BRAVE*Wk2: BRAVE*Wk3: BRAVE*Wk4: FINISH*Wk5: FINISH*Wk6: FINISH*Wk7: FINISH*Wk8: LEAD*Wk9: LEAD*Wk10: LEAD*

* provisional — dates not yet confirmed

Game day — 4v4 — the 1-2-1 diamond

Play a 1-2-1 diamond: one defender, two wide players, one forward. Managing the game simply is your most important job — set kids up to succeed with structure, not volume. Guide by asking questions instead of shouting instructions, coach the players OFF the ball, and never ask anyone to boot the ball away with no purpose: we want control, passing, dribbling and movement.

  • No goalkeepers — every player attacks and defends together.
  • Get wide when attacking to create space; no one "stands back."
  • Rotate players frequently so every child learns every position.
  • Focus on spacing and fun, not results.
Defender
Stay connected and help behind the play.
Wide players
Stretch the field; look to pass and dribble forward.
Forward
Be ready to receive and finish — and help defend too.
Print this curriculum

A letter-size document — cover, all ten weeks with QR codes, game-day guide, and parent notes.