The Ultimate Free Resources Guide for Youth Football/Soccer Coaches

Whether you're coaching your first U8 training session or you're a veteran looking to refresh your toolkit, this guide compiles the best free resources in youth football coaching. No trials, no paywalls—just quality content you can use today.

The Core Toolkit (Every Coach Needs These)

Drill Libraries - Your Practice Planning Foundation

SportsMomSurvivalGuide.com - 900+ Free Drills
Organized by age group (5-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17+) and skill category. Each drill includes diagrams, descriptions, and many have video animations. Searchable by difficulty level. Everything is downloadable and printable. This is the most comprehensive free drill database available.

SoccerXpert.com - Mobile-Friendly Drill Access
Browse hundreds of drills without subscription. Each includes objectives, setup, coaching points, and variations. Designed for mobile access so you can reference drills on your phone during training. Filter by age group, skill focus (1v1, 2v2, passing, defending), and format.

SoccerPilot.com - 1,000+ Animated Drills
Visual learner? These animated drills are easier to understand than static diagrams. Organized by skill (shooting, dribbling, passing, tackling, goalkeeping) and three difficulty levels. Available in multiple languages.

CoachTruly Drill Database - Searchable Football Drills
Browse free football drills with visual diagrams. Clean interface for quick drill discovery when planning your sessions.

Complete Session Plans - From Structure to Execution

Mass Youth Soccer Session Plans
Complete 10-12 week season plans for U6, U8, U10, U12 following US Soccer's Play-Practice-Play methodology. Each session includes warm-up, skill work, games, and scrimmages. Also provides age-specific "Survival Guides" for new coaches.

FIFA Training Centre Grassroots
Ready-to-use training sessions from FIFA's grassroots experts. Three-part structure (warm-up, main activity, game) designed for player-centered development. FIFA-backed quality means you're using international best practices.

United Soccer Academy
Downloadable complete sessions following their "Thresholds of Training" methodology. Each includes warm-up, individual skill work, group activities, and scrimmage. Shows you how to structure an entire practice, not just individual drills.

Official Association Education - The Gold Standard

England Football Learning - The Most Comprehensive Platform
Free community of 50,000+ coaches. Extensive library of coaching sessions, practice plans, methodology articles, England DNA philosophy materials, and The FA Boot Room content. Free online courses including Introduction to Coaching Football. Interviews with leading managers and Youth Development Phase content. This is professional-quality coaching education.

US Soccer Learning Center - Essential for American Coaches
Free Introduction to Grassroots Coaching (required for all US Soccer licenses). Session plan creation tools, archived training sessions, license tracking, and browse courses by location. Starting point for all coaching education in the United States.

UEFA iCoachKids - Research-Based Child Coaching
Three comprehensive free courses with UEFA-recognized certificates: (1) Developing effective environments for children, (2) Child and youth-centered coaching, (3) Coaching children: planning, doing and reviewing. Available in 5 languages, based on latest research, recognized across all 55 UEFA member associations.

YouTube Channels - Visual Learning from Expert Coaches

For Comprehensive Coaching Education

SoccerCoachTV - 286K subscribers
Professor Shaun Green, 35+ years coaching including NCAA Division One. Real coaching videos showing actual sessions with players—demonstrates how to coach, not just what to teach. Full practice sessions with detailed coaching points, drills for entire seasons, age-specific content. Used by coaches in 110+ countries with 100+ million minutes watched.

Progressive Soccer - 532K subscribers
Dylan Tooby. 100+ million views with massive catalog covering skills, tactics, psychology, and confidence. Match day drills with tactical demonstrations, training routines, position-specific advice. Very active posting schedule ensures fresh content. One-stop comprehensive education.

For Technical Skill Development

Joner Football - 345K subscribers
Lee Jones, voted Top 10 technical trainer worldwide. Sydney-based with global recognition. Shows real training methods with actual players. Individual technical training, small group drills, advanced skills. Works with professionals and amateurs. Elite-level training accessible to grassroots.

Coerver Coaching - 20.9K subscribers
35-year proven methodology reaching 1+ million participants in 47 countries. Youth training games, step-by-step technique, ball mastery exercises, 1v1 moves, age-appropriate content. Scientifically-developed philosophy used by top clubs worldwide.

For Tactical Understanding

The Coaching Manual - 118K subscribers
Trusted by hundreds of thousands of coaches. Training demonstrations, tactical analysis of Premier League/Champions League matches, drills for all ages. Professional production quality bridges grassroots and professional coaching. Detailed tactical breakdowns help understand the game at deeper levels.

