The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Soccer Coaches

I'm coaching my daughter's 7th grade Catholic school girl's soccer team this year. I had decided we would use the 4-4-2 formation and I wanted to teach them the basics of the defense today. We did it for a little while and then many of the girls got hungry and stopped to eat. In all fairness, it was a half day and we were practicing in place of lunch.

When they came back from that, I tossed the rest of the practice plan and just had them play a 7-on-7 game for the rest of the time. They loved it. Everyone had a great time. Nothing was learned, but it wasn't a dreadful experience.

I've decided to forgo trying to teach them anything other than the most basic of plans for the 4-4-2 and instead will let them play scrimmages. It's all about gossiping and hanging out together anyway. We've got scads of really good club players, so it looks like we'll do well despite the lack of discipline.