Enhancing Teamwork in U-10 Soccer Players: Expert Advice from Coach Motoo Kawamura

09.05.2024

COACH UNITED ACADEMY, a video streaming service dedicated to soccer coaching, is currently streaming videos that serve as valuable references for coaches with limited experience working with U-8 to U-10 players.

As players progress to the U-10 age group, it becomes essential for them to demonstrate their individual skills in a team setting. However, many novice coaches find it challenging to set up and teach group training effectively.

To address this, we invited Motoo Kawamura, Football Director at Bonfim Soccer School, to share his expertise on the theme “Make soccer more fun! Practice methods to deepen teammate passing coordination.” Coach Kawamura has extensive experience coaching youth players and is a specialist in teaching third-person play and group tactics.

What kind of training and encouragement can veteran coaches provide to U-10 kids to teach them “group play”? (Text by Tomoyuki Suzuki)

Improving Teamwork through Effective Communication and Play

The first video theme is “Passing and Control to Deepen Cooperation.” The training includes “Passing and Control (1).” The players are divided into attacking (2 + 2) and defending (2) teams. The attacking team aims to pass the ball between the two defenders or hit one of the defenders with a ground pass.

The defender must run away to avoid being hit by the ball while moving in the same direction to prevent the ball from passing between the two players. Jumping, spreading one’s legs, or passing the ball between the legs are prohibited.

Here, players learn to pass the ball quickly between two defenders, pass the ball to a player on the side, and pass the ball at an angle. With Coach Kawamura’s advice to “kick the ball in a way that makes it easy for the next teammate to receive it,” the team begins to make good passes.

Developing Passing Coordination through Movement

The second video theme is “Passing and controlling while moving” and demonstrates “Passing and Control (2).” A group of five players face each other and use one ball. After passing the ball to the other player, they repeat the movement of lining up at the end of the line of the passer.

Coach Kawamura emphasizes the importance of kicking the ball in a way that prevents the defender from catching up. He explains, “You only need to use force at the moment you kick the ball. Put force into your big toe and lift your toes to stiffen your ankle. Then push and kick. Try not to swing your leg, but push it out.”

Next, he advises the player to watch carefully and pass the ball, as the moment he takes control of the ball and looks up, the receiver will move. He emphasizes the play of “walking with the foot that kicked the ball” and explains the reason for this as, “Some children tried to kick far and swung their legs from their hips. This was to help them acquire the correct form and to cultivate the sensation of pushing off and kicking while walking.”

When coaching U-10s, in addition to verbal explanations, demonstrations are also important. Having fun while setting things up is essential, so we hope you will watch the video repeatedly and use it in your daily training.

[Lecturer]Motoo Kawamura /
After four years as a physical education instructor (early childhood education), he worked for Tokushima Vortis, JFA Shikoku representative, and FC Tokyo as promotion director. He is currently involved in the promotion and development of soccer in the region as a football director at Bonfim Football Park, while also training coaches. He was awarded the Special Merit Award for the Japan Football Association’s 100th anniversary project. He is a Japan Football Association certified A-class general and a Japan Football Association certified kids leader chief instructor.

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Source and textTomoyuki Suzuki