Player development guide for Stanislaus United Soccer Club.

1. Prepared by:
Antonio Reis
Director of Coaching

2. Objectives
 Create a sustainable community based soccer club that provides
for development of competitive soccer while catering to the
community wellbeing and the region’s youth needs.
 Establish dominance in adult soccer competition by
implementation of continuous improvement programs aiming at
creating excellence in soccer development.
 Establish a soccer culture emphasizing “fair play” and “lifelong
love of the sport”.
 Creation of an environment that develops a “sense of belonging”
to a positive organization.

3. Introduction to Player Development Theory
 It takes time to learn. (Patience)
 Fast learners don’t perform any better once the technique is mastered.
 Use every opportunity to emphasize fair play.
 Play hard and clean.
 The utmost respect to team mates and opponents.
 Create players that understand the game.
 Robots need programming for every situation.
 Players need to adapt to the situation.
 To master a technique, it requires repetition. (Manage your expectations)
 Start simple and progress slowly.
 Expect the player to have some difficulty and frustration. (be positive)
 Don’t stop practice until technique is mastered.
 The drill at the appropriate time, at the appropriate speed with the
appropriate constraints. (Simple, easy and effective)

4. Introduction of Player Development to Coaches
 Coach with the objective of teaching soccer.
 If you are good at teaching, money and trophies will come.
 Coach the player’s long-term needs first and than the team.
 Don’t coach to win the season, coach to win the World Cup.
 Use every opportunity to teach the basics.
 Great strategic schemes are only good for a few games. Soccer basics are for the life of
the player. Without basic skills the player can’t progress.
 Coach everyone … at their skill level.
 The club must not reject anyone.
 We must assemble groups with identical skills to have effective development.
 A unified set of development goals that span the entire Club spectrum and are
visible to all players and parents.
 Select and train groups with identical skills.
 Provide challenging competition for the selected groups.
 Provide education for all coaches to further promote soccer in the region.

5. Introduction of Player Development to Coaches
 Be humble and cooperative with other coaches, clubs and sports.
 Without them we can’t accomplish our objectives.
 Always expect and portrait high ethical standards and honesty.
 There is never a situation where unethical behavior or dishonesty are justifiable .
 Manage players and parent expectations.
 The right type of training, in the right amount at the right time.
 A player must train at his/her skill level. Parents must accept the coach’s decisions.
 A player must play in the game. If the competition is too high, place the player in a lower
competition level.
 Coach to serve the club’s main team.
 The efficiency of the club’s development is based on the quality of the older players.
 The goal of the player is to be selected for the top teams.
 Move the players up but expect to have a team.
 Elite players are expected to train and play up.
 Coaches expected to release the top players without losing them.
 Coordinate events to optimize players training schedules.

6. Player Development – What is expected, When
 U6 to U8
 Some level of coordination with and without the ball.
 Balance and psychomotor initiation.
 Combination of tasks… sequence and simultaneous.
 Wiliness to participate in games.
 Emphasis on small sided games.
 Training structure based on optimization of ball touches.
 Progression from 1vs1 to 4vs4.
 Two to three practices per week.
 One small side game per week.
 Everyone plays.
 No standings
 Balanced groups
 Maintain poor definition of a team. (allow players to play in multiple teams)

7. Player Development – What is expected, When
 U9 to U10
 Good grasp of combination of movements.
 Master basic contact with the ball.
 Differentiation of force requirements.
 Orientation of the ball on first touch.
 Orientation of the player when receiving the ball
 Adequate proficiency in passing, dribbling and shooting at moderate speed.
 Good equilibrium.
 High degree of creativity. (degree of success is not important)
 Some level of group coordination.
 Good understanding of 4vs4 exchanges.
 Fair movement without the ball.
 Fair level of communication between players.
 Good anticipation and reaction.
 Group works towards scoring and defending.
 Good relation to the ball
 Player wants the ball.
 Player manages the ball.

8. Player Development – What is expected, When
 U9 to U10 (cont)
 Players are not conformed with loosing
 Emphasis on small sided games.
 Training structure based on optimization of ball touches.
 Break down training modules into small pieces before attempting the desired final
activity.
 Provide enough repetition so that players master the basic techniques.
 Always emphasize and demand proper execution of the basics.
 Progression from 4vs4 to 9vs9.
 Two to three practices per week of structured training. At least one hour per day
of unstructured activity.
 One small side game per week.
 Everyone plays.
 No standings
 Balanced teams

9. Player Development – What is expected, When
 U11 to U13
 Players demonstrate significant ability to be trained.
 Players show a positive attitude in practice and games.
 Player shows enthusiasm and ability to concentrate.
 Players have good individual technical ability on the ball.
 Consistent passing on target.
 Consistent management of ground passes.
 Proper position while passing and receiving.
 Timing and use of space on and to the ball.
 Players have a high level of coordination with their movements.
 Players are creative with coordination. (Success not so important)
 While managing the ball. (dribble, change of speed, first touch passes)
 While moving without the ball. (loosing mark, anticipate, mark)
 Players demonstrate control of force when of striking the ball.
 Power vs accuracy.
 Strike zone.
 Range.

10. Player Development – What is expected, When
 U11 to U13 (cont)
 Good team coordination.
 Good understanding of 4vs4 plus keepers (futsal)
 Excellent commitment to ball possession. (share it with the team while keeping it from
opponents with the objective of scoring goals)
 Group must be enthusiastic denying and scoring goals. (excessive dribbling and
showmanship are not desirable. Disrespect and demeaning of any form to the opponent
is not tolerated)
 Players are fast to react and fast in the decision in how to intervene in the play.
 Emphasis on technical awareness.
 Training structure based on optimization of decision making.
 Always practice with a ball.
 Provide enough repetition so that players master the basic techniques.
 Always emphasize and demand proper execution of the basics.
 Evaluation and monitoring of individual players:
 Fitness test- Cooper test and 20 meter beep test.
 Speed test- 20 meters and 40 meters.