Keep it on the Deck - 89K subscribers
Unique combination of team tactics, match footage analysis, and computer simulations. Graphics make tactical concepts crystal clear. Individual drills, coaching exercises, historical clips, expert interviews including Sir Alex Ferguson. Entertainment meets education.

For US-Specific Guidance

Coach Rory Soccer - 38.5K subscribers
Rory O'Neill, US Soccer 'C' License. Specifically focused on US youth soccer system. Youth coaching philosophy, real game film analysis, session planning demonstrations, honest discussions of mistakes and challenges. Weekly uploads address practical challenges American parent coaches face. Exceptionally relatable for recreational and competitive coaches.

For Elite Academy Methods

MyPersonalFootballCoach - 24.4K subscribers
Saul Isaksson-Hurst, 10+ years at Tottenham and Chelsea academies. UK's leading individual technical coach. Players developed have reached Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Norwich, and represented England internationally. Technical drills, individual programs, elite skill development with Premier League academy standards.

World Class Coaching - 63.5K subscribers
Established 1998, used by 60,000+ coaches in 71+ countries. Free weekly drills covering all aspects. 6,000+ pages of articles and 700+ videos on website. Content ranges from recreational to professional level. Even professional teams use these resources.

Mobile Apps - Coaching Tools in Your Pocket

MOJO Sports - iOS & Android (Free)
Official practice plans from 20+ state soccer associations. Used by 100,000+ coaches who've built 2+ million practices. Hundreds of expert training videos, session planning tools, team messaging, attendance tracking, game stats, player profiles. Built with FC Barcelona and US Youth Soccer experts. World-class content, completely free.

Heja - iOS & Android (Free)
Rated best team management app. Schedule management, group chats, practice/game planning, photo/video sharing, reminders, party planning, works for multiple teams. Eliminates the chaos of group texts and emails. Thousands of positive reviews confirm reliability.

Coachbetter FREE - iOS, Android & Web (Free)
Used by 50,000+ coaches, 10,000+ clubs, 300,000+ players worldwide. Access to 700+ training activities, session planning, team/player management, match day features, player communication, expert articles (offense, defense, tactics, athletics, mental skills). Professional-level tools used by pro clubs, available free.

Coerver 99 Skills App - iOS (Free)
99 soccer skill videos for ball mastery based on 30 years of Coerver methodology. Skill levels from beginner to master with progression systems. Players can use at home; coaches can integrate into training. Completely free access to globally recognized methods.

Advanced Education - Level Up Your Knowledge

Coaching Philosophy & Methodology

Player Development Project (PDP)
Modern coaching insights from professional academy coaches. Free articles, video session plans, webinar replays with experts from Portsmouth FC, Blackburn Rovers, Birmingham City. Research reviews and practical advice. Weekly coaching newsletter. Focuses on understanding why behind methods, not just copying drills. Used by Sport NZ and national organizations.

United Soccer Coaches eLearning
Largest soccer coaches organization in US (formerly NSCAA). Multiple truly free courses: Sports Psychology, Get aHEAD Safely in Soccer (heading safety—critical), LGBT Diversity, Foundations of Coaching, Sexual Violence Prevention. Professional development credits and expert educators.

Analisisdeportivo.com Free Courses
Completely free comprehensive courses: FIFA Grassroots Soccer Coach (20 modules, 8 weeks), Free Goalkeeper Coach Course, Free Youth Physical Preparation. International certificates. Self-paced online learning. Graduates work in major clubs globally.

Development Frameworks & Guidelines

England DNA (via The FA)
Playing philosophy framework, Youth Development Phase priorities, Foundation Phase guidelines, technical/tactical development frameworks. Represents English football's official approach. Helps coaches understand how their coaching fits long-term player development.

US Youth Soccer Player Development Model
Free comprehensive PDF covering ages 6-18+. Player-centered curriculum, age-appropriate training guidelines, long-term development frameworks. Essential reference for understanding American youth development. Used by state associations and clubs nationwide.

Five Cs of Player Development
Framework covering Commitment, Communication, Concentration, Control, Confidence. Free articles available through coaching sites. Psychological framework develops complete players beyond technical skills.

Additional Valuable Resources

More Quality Drill Sites

Soccer-Coaches.com - Free weekly drills, tactical insights, expert articles, organized by age groups (U10-U12, U14-U16, U17-U19). Professional-level insights with YouTube channel.

FreeYouthSoccerDrills.com - "Totally free - no catches!" Organized by age U4-U5 through adult. Diagrams, setup, explanations, progressions, coaching points. Includes formations, rules, positions, nutrition, stretching.

