90-Minute U7 Soccer Practice: Keeping Possession
Intro:
This 90-minute soccer session is designed for U7 players with the main focus on helping young athletes learn how to keep possession of the ball. Through engaging games, simple drills, and lots of positive encouragement, players will develop confidence in passing, moving, and protecting the soccer ball as a team.
Warm-Up:
Start practice with a 10-minute energetic warm-up to get everyone moving and ready to play.
- Activity: Freeze Tag
- Mark out a 20×20 yard grid. Choose two taggers. All other players dribble a ball inside the grid, avoiding the taggers. If tagged, a player freezes with their ball until a teammate passes their ball between the frozen player’s legs to unfreeze them.
- Rotate taggers every few minutes.
Main Drill 1: Keep-Away Squares (20 minutes)
Set up four 8×8 yard squares within your practice area. Divide players into groups of 3-4. Each group has one ball and plays keep-away: one defender tries to win the ball while the others pass and move to keep possession.
- Rotate defenders every 2 minutes.
- Emphasize quick, short passes and moving into space after passing.
Main Drill 2: Gates Passing Game (20 minutes)
Set up pairs of cones as “gates” spread around the field (about 8-10 gates). Players work in pairs, passing the ball through as many gates as possible in 3 minutes, then switch partners.
- Encourage players to communicate and move together.
- Challenge pairs to beat their own score in each round.
Game Activity: 4v4 Possession Game (25 minutes)
Mark a 25×20 yard field. Play small-sided games of 4v4. There are no goals—teams score a point by making five consecutive passes without the other team touching the ball.
- Substitute players in and out as needed to ensure everyone gets to play.
- Keep games energetic and celebrate when teams reach five passes.
Scrimmage:
Conclude practice with a 20-minute regular 4v4 or 5v5 scrimmage on a small field with goals. Pause occasionally to reinforce positive examples of keeping possession or making smart passes.
Coaching Points:
- Encourage players to keep their heads up while dribbling and passing.
- Emphasize the importance of movement off the ball to create passing options.
- Support teammates with positive communication (“I’m open!” or “Pass!”).
- Praise effort and teamwork, not just successful passes.
- Remind players to not bunch up—spread out to make passing easier.
Tags:
U7, Soccer Practice, Possession, Youth Soccer Drills, Teamwork, Player Development