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Long Term Player Development
As the leader in developing the sport of soccer through quality programs and services, the Saskatchewan Soccer Association (SSA) is committed to the implementation of the Canadian Soccer Association’s Long Term Player Development (LTPD) Model: Wellness to World Cup. It is a role of the SSA to educate our Membership on the philosophy and principles of the LTPD and establish best practices for the development of stage-appropriate programming for implementation at each stage of the LTPD. The following information is designed to assist our Member Organizations, Entities and individual coaches with creating and delivering enjoyable, LTPD-appropriate programming across all levels of their involvement in the game. For additional information and resources, please contact the Director of Soccer Operations at 306-975-0826 or
In the Active Start stage no competitive games should be played, with learning taking place as an adult and child play together informally. While play may be informal, it is possible to provide this opportunity within a structured setting aimed at providing a safe, stimulating and fun learning environment. As these young “athletes” enter soccer, we do not want to intimidate them, so in line with the principles of the LTPD, Mom and/or Dad (or brothers, sisters, grandparents) can be the child’s first “teammate”. This will avoid a potential negative reaction as the child has a significant trusted person to play with – One-with-One! In partnership with Byte Size Coaching, the Saskatchewan Soccer Association has developed a One-with-One® program, which is the ideal soccer structure for young athletes entering soccer for the first time at the Active Start stage. The following resources provide all of the tools necessary to run a successful Active Start One-with-One® Program.
- Saskatchewan Soccer Association One-With-One Byte Size Coaching Video
- Canada Soccer Pathway Coach’s Tool Kit: Stage One – Active Start (for U-4 to U-6 players)
- Active Start One-with-One Program – Master Coach Guide
- Active Start One-with-One Program – Parent Guide
- Active Start One-with-One Program – Activity Pages Part 1
- Active Start One-with-One Program – Activity Pages Part 2
Canada Soccer has developed the Canada Soccer Pathway Coach’s Tool Kit: Stage One – Active Start (for U-4 to U-6 players). The document, available for free download, contains the perfect starter set for volunteer coaches and parents looking to offer their players the best possible soccer experience and get the kids to fall in love with the beautiful game. The Canada Soccer Pathway Coach’s Tool Kit: Stage One – Active Start contains guiding fundamentals of the role of the coach and some coaching tips. Most importantly, the Coach’s Tool Kit explains the Canada Soccer Pathway Preferred Training Model that allows training sessions to be tailored to a team’s individual needs and available facilities while focusing on developing well-rounded players with a strong foundation in physical literacy, solid soccer skills and, hopefully, an enduring love of the game. Finally, the Coach’s Tool Kit offers a series of drills and games that coaches can use to build their perfect session, following the preferred training model of station work.
In the FUNdamentals stage, coaches should focus on creating a stimulating learning environment where the atmosphere is “Freedom and Fun”. The curriculum should include continued focus on physical literacy (the ACBs of movement: agility, balance, co-ordination and speed, as well as running, jumping, twisting, kicking, throwing and catching) alongside the introduction of technical instruction through movement exercises and games that promote a feel for the ball. Keeping in mind that children in this stage remain naturally egocentric, basic cooperation between players can be introduced as young athletes progress through small-sided game formats from 3v3 to 5v5 and begin to build basic game intelligence and decision making leading to a greater understanding of the game. All players should play equal time and try all positions, including goalkeeper, and, in order to de-emphasize results for coaches and parents, results should not be tracked and league standings should not be kept.
Canada Soccer recently released, the second of three player development resources, the Canada Soccer Pathway Coach’s Tool Kit: Stage Two – FUNdamentals. It contains the perfect starter set for volunteer coaches and parents looking to offer their players the best possible soccer experience and get the kids to fall in love with the beautiful game. To download this resource, click on the link below:
Wellness to World Cup provides an excellent resource for program development while purposefully leaving broader ranges in the recommendations to allow the philosophies and principles of the model to be interpreted for implementation across the varying realities of local soccer environments in Canada. While it is important to recognize the no two communities are exactly alike in terms of the conditions under which they offer programming, it is equally important to begin to narrow the recommendations provided in the LTPD model for implementation in Saskatchewan. In some instances, ranges will remain as provided in the LTPD model, as they are tied to facilities and often beyond the control of programmers; however, by providing “best practices” recommendation, an attempt is being made to create consistency between communities and facilitate intercommunity competition.
In program development, technical expertise and leadership is paramount to success. Many communities will have a technical lead (e.g. Club Head Coach, Technical Director, Board Member, etc.), who should have a strong knowledge and understanding of the game of soccer and the principles of player development. This individual should be heavily involved in program development and also provide direction for the organization in terms of player and coaching development. While qualified technical professionals are always encouraged to work within the ranges provided in the LTPD model to create the best possible developmental structure for their local community, the SSA Learning to Train – Best Practices Guide is designed to provide more specific recommendations, which are encouraged for adoption in all communities across Saskatchewan to create a consistency in the programming offered to our young athletes. In the event that a community does not have a qualified technical lead, the Saskatchewan Soccer Association technical staff can serve as a valuable resource to our membership. Specific contact information is available on our website at www.sasksoccer.com.
To complete the series of three Coach’s Handbooks supporting coaches working with athletes in the grassroots stages, Canada Soccer recently released the Canada Soccer Pathway Coach’s Tool Kit: Stage Three – Learning to Train. It contains the perfect starter set for volunteer coaches and parents looking to offer their players the best possible soccer experience and get the kids to fall in love with the beautiful game. To download this resource, click on the link below:
Updated April 21, 2017