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Player Development

U4-U7

In order to develop a lifelong passion for soccer, we believe that the early childhood stages of soccer development should focus on building social, motor, and ball skills while developing a love and passion for the game! Our approach is player-centric, with a focus on maximizing touches on the ball by utilizing age-appropriate activities with small player-to-ball ratios. In doing so, we emphasize developing the movement of players (motor skills) and comfort level with the ball (ball mastery) through repetitious activities.

Coaches, instructors, and parents are facilitators of the game at this stage, and serve to help the player develop confidence and creativity both on and off the ball. During this stage, Lonestar SC utilizes the "new ball" method at the Recreational level to keep the players engaged without focusing on rules and regulations of the game.

Focus	Process
Develop a love and passion for soccer	Stimulating and engaging activities Positive social interaction with peers Positive reinforcement and support
Develop motor and social skills	Stimulating and engaging activities Dynamic activities that incorporate all body parts Small-sided games/new ball method
Instill confidence and creativity	Positive reinforcement (no fear of failure) Positive social interaction with peers Guided discovery with minimal tactics
Create familiarity and comfort with the ball	One ball to one player activity ratio Freedom to express themselves on the ball Positive reinforcement (no fear of failure)

U8-U12

Lonestar believes in holistic training where every activity includes all four facets of the game: technical, tactical, physical and psychological. We prioritize the technical actions of soccer into the first touch, striking the ball, running with the ball, and 1v1 play.

Players follow a set annual training curriculum with age-appropriate training objectives through fun, enjoyable and challenging game-related activities where players compete in small-sided games to develop individual technique and tactical decision making. This stage of development is vitally important to develop skillful players who move on to the 11v11 game and effectively implement the Lonestar style of play.

Core Skill	Key Principle	Training Objectives	Individual Objectives
First Touch	Penetration Secure Possession	Body shape and first touch to pass or dribble forward First touch to execute the next decision away from pressure	Proficiency with both feet and body surfaces to receive different services Disguising the ball and intention from opponent Proficiency at turning
Striking The Ball	Penetration Secure Possession Improvisation	Shooting to score Crossing to create chances Passing to bypass lines of opponent Pass to switch, combine, or possess Various creative passing to score goals	Shooting on target from varying distances Proficiency with both feet and body surfaces for striking the ball Varying crosses and ranges of passing (long and short) Proficiency in heading to score or to pass (age appropriate)
Running With The Ball	Penetration Width and Depth	Running with/without ball to penetrate Dribbling to move and commit defenders Dribbling to develop an attacking shape	Dribbling with both feet Changing of direction to beat the opponent Change of pace to in order to penetrate space
1v1 Play	Improvisation Penetration	Beating the opponent to create numbers up Beating a player to cross/shoot Beating player to penetrate the line Beating a player to take free space	Deception and moves to beat opponent Change of pace to beat opponent Proficiency at turning

U13-U19

Lonestar has a set playing philosophy and style of play where we prioritize our principles of play within the four key moments of a soccer game (attack, transition to defend, defend, and transition to attack). We develop our players through annual periodization and training programs where each age group has progressive training objectives, team tasks, and individual development training objectives. We play a proactive attacking style with skilled players based around the four key moments of the game: in possession (attacking), transition to attack, out of possession (defending) and transition to defend. Proactive means that we want to control and possess the ball with the intent to penetrate and score.

In attack, we give our players the freedom to improvise and encourage them to penetrate where possible and encourage a mindset to go to ‘goal’. We want our attack to have mobility, width and depth to create opportunities for overloads in all areas of the field. In defense, we aim to press and win the ball back quickly through individual and group pressing. If we can’t win the ball back quickly, we delay the opponent and make quick and incisive recovery runs to compact the space around and behind the ball.

Key Principles	Training Objectives	Team Tasks	Individual Objectives
Penetration	Forward running & passing Combining and switching play To penetrate Usage of flank play to penetrate	Flank play with the 2,3,7, and 11 through the thirds of the field. Interchanging positions between the 9, 10, 7, and 11 to create unbalance and penetrate lines Penetrating through the 4 and 5 into the middle third of the field. Penetrating through the 6, 7, and 8 from middle third to final third Recognition to switch play through # 4,5,6,8 Building out of the back against three or two opposing attackers.	1v1 personality & movement beyond the ball carrier 2nd and 3rd man movements with interchange Recognition to go around opponent side to side Underlapping, overlapping, and creating overloads in flank
Support and Mobility	Spread out vertically and horizontally	Rotation and support of the 6,8, and 10 Depth and support around the ball Supporting movements of the 7, 11, 9, 10 for the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and vice versa	Separation from opponent Angles and distance from ball carrier
Width & Depth	Rotation and interchange Angles and distances of support Players positional balance	Creating width through the 2, 3 , 7, 11 Creating depth through the 4, 5 Vertical/Opposite movements of the 9, 10, 4. Separation/distances of the 6,8, and 10 Squeezing lines through the 4, 5, and 6 upon forward progress Squeezing the 2 and 3 underneath the 7 and 11 on the ball side	Switching positions with players to create unbalance Creating triangles and diamonds to solve various pressure Opposite movements & Defensive balance
Improvisation	Team creativity and risk in the final third Team combination play (movement and passing)	1v1 play from 7, 11, 9, 10 in final third 2nd/3rd man movement from 7, 11, 9, 10 to penetrate final third	1v1 creativity to beat opponent 1v1 skill and execution to score