Core Development Curriculum Outline


General Rules for players as they develop through MSC

  • Always see the opponent's goal before receiving a pass

  • ‘Look’ long, ‘See’ short

  • Square passes are a No-No

  • Confidence (No fear) to play your way out of difficult situations

  • If you apply what your trainer is asking from you in practice and you are the hardest working player on the field, then YOU have had a good day

General Rules for our MSC coaches as they look to develop MSC players

  • ‘Learn by playing/doing’ Verbal Instruction: least effective, Watching: more effective, Doing: MOST effective. Every practice should include games going to goal.

  • Need to instill a work rate and toughness in all players from an early age

  • ‘Scoring goals’ needs to become a culture. Every player, every practice needs to enjoy the feeling of scoring a goal

  • Need to instill a confidence/No fear attitude in our players from an early age to ‘play’ their way out of difficult situations

  • 1v1 defending is a skill set every player should have, not just defenders



Curriculum Framework

Note that the below framework is a guideline to specific practices for the development of our Core players and that our philosophy will be continued into the older age groups with the addition of tactical work playing a larger, but still not a primary role in warm-ups and training sessions. The focus of the Core curriculum is on individual player development, not developing winning teams at the Core ages. We believe that if you create great individual players, team success will come and all our players will ultimately be better off as a result. The fruits of this philosophy can be witnessed in the performances locally, regionally, and nationally by these same senior teams and in the individual accolades garnered by our players.  


U7 and U8

Week 1 – Passing & Receiving

Week 2 – Dribbling

Week 3 – Shooting

Week 4 – Longer Passing & receiving out of the air (age appropriate)

Week 5 – Dribbling to cross, pass, shoot

Week 6 – 1 touch finishing, 2 touch finishing

Week 7 – Receiving on the turn

Week 8 – Dribbling to beat defenders, to pass, cross, shoot

Week 9 – shooting from distance (age appropriate)

Week 10 - Recap

Week 11 – Recap

In-House Game Management

  • 5v5 with Goalkeepers

  • Encourage and teach technical aspects of the game without stopping the game

  • Limited or No tactical advice/teaching required


U9-U10

Week 1 – Passing & receiving under pressure

Week 2 – Dribbling to beat defender

Week 3 – Shooting against goalkeeper

Week 4 – 1v1 defending

Week 5 – longer passing & receiving out of the air, under pressure

Week 6 – 1 touch, 2 touch finishing

Week 7 – receiving to turn, pass, dribble, shoot

Week 8 – 2 v 2 defending

Week 9 – 3v2 decision making, when to pass, dribble, shoot

Week 10 – Recap

Week 11 – Recap

Game Management

  • 7v7 including Goalkeepers

  • Ensure everyone plays at least half a game

  • Ensure every player tries 2 positions per game

  • Reward and encourage technical aspects of the game and encourage brave, attacking play

  • Reward and encourage hard work and toughness

  • Technical advice and teaching should be first and foremost. With this focus, you will find yourself giving less tactical advice which is a good thing. We can not get into a habit of talking every player through every play and developing robots.


U11-U12

Week 1 – Passing out of the back

Week 2 – Dribbling, when to dribble, when to pass (final third)

Week 3 – Finishing from crosses

Week 4 – 1v1, 2v2 defending

Week 5 – Longer passing, switching play

Week 6 – Finishing from long range

Week 7 – Third man Running

Week 8 – Transition from Attack to defense, From Defense to attack/counter-attack

Week 9 – 2 v 3 defending

Week 10 – recap

Week 11 - recap

Game Management

  • 9v9 including GK

  • Ensure everyone plays at least half a game

  • Ensure every player tries 2 positions per game

  • Reward and encourage technical aspects of the game and encourage brave, attacking play

  • Reward and encourage hard work and toughness

  • Tactical advice and teaching is needed but should not be the focus. Technical teaching and encouragement from the sideline.