Walnut Creek Soccer Club training sessions cover the physical, technical, and tactical elements of soccer. Our coaching methodology will follow a pyramid guide from our grassroots up to our U19 teams.

Coaches will follow a yearlong seasonal periodization plan that relates to age-specific requirements for each player within the team environment.  The periodization changes as players grow and develop.

Each training session is organized as such:

• Warm up (Physical): Different variations of ball control, dynamic movement, body movement, fun and dynamic games, coordination, agility, balance, speed.
• Main activity: Both technical and tactical activities with and without pressure (One theme for the day). Activities designed to teach the principles of soccer that force players to make decisions as they would in a game.
• Scrimmage: Free play, sometimes controlled game based off of theme of the day.

U9-U10 Age Group

• Training sessions are 75-90 minutes long.
• Main areas of focus: ball mastery, 1v1, 2v1, 3v2 attacking and defensive principles, passing and receiving, first touch, and ball protection.
• Players will learn to play in various formations: (1-2-3-1, 1-3-2-1, 1-2-2-2)
• Develop a base for team work.
• Learn to train properly

U11-U14 Age Group

• Training sessions are 75-90 minutes long.
• Main areas of focus:
• attacking principles—ball mastery, dribble vs. pass, small group attacking, playing out from the GK, possession, crossing and finishing, attacking transition.
• defensive principles—small group defending, zonal defending, flank defending, compactness, pressing, defensive transition.
• Players will learn to play in various formations:
• 9v9---1-3-3-2, 1-4-1-3, 1-3-2-3
• 11v11---1-4-3-3, 1-4-4-2, 1-3-5-2, etc.
• Individual and team problem solving
• Train to compete

U15-U19 Age Group

• Training sessions are 75-90 minutes long.
• Main areas of focus:
  • attacking principles--playing from the GK, defensive 3rd to middle 3rd positive possession, playing into attacking 3rd, crossing and finishing, offensive transition, possession vs. penetration, offensive transition-counter attack to goal
  • defensive principles—small group defending, zonal defending, flank defending, defending crosses/set pieces, pressing, compactness, defensive transition
• Players will learn to play in various formations: 1-4-3-3, 1-4-4-2, 1-3-5-2, etc.
• Players will learn how to think quickly in tight situations and improvise
• Train to win