Football coaching tips to help you get pitch dimensions right
Make sure you get the right pitch dimensions for your football coaching session and small-sided games, as this is crucial to helping the session run smoothly.
Last night we finished our outdoor football training session with a 7-a-side practice. We were running short on time and my coaching assistants hastily marked out a pitch using some of the lines already in place on the adult pitch.
To cut a long story short, the game was a disaster. The pitch was too narrow and too long. All of the play was funnelled down the middle with the result that the players were forced to either chase after the ball or stand too far forward in attack or too far back in defence. Most players didn't get any time on the ball, there was only one goal, and only a few proper passes.
Had we taken our time to properly mark the pitch, we would have seen the young players use the space and and pass into it as we have been coaching them all season.
The fault is entirely that of the coaches. We didn't get there early enough, we failed to plan the session properly, and ultimately we missed an opportunity. Lesson learned.
By the way, the session wasn't a complete diaster as the narrow pitch led to lots of throw-ins and the players finally realised that a quick throw over the heads of unprepared defenders leads to goal-scoring opportunities.
As a guide, the recommended pitch sizes for small-sided games are as follows for these different age ranges:
- Under 6, 7 and 8 years of age: 35 yards x 25 yards.
- Under 9 and 10 years of age: 45 yards x 35 yards.
- Under 11 and 12 years of age: 70 yards x 50 yards.
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