{"id":25076,"date":"2024-04-02T11:38:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-02T00:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/?p=25076"},"modified":"2026-04-13T00:16:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T07:16:07","slug":"developing-u8-u12-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/developing-u8-u12-players\/","title":{"rendered":"Developing U8-U12 Players"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Foundation Phase is a crucial time for young players. From the ages of eight- to 12-years-old, they will hopefully build the skills and confidence to underpin a lifetime of participation and further development in the game. As coaches, our job is to facilitate this process and provide varied and stimulating learning environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Below, Lee Hodge, Head of Academy Coaching at Plymouth Argyle FC, shares his insights from the world of youth football, as he outlines his approach to developing 8-12 year-old players.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"padding:56.25% 0 0 0;position:relative;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/908055207?h=5f93d49395&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" title=\"Developing U8-12 Players - Lee Hodge\"><\/iframe><\/div><script src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/api\/player.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">In This Article<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#developing-confidence-and-cores-kills\">Developing Confidence and Core Skills<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#progressing-along-the-practice-spectrum\">Progressing Along the Practice Spectrum<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#making-considered-interventions\">Making Considered Interventions<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#taking-a-player-centred-approach\">Taking a Player-Centred Approach<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#the-key-points\">The Key Points<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"developing-confidence-and-cores-kills\">Developing Confidence and Core Skills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When working with young players, one of our primary objectives should be to help them build their relationship with the ball. \u201cDeveloping the core techniques \u2014 such as passing and dribbling \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/how-to-improve-ball-control-ball-mastery-and-manipulation\/\">so that kids can outplay opponents in 1v1 situations<\/a> is really important,\u201d says Hodge. \u201cFor me, it\u2019s that simple: really help your players to develop technically.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To help kids gain confidence and hone their technique, Hodge advocates using unopposed technical practices: \u201cGive kids lots of repetition practising specific skills, so that they feel confident executing them in unopposed environments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you put a child in a game straight away, they\u2019ll simply revert back to what they already know and feel comfortable doing. So unopposed ball-mastery work that is relevant to the game, with lots of repetition, is really valuable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As Hodge explains, we can use unopposed practices to let our players experience success while giving them the freedom to experiment. And this lays the foundations for more advanced practice activities later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"progressing-along-the-practice-spectrum\">Progressing Along the Practice Spectrum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, our sessions are also invaluable opportunities for kids to play with their peers and experience activities with high levels of realism. So how do we strike the balance between opposed and unopposed practices?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hodge advises coaches to gradually increase the complexity of their activities as the session progresses: \u201cStart unopposed, then refine the skill you\u2019re working on <a href=\"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/1-on-1-soccer-training\/\">with 1v1s<\/a>, 2v2s, and so on, before moving to a game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf we work on a particular technique in the unopposed section, we can design the skill portion of the session [the 1v1s and 2v2s] so that players repeatedly do that same technique. We might have a couple of progressions within this section. And then we\u2019d look for players to use that technique in the game as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI like the simplicity of having three parts,\u201d adds PDP Co-Founder Dave Wright. \u201cIt \u2018scaffolds\u2019 the learning nicely; we work on something specific, and potentially increase the number of players and\/or sizes of playing areas over the course of the practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAnd with only two or three activities throughout the entire session, we can give the players lots of reps while ensuring they receive enough time to get into the flow of learning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"making-considered-interventions\">Making Considered Interventions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another way to ensure a good flow throughout our sessions is to be considerate in our use of interventions. \u201cI like to coach on the fly, so that I\u2019m not constantly stopping the session,\u201d says Hodge. \u201cThe game\u2019s happening and I\u2019m on the move, coaching as they\u2019re playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI might stop the activity if I feel the group needs it \u2014 but I try to limit how often I do that through my practice design; I carefully consider the language I&#8217;m going to use, what might happen, and when I might have to intervene or make changes <em>before<\/em> each session.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As coaches, we should also remember that <a href=\"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/masterclass-discussions-the-art-of-effective-coach-communication\/\">there are many different intervention styles<\/a>, and not limit ourselves to just one or two. \u201cDon\u2019t always coach the same way, because it won\u2019t work for everyone,\u201d Hodge explains. \u201cFor example, many coaches like pulling players to one side during practice, but some individuals don\u2019t want that, and potentially don\u2019t listen because they\u2019re preoccupied with the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFor those individuals, it might be more beneficial to stand on their shoulder and talk to them as they\u2019re playing. Or to stop the game entirely. You might be stopping it for that individual, but you\u2019ll help everyone else at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBut remember: we want the kids playing as much as possible. So ensuring that we\u2019re really <a href=\"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/140-character-coaching\/\">clear and concise with our interventions<\/a> is vital.