11. Player Development – What is expected, When
 Emphasis on technical awareness. (U11 to U13 cont)
 Physical Conditioning. (Other than with the ball)
 Core training using the players own weight once per week.
 Plyometric training twice monthly.
 Agility training other than plyometric once per week.
 Flexibility training.
 Static flexibility training once per week.
 Dynamic flexibility training in every practice and game.
 Three practices per week of structured training. At least one hour per day of
unstructured activity.
 One game per week.
 Everyone plays.
 Elite players have a chance to play up.
 Maximize play time to all players.
 Evaluate players and plan specific training activities depending on
performance.

12. Player Development – What is expected, When
 U14 to U16
 Players demonstrate level of commitment to the program.
 Highly developed intrinsic desire to continue with the sport. Begin to be recognized as
successful in soccer.
 Player works towards total sports mastery.
 Players master technical ability on the ball.
 Reinforce the skill learned but with increased power and speed.
 Develop pride in quality of play. (Professional soccer is entertaining)
 Players start to develop substantial speed, strength, power and endurance.
 Players develop self style of soccer. (based on sound basic skills)
 Player establish specific position on the field
 Player develops personal accountability for his/her decisions
 Players starts to develop a lifestyle aligned with soccer.
 Nutrition.
 Behavior.
 Responsibility.

13. Player Development – What is expected, When
 Emphasis on perfecting individual technique. (U14 to U16)
 Performance under pressure with increased speed and power.
 Space awareness. (Individual ability to create space)
 Defending
 Attacking
 Transitions
 Emphasis on tactical development.
 “Play like you practice” attitude.
 Motivation to repeat the activity until the objectives are achieved.
 Ability to motivate others to achieve the objectives.
 Principals of offense.
 Principals of defense.
 Emphasis on physical conditioning.
 Strength training and speed training once per week. (with ball whenever possible)
 Power training twice monthly alternated with speed training. (with ball whenever possible)
 Core training once per week.
 Plyometric training twice monthly.
 Agility training other than plyometric once per week.
 Flexibility training.
 Static flexibility training twice per week.
 Dynamic flexibility training in every practice and game.

14. Player Development – What is expected, When
 Everyone plays. (U14 to U16)
 Elite players practice and play as a group.
 Three to four practices per week of structured training. At least one hour per day of
unstructured activity. (street soccer)
 One game per week.
 Maximize play time to all players.
 Create a league program for the least able players so that it is possible for the players
to play full games.
 Evaluate and plan specific training to aid the needs of the individual player.
 Evaluation and monitoring of individual players:
 One minute, push-ups and sit-ups (30,40)
 Fitness test- Cooper test and 20 meter beep test.
 Speed test- 20 meters and 40 meters. (3.5 sec, 5.5 sec)
 40 meters technical test.
 Vertical jump. (60 cm)
 300 meter shuttle
 3 hop test.
 Hop and leap test. (90%, 110% player’s height)

15. Player Development – What is expected, When
 U17 to U19
 Program for elite players only. (others play recreational soccer)
 Players demonstrate high level of proficiency to play the game.
 Player trains to win games.
 Player works towards professional status.
 Player loves to compete at the highest level.
 Players master technical ability on the ball.
 Reinforce the skill learned but with explosive power and speed.
 Emphasize quality every time he touches the ball. (Professional soccer is entertaining)
 Players develops endurance. (90 minutes player)
 Players develop self style of soccer. (based on sound basic skills)
 Player becomes proficient in a specific position on the field.
 Player contributes for the leadership structure of the team.
 Players ascertains a lifestyle aligned with soccer.
 Nutrition.
 Behavior.
 Responsibility.

16. Player Development – What is expected, When
 Emphasis on developing explosive speed of play. (U17 to U19)
 Development of confidence with and without the ball.
 Speed optimization in reaction, play perception and play anticipation.
 Synchronization of communication and action speed.
 Emphasis on tactical development.
 Systematic approach to explore opponent’s weakness.
 Motivation to repeat the activity until the objectives are achieved.
 Ability to work with others in complex training to achieve the objectives.
 Principals of offense.
 Principals of defense.
 Transition methods.
 Emphasis on physical conditioning.
 Strength training and speed training once per week. (with ball whenever possible)
 Power training once per week alternated with speed training. (with ball whenever
possible)
 Core training once per week.
 Plyometric training twice monthly.
 Agility training other than plyometric once per week.
 Flexibility training.
 Static flexibility training twice per week.
 Dynamic flexibility training in every practice and game.

17. Player Development – What is expected, When
 Everyone plays. (U17 to U19)
 Elite players practice with main team once per week.
 Elite players play with main team at the main team’s coach request.
 Maximize play time to all players.
 Three to four practices per week of structured training. At least one hour per day of
unstructured activity. (street soccer)
 One game per week.
 Evaluate and plan specific training to aid the needs of the individual player.
 Evaluation and monitoring of individual players:
 One minute, push-ups and sit-ups (30,40)
 Fitness test- Cooper test and 20 meter beep test.
 Speed test- 20 meters and 40 meters. (3.5 sec, 5.5 sec)
 40 meters technical test.
 Vertical jump. (60 cm)
 300 meter shuttle
 3 hop test.
 Hop and leap test. (90%, 110% player’s height)