Soccer Practice Plans for Ages 13–14
Age-appropriate soccer practices for 13–14 year olds (U14) — built to keep every kid active and having fun. More touches, more small-sided games, more fun.
By thirteen and fourteen, kids can train much like older athletes — structured warmups, focused skill work, tactical drills, and competitive game situations. They can handle repetition and correction, and many are genuinely committed. Push the intensity and the details, but keep the environment positive: this age quits fastest when practice becomes a joyless grind.
What a great 13–14 practice looks like
What to work on in soccer
Every kid, every practice, with a ball at their feet. Dribbling games and moves beat passing lines at young ages.
Simple receiving and passing built through rondos and small games where the reps happen naturally.
3v3 and 4v4 give kids far more touches, decisions, and goals than a full-field scrimmage ever will.
For older kids, light tactics — spreading out, finding space, when to dribble vs. pass.
Gear: A ball per kid, 8–10 cones, and a set of pinnies. That's it.
A sample 13–14 soccer practice plan
Here's a real 75-minute plan Coach Coach generated for a 13–14 soccer team. Yours is customized to your kids and ready in under 30 seconds.
🏆 Soccer Practice — Ages 13-14 — 75 min
⏱️ Warmup (10 min)
- Dynamic Circuit
Set up four stations with cones: high knees, butt kicks, side shuffles, and quick feet in place. Kids rotate every 2 minutes. Keeps them moving and engaged.
🎯 Skill Work (35 min)
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Passing and Moving Drill (15 min)
Setup a grid with cones (20x20 yards). Pair kids up. Each pair has a ball, and they pass and move around the grid. Key coaching cue: "Pass, move to space, ask for the ball." Success is kids constantly moving and calling for the ball. -
1v1 Attack and Defend (20 min)
Create two lines, attackers and defenders, about 10 yards apart. Attacker dribbles at the defender and tries to get past them to a goal (small cone goals work great). Rotate roles. Key coaching cue: "Attack quickly, use a change of pace." Success is when attackers make it past the defender or defenders successfully challenge the ball.
🏃 Game Time (25 min)
- 3v3 Mini Games
Split into four teams. Play two games simultaneously on half fields, rotating teams every 5 minutes. Encourage quick passing and support off the ball. Key focus: "Find space and communicate." Watch for teamwork and decision-making.
🧊 Wrap Up (5 min)
- Team Cheer and Cool Questions
Quick team cheer. Ask: "What's one thing you felt good about during practice?" High-fives all around to end on a positive note.
🎒 What to Bring
- 12 cones · 6 balls · 12 pinnies
- Setup: Use cones to mark the grid and goals ahead of time.
📋 Coach's Cheat Sheet
- "Pass, then move!" to keep them thinking about positioning.
- "Be brave in 1v1s!" to encourage attackers to take on defenders.
- Common Mistake: Kids bunching up — remind them to spread out and find space.
- Praise loudly when a player makes a smart pass or movement off the ball.
✅ Coach Coach Check
- Every kid gets touches in every drill
- No standing in long lines
- Includes small-sided games
- Age-appropriate intensity and fun
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Build your soccer planSoccer practice questions
What should a soccer practice for 13–14 year olds look like?
By thirteen and fourteen, kids can train much like older athletes — structured warmups, focused skill work, tactical drills, and competitive game situations. They can handle repetition and correction, and many are genuinely committed. Push the intensity and the details, but keep the environment positive: this age quits fastest when practice becomes a joyless grind.
How long should a youth soccer practice be?
For most youth teams, 60 minutes is the sweet spot — long enough to warm up, work a skill, and play, but short enough to keep energy high. Younger kids (5–8) do well with 45–60 minutes; older kids (11–14) can handle 75–90.
What drills keep young soccer players engaged?
Anything that looks like a game. Dribbling tag, sharks and minnows, and 3v3 to small goals give kids constant touches and fun. Avoid long passing lines where most of the team stands and watches.
How many soccer balls do I need for practice?
Ideally one per player, especially for ages 5–10 where every kid should have a ball at their feet for most of the session. If you're short, pair kids up and keep rotations fast.