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"taking-a-player-centred-approach\">Taking a Player-Centred Approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, Hodge reminds coaches to tailor their sessions to the players in front of them. This means letting the individuals in our group \u2014 and factors like their strengths and the areas they need to work on, their personalities, and the outcomes they wish to achieve \u2014 guide our overall approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every individual will have different developmental goals, benefit more from different practice activities, and respond best to different intervention styles. Understanding all of the individuals in our group, and balancing their competing needs, is key to<strong> <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/the-player-centred-approach\/\">player-centred coaching<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI always want to work with the individuals,\u201d concludes Hodge. \u201cI ask myself: \u2018What do the individuals need?\u2019 And I centre my session planning around that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-key-points\">The Key Points<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We should help young players to develop core skills before exposing them to opposed activities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>By \u2018scaffolding\u2019 our practices, we can work on specific skills while gradually increasing complexity over the course of our sessions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As coaches, we should use a variety of intervention techniques, and aim to maximise the time that players actively participate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Our session plans should always account for the individual needs of our players.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Image Source: matimix from Canva Pro<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Foundation Phase is a crucial time for young players. From the ages of eight- to 12-years-old, they will hopefully build the skills and confidence to underpin a lifetime of participation and further development in the game. As coaches, our job is to facilitate this process and provide varied and stimulating learning environments. Below, Lee Hodge, Head of Academy Coaching at Plymouth Argyle FC, shares his insights from the world of youth football, as he outlines his approach to developing 8-12 year-old players. In This&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3917,"featured_media":25078,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_wp_convertkit_post_meta":{"form":"-1","landing_page":"","tag":"0","restrict_content":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2060],"tags":[218,31,2621,2620,2622,1747,165,792,1519,2560,2584,2624,1147,1258,1789,1046,2619,1479],"interest_area":[],"class_list":["post-25076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coaching-guides","tag-coaches","tag-confidence","tag-core-skills","tag-developing-confidence","tag-developing-core-skills","tag-developing-players","tag-development","tag-foundation-phase","tag-interventions","tag-learning-environments","tag-lee-hodge","tag-opposed-activities","tag-player-centred-approach","tag-players","tag-practice-spectrum","tag-skills","tag-u8-u12-players","tag-youth-football"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.8 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Foundation Phase is a crucial time for young players. 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Below, Lee"},"aioseo_meta_data":{"post_id":"25076","title":null,"description":null,"keywords":null,"keyphrases":{"focus":{"keyphrase":"","score":0,"analysis":{"keyphraseInTitle":{"score":0,"maxScore":9,"error":1}}},"additional":[]},"primary_term":null,"canonical_url":null,"og_title":null,"og_description":null,"og_object_type":"default","og_image_type":"default","og_image_url":null,"og_image_width":null,"og_image_height":null,"og_image_custom_url":null,"og_image_custom_fields":null,"og_video":"","og_custom_url":null,"og_article_section":null,"og_article_tags":null,"twitter_use_og":false,"twitter_card":"default","twitter_image_type":"default","twitter_image_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_url":null,"twitter_image_custom_fields":null,"twitter_title":null,"twitter_description":null,"schema":{"blockGraphs":[],"customGraphs":[],"default":{"data":{"Article":[],"Course":[],"Dataset":[],"FAQPage":[],"Movie":[],"Person":[],"Product":[],"ProductReview":[],"Car":[],"Recipe":[],"Service":[],"SoftwareApplication":[],"WebPage":[]},"graphName":"BlogPosting","isEnabled":true},"graphs":[]},"schema_type":"default","schema_type_options":null,"pillar_content":false,"robots_default":true,"robots_noindex":false,"robots_noarchive":false,"robots_nosnippet":false,"robots_nofollow":false,"robots_noimageindex":false,"robots_noodp":false,"robots_notranslate":false,"robots_max_snippet":"-1","robots_max_videopreview":"-1","robots_max_imagepreview":"large","priority":null,"frequency":"default","local_seo":null,"seo_analyzer_scan_date":"2026-04-13 07:18:56","breadcrumb_settings":null,"limit_modified_date":false,"open_ai":null,"ai":{"faqs":[],"keyPoints":[],"titles":[],"descriptions":[],"socialPosts":{"email":[],"linkedin":[],"twitter":[],"facebook":[],"instagram":[]}},"created":"2025-11-30 05:30:22","updated":"2026-04-13 07:53:34"},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/category\/coaching-guides\/\" title=\"Coaching Guides\">Coaching Guides<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\tDeveloping U8-U12 Players\n<\/span><\/div>","aioseo_breadcrumb_json":[{"label":"Home","link":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com"},{"label":"Coaching Guides","link":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/category\/coaching-guides\/"},{"label":"Developing U8-U12 Players","link":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/developing-u8-u12-players\/"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3917"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25076"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25076\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26743,"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25076\/revisions\/26743"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25078"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25076"},{"taxonomy":"interest_area","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/playerdevelopmentproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/interest_area?post=25076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}