U10 4v4 Festival Season Review Practice Plan

As kids arrive, they each grab a ball and enter a free-play box (about 20x25 yards) next to the game fields. No lines, no waiting—just touches.

• How it runs: players dribble, do turns, and take light shots into a cone goal if you set one up. You float and give quick 1-on-1 help.
• Watch for: head up before they change direction (even one glance counts).
• Cues: “Little touches.” “Show me a turn.” “Can you look up, then go?”
• Common issue: kids start blasting balls into other players.
• Fix: stop the group for 5 seconds: “Shots only at the cone goal, and only if nobody is in front.” Then restart immediately.

Use this time to quietly sort pennies and note who needs extra help with shooting or 1v1 confidence once the games start.

Bring them in on a knee at midfield between the two fields. Keep a ball at your feet to demo quickly.

Explain the day in one breath: we’re playing 4v4, 6-minute rounds, coaches will re-mix teams, and we’re counting four things: take-ons, 3 passes, side-on defending, and laces shots.

• Quick demo: show side-on defending stance (one shoulder forward) and a laces shot (toe down, ankle locked).
• Cues: “When I say ‘switch,’ sprint to your new field.” “If the ball goes out, we play a new ball fast.”
• Common issue: kids ask a bunch of questions and the talk drags.
• Fix: answer one, then say: “We’ll learn it by playing—first round starts now.”

Two games running at once on the 25x35 fields with wide cone goals. Play 4v4; if you have subs, they are “instant on” at the next out-of-bounds.

Theme for this round is bravery on the dribble. You’re counting take-ons, even if they lose it.

• How it runs: coach rolls a new ball in immediately when it goes out. Minimal stoppages—only a quick freeze if you see a perfect teaching moment.
• Watch for: attacker dribbles at the defender (not away) before the move.
• Cues: “Attack space!” “Big touch past!” “Show me a move, then go!”
• Common issue: players dump the ball as soon as pressure arrives.
• Fix: next restart, challenge: “First player who tries a take-on gets a coach point for your team.”

Re-mix teams quickly at the horn—swap two players per team so nobody feels ‘stuck’ with the same group.

Water on the sideline near midfield. While they drink, you reset pennies and tell them the next round’s focus in one sentence.

• Coach job: quietly praise specific actions you saw: “I loved how you dribbled at her and tried the move.”
• Keep it tight: count down the last 10 seconds out loud so they’re ready to sprint back in.

Same fields and teams. This round the defenders get the spotlight: slow down, get side-on, and show the attacker one way.

• How it runs: let play flow, but if you see a defender flying in, freeze for 5 seconds and physically show the stance (one foot back, body turned).
• Watch for: defender’s feet are not square; they’re angled and moving with the attacker.
• Cues: “Slow…don’t stab!” “Side-on!” “Show them outside!”
• Common issue: defender turns their back and chases.
• Fix: on the next rep, start them 2 yards deeper and say: “Stay in front first—then win it.”

Keep tally of great defending moments too (a stop, a forced wide dribble), not just steals.

Re-mix teams again (swap 1–2 players per team). Tell them: “This round we’re hunting 3 passes. When you get 3, I’ll yell ‘THREE!’ and you get a bonus point.”

• How it runs: normal 4v4, but you loudly count connected passes for either team when it’s close (helps them recognize the moment).
• Watch for: after a pass, the passer moves to a new spot instead of standing.
• Cues: “Pass and move!” “Find your friend!” “Can you be wide?”
• Common issue: players try a hard pass through traffic and it gets picked off.
• Fix: remind: “Side pass is a good pass.” If needed, award the bonus only when one pass goes to a wide player.

Quick water. While they drink, you demo one clean laces shot with a ball on the ground—no lecture.

• Cues: “Toe down.” “Lock your ankle.” “Swing big and freeze.”
• Coach note: if kids are slipping into toe-pokes, this 30-second reset pays off in the next round.

Final round—same two fields, wide cone goals, fast restarts. This round we want shots that look like soccer shots: ball out of feet, laces through the middle.

• How it runs: when a player gets a shooting chance, let it happen. If the shot is a toe-poke, don’t stop play—coach it on the run and catch them on the next stoppage for a 5-second correction.
• Watch for: plant foot next to the ball and the shooter’s toe is pointed down.
• Cues: “Out of your feet!” “Plant foot next to it!” “Toe down—laces!”
• Common issue: kids shoot from too far away and it becomes a clearance.
• Fix: set a soft rule: shots count double if taken inside an imaginary ‘close range’ area (about 10–12 yards from goal). You just call it out when it happens.

Keep the energy up, but don’t turn it into chaos—one ball on, one ball ready, and play.

Bring everyone in at midfield with balls at their feet. Have them sit on their ball so hands are free and they’re still.

Give 3–5 specific shout-outs tied to today’s tallies: one for a take-on, one for a 3-pass moment, one for side-on defending, one for a laces shot. Spread it around—recognize effort and improvement, not just the best player.

• Script: “Today I saw brave dribbling from ___. I saw great side-on defending from ___. My best laces shot was ___ because the toe was down and the ankle was locked.”
• Quick recap question: ask the group: “What does ‘toe down’ mean?” and “What does ‘side-on’ look like?” Take two answers and end.
• Finish: team cheer, then dismiss with a clear next step: “Grab your stuff, high-five a coach, and thank your teammate.”