SoccerHelp.com - 400 pages of free drills, games, formations. Focus on "No Lines" drills maximizing player touches. Practice games designed for engagement. 1,000+ testimonials.

SureFire Soccer - Free drills organized by age (youth, intermediate, high school/advanced), tactics and strategies, coaching tips for different age groups. Free newsletter.

Session Planning Tools

QuickStartSoccer.com Templates
Free downloadable PDF templates for drawing drills. Blank templates, half-field layouts, full-field layouts, session plan templates with sections for coaching points. Professional design in print-ready format.

SoccerDrive.com Drawing Tool
Free drawing tool for creating custom drills and tactics. Download and share creations. Professional drill diagrams without paid software.

CoachTruly
Design and plan your training sessions with visual tools & AI helper. Browse the drill database and organize your season planning in one place.

Administrative Tools

TeamGenius Resources
Free downloadable forms: tryout evaluation forms, player report cards, tryout prep packets, budget spreadsheets, coach evaluation forms, director hiring guides, club management packets. Professional administrative operation.

Quick Start Guides by Experience Level

First-Time Coaches (Start Here)

Week 1 - Foundation:

1. Create account: England Football Learning or US Soccer Learning Center
2. Complete Introduction to Grassroots Coaching (20 minutes)
3. Download MOJO and Heja apps
4. Bookmark SportsMomSurvivalGuide.com
5. Subscribe to SoccerCoachTV on YouTube

Week 2 - Planning:

1. Download season plan from Mass Youth Soccer for your age group
2. Plan first 4 practices using MOJO or downloaded plans
3. Set up Heja with team roster
4. Watch 10 SoccerCoachTV videos for your age group

Week 3 - Learning:

1. Start FA Playmaker course or UEFA iCoachKids Module 1
2. Complete Get aHEAD Safely course (United Soccer Coaches)
3. Read US Youth Soccer Development Model for your age
4. Join England Football Community (50K coaches)

Week 4 - Coaching:

1. Run first practices using prepared plans
2. Subscribe to PDP newsletter
3. Watch Coach Rory Soccer for US-specific tips
4. Reflect and adjust based on what worked

Experienced Coaches (Refresh & Expand)

Tactical Development:

• Study The Coaching Manual and Keep it on the Deck (YouTube) for tactical analysis
• Read PDP tactical articles for modern methodology
• Complete UEFA iCoachKids courses for research-based approaches
• Study England DNA or your FA's development framework

Technical Training:

• Joner Football and MyPersonalFootballCoach for elite methods
• Coerver methodology for structured ball mastery progression
• Access SoccerPilot's 1,000+ animated drills for fresh ideas

Coaching Philosophy:

• Player Development Project for modern academy insights
• Five Cs framework for psychological development
• United Soccer Coaches courses for psychology and mental skills

Stay Current:

• Subscribe to multiple YouTube channels for diverse perspectives
• Join England Football Community for peer discussions
• Follow PDP newsletter for weekly advanced content
• Attend free webinars from United Soccer Coaches

Specialist Coaches

Goalkeeper Coaches:

• Analisisdeportivo.com Free Goalkeeper Coach Course
• Soccer Drills and Goalkeeping Training (YouTube)
• SoccerSource Coaching goalkeeper section
• FourFourTwo Performance (YouTube) with Joe Hart

Technical Directors:

• England DNA complete framework
• US Youth Soccer Player Development Model
• FIFA Training Centre educational materials
• PDP webinar replays from academy directors

High School/Competitive Coaches:

• World Class Coaching for professional-level content
• The Coaching Manual for Premier League tactical analysis
• Progressive Soccer for advanced training methods
• United Soccer Coaches for psychology courses

The Bottom Line

You now have access to everything you need:

• 2,000+ free drills across multiple platforms
• Complete season plans for every age group
• 12 expert YouTube channels with millions of views
• Professional mobile apps used by 100,000+ coaches
• Official education from The FA, US Soccer, UEFA, and FIFA
• Free certification courses with recognized credentials
• Academy-level training methods from elite coaches

The playing field is level. A volunteer parent coach in 2025 has access to better coaching education for free than professionals had at any price in 2000. The barrier to quality coaching has been removed—the only requirements are your time and commitment to learning.

Whether you're planning your first U6 session tomorrow or refining your U15 tactical approach after 10 years of coaching, start with the resources that match your needs above. The knowledge is free. The impact on your players is priceless.

Now get to work.

Tags

• Soccer/Football