Pre-season for grassroots football coaches
Everything we have on pre-season — in one place.
Pre-season sessions sequence the 4–6 weeks before the season starts. This page collects every pre-season drill, session, and article from the SimpleDrills library into a single hub — 13 drills, 8 session plans, 3 background articles.
13drills·8sessions·3articles · Ages U7–adult
The pre-season philosophy
Pre-season is the most distinctive coaching window of the year. Players come back from a break, fitness is uneven, social dynamics may have shifted. The biggest pre-season mistake at grassroots is treating it like senior football — too hard, too soon, too tactical. The SimpleDrills pre-season library sequences the 4–6 weeks before the season starts using a three-phase framework: reactivation, technical rebuild, match-realistic.
13 pre-season drills
Drills focused on pre-season as the primary technical or tactical theme. Each drill includes setup, run time, equipment, and age range.
Team Builder
The first session of pre-season has a specific problem the rest of the year doesn't: players are reintegrating…
Reactivation — First Session Back
The first session of pre-season is not a fitness test and not a technical drill session. It's a reactivation —…
Reaction Warm-Up
After 4–6 weeks off, players need their nervous system reactivated before any real intensity. This drill build…
First Touch Flow
The single biggest mistake at pre-season week 1 is running a session like it's mid-season. Kids arrive with 8 …
3-Zone Pattern Play
By weeks 3-4 of pre-season, players have technical reactivation in their legs. What they often lack is positio…
Pre-Season Box
Modern pre-season fitness should be ball-led, not lap-led. This drill builds aerobic capacity through high-vol…
Pre-Season Fitness Circuit
Pre-season fitness building used to mean laps and shuttles. The modern equivalent — fitness with the ball — ac…
SSG Ladder
By week 4 of pre-season, players have their fitness back and their basic technique reactivated. The block is n…
9v9 Shape Induction
Most U12 pre-season sessions start with football and assume players will figure out the positions naturally. T…
Kit for pre-season coaching
Quality grassroots kit for running pre-season sessions. Amazon links — OneLink routes you to your local marketplace.
- Mesh training bibs (10-pack)*
- Flat saucer cones (50-pack)*
- Size 4 training footballs (6-pack)*
- Pop-up mini goals (pair)*
* Amazon affiliate links. SimpleDrills earns a small commission at no extra cost to you.
8 pre-season session plans
Full 45–90 minute session plans organised around pre-season. Each session is structured into time blocks with coaching cues and equipment lists.
U11 Pre-Season · Week 1
A 60-minute first-week-back session designed for rust, mixed fitness, and a smile at the end. No long laps, no fitness t…
U11 Pre-Season — Week 2
A 60-minute reactivation session — extending technical reps from week 1 with light pressure and a touches-heavy SSG.
U13 Pre-Season — Rebuild Phase (Weeks 3-4)
A 75-minute pre-season session for weeks 3-4 — where technical pattern play meets fitness with the ball.
U13 Pre-Season — Week 1 Reactivation
First week back from summer. Players have rust, lower fitness, and forgotten teammates' names. 60 minutes designed to re…
U13 Pre-Season — Week 2 Touch & Tempo
Second week back. The rust is partially gone, the squad knows each other again, fitness is starting to climb. Now layer …
U13 Pre-Season — Week 4
A 75-minute rebuild session focused on opposed pattern play — the rebuild phase intensified, with active defenders and t…
U13 Pre-Season — Week 5
A 75-minute match-realistic session — the rebuild is done, intensity rises. SSG-heavy with finishing pressure. First fri…
Adult Pre-Season — Fitness and Reactivation
A 60-minute pre-season session for adult grassroots squads returning after the summer break. High active-time, gradual i…
Further reading
- The pre-season parents meeting: what to cover in 20 minutes A well-run pre-season parents meeting prevents 80% of the difficult conversations you'll otherwise have in October. Here's exactly…
- Pre-season planning: a 6-week framework for grassroots youth coaches Most grassroots squads turn up to pre-season unprepared and leave it underprepared. Here's the 6-week structure that fixes both — …
- Pre-season trial sessions: how to assess new players without making them anxious New season, new players turning up. They're nervous, parents are watchful, and you have to make decisions about ability levels in …
Coaching pre-season from U7 to adult
U7 — 2–3 weeks of joy
U7 pre-season is mostly about welcoming new players and reactivating returning ones. No conditioning. Just lots of touches, games, and joy. Two or three weeks of fun activities.
U8–U9 — Light 3–4 weeks
U8 and U9 pre-season runs 3–4 weeks. Game-based reactivation week 1, light technical content week 2, normal sessions weeks 3+. Avoid running, lapping, or conditioning. Volume of touches matters most.
U10–U11 — 4–5 weeks
Pre-season can run 4–5 weeks. Three-phase framework applies but at lower intensity. The squad should feel ready for the first match without feeling pushed.
U12–U13 — 5–6 weeks
Pre-season runs 5–6 weeks. Full three-phase framework. Conditioning legitimately enters from week 2. Saturday match-realistic sessions in weeks 5–6. Week 6 dress rehearsal reveals what's stuck.
U14–U18 — Full six weeks
Six weeks minimum. Framework identical to senior football: reactivation, technical rebuild, match-realistic. Conditioning is real. By week 6, the squad should look like a senior team in shape and habits.
Adult amateur — Pragmatic
Adult amateur pre-season is hard to programme consistently — players have holidays, work commitments, fitness gaps. A pragmatic four-week build with optional add-on sessions works better than a rigid six-week plan.
?FAQ
What is Pre-season for grassroots football coaches?
Pre-season sessions sequence the 4–6 weeks before the season starts. This page collects every pre-season drill, session, and article from the SimpleDrills library into a single hub — 13 drills, 8 session plans, 3 background articles.
Is this free to use on SimpleDrills?
Yes — all coaching content on SimpleDrills, including this page, is free to view, print, and use with your team.