Average number of soccer practice sessions for kids Under 8?

[Jami]

Hi all,

 

My son (almost 7) plays on an area recreational soccer team and I'm trying to get a good idea how many times he really needs to be practicing at this age. He has the opportunity to attend a weekly team practice and then two separate skills sessions with another program. He loves going to team practice with his regular coach, but is less keen on the skills sessions with a different coach and a few players from a different team. I'd just like to know if one practice a week seems sufficient for him to improve as a player in this age-bracket. And by improve, I don't mean turn into David Beckham or anything, we're not that driven, just gradual improvement of skills and game play "instinct" over time.

 

Jami

[Marie in Oh]

Take it from a mom whose 8 year old was playing competatively with a team last year and practicing 3 days per week with 2 games a week. He played 54 games of soccer last year. By spring he was showing signs of anxiety and depression. It was toooooooooo much. Until they are double digits, once a week recreationally is plenty. We wnet back to rec this year and he did great.

[Mom2legomaniacs]

Our non-competitive league does (usually) for the youngest group (mostly k-ers) one time per week period. No games, just fun.

 

For the U8 and U10 (what mine are in now -- I have a 6 yr old and a 9 yr old), they have 2 practices a week (for 1 hour each practice) and then a game on Saturday. This is plenty for us! Often times the weather, this time of year, is stormy so only one practice a week might be happening. Some teams only do once a week practices.

 

I think that once a week is fine. They will gradually get the skills with time and experience anyway.

[Whisperlily]

My DS (at age 8) did 2 practices per week until the games started. Then they shifted to one practice and two games.

 

I believe the younger age groups did 1 practice per week and one game.

[Harriet Vane]

Practices at that age are once a week on the same day as the game. They do 30 minutes of light drills, followed by a 30 minute game on a short field.

[Jennifer in MI]

Practices at that age are once a week on the same day as the game. They do 30 minutes of light drills, followed by a 30 minute game on a short field.

 

This is what they do here too (though not AYSO). I LOVE that! We have my 7 yo do this during the season and then take a once-weekly soccer skills class during the off season. It's enough for him and he's really improving!

[WTMindy]

the coach is only allowed to practice one time per week with the kids at that age. My 9yo just moved up to 2 practices per week. However, we play family soccer (just the 4 of us) most evenings for extra practice, skill building, and family fun. (Dh is the coach of his team). If he doesn't like the extra practices, then I would skip them at this age, but the more they practice, the better they will get.

[K&Rs Mom]

Around here, the 4-5yo have the 30min practice & 30min game all on Saturday that was mentioned above. The 6-9yo have one hour practice on a weeknight, plus a 45-60min game on Saturday. There are occasional skill clinics or extra times, but totally optional for 2-3 hours on a Sunday afternoon, maybe twice in the spring & twice in the fall. These are mixed-age, and usually a small fee, and really has nothing to do with the regular team stuff.

[Tracey in TX]

DS began two practices week plus games at 4y/o. It was great b/c he loved it. At 6y/o it was 4 practices, a skills, and 2games/wk/ He nearly burned out. He now practices 2/wk plus a private skills and game. He truly loves the game---but he is the determining factor.

 

Most young children practice an hour weekly until they reach an academy (pre-select) level. The teams that practice more typically dominate the game in the early years.

 

Good luck and hope your family enjoys it as much as ours has,

[Jami]

Thanks for the responses. His league plays an hour game weekly and he's on a U7 team playing U8 this year, because they have some really great players who also play on a club team together in the summer and winter. We're not really ready to jump to adding the second team, ds LOVES his coach and team and the game so far, but it's more about the social fun of it than the game itself at this point. But the two times a week felt like a bit much for our family right now, or at least ds was showing increasing reluctance to attend the extra skills sessions.

 

Looks like more backyard practice is in order. ;)

 

Jami