NOTE: This guide was compiled from several D License clinics that I attended over several years.  Special thanks to the clinic instructors: Kenny White, Stuart Fitzsimmons, Lisa Howe and Jason Vitrup. These notes are no substitute for the clinic as there is no substitute for the interaction with the instructor and fellow coaches.  Rather it is intended as a helpful guide for those taking the course. The real benefits of the USSF courses come from the work done on the soccer fields.  Ken Gamble

USSF "D" Certificate  
(The Consolidation of Techniques & Tactics)

Time	30-40 hours
Cost	$100-$150

The curriculum focus is to provide a framework and understanding of practical coaching tools to improve the player's technique and to expand the tactical awareness of the players function within the team, by improving the coaches ability to create game like situations in practice that challenge and improve the individual and the team.

The successful candidate should be able to devise a training session to develop and correct technique through proper teaching progression, have an understanding of the principles of attack and defense and be able to identify technical and tactical breakdowns within the course of play and set training sessions to correct them.

Testing covers the area of methods, tactics, laws, team management and practical coaching. The candidate is required to plan and conduct a training session in the practical environment.

This course is designed for coaches who are working with U12 to U14 teams. (The description of the course above is from the Soccer-Coach-L website)

       This is the course outline for the USSF "D" Course with my own notes included.  This is for the course as it was taught in 1996/97.  It has changed somewhat since then.  This outline is no substitute for the class time required to pass the course.  The principal portion of the course is time spent on the field. (Ken Gamble)

THE  OUTLINE

The Four Pillars of Soccer are:

1.  Technique (Technical)
2.  Psychological
3.  Tactics (Player Decision Making)
4.  Physical (Player Fitness)

Practice Progression (Coaching)

1. TECHNICAL (TECHNIQUE)
   1. Fundamental
      1. No pressure
      2. Work towards execution at top speed
   2. Game related
      1. Add pressure
      2. Incrementally add pressure based upon the player level of success
   3. Game (Match) Condition
      1. All restrictions taken off defender
      2. Does not have to be 11v11 or an even numbered exercise.  Could be 6v8 or 8v8.
   4. Technical Functional Training
      1. Training that is specific to a position or role of a player.
      2. Training takes place in the part of the field where player will be playing in a game.
   5. Tactical Functional
      1. The player must decide what skill is necessary based on the situation.
2. TACTICS (Player Decision)
   1. Individual tactics (1v1)
      1. Player with the ball versus the pressing defender
      2. Impact of individual duels
   2. Group tactics
      1. Small groups of players both attacking and defending
      2. 2v2, 3v2, 4v3, etc..
      3. Groups can be players combining in certain areas - i.e. 2 strikers and a center mid
      4. Teaching Group Tactics - VERY IMPORTANT
         1. Unrestricted Space NO CONES
         2. restricted space with cones NO GOALS
         3. restricted with cones, add one goal with counter
         4. restricted with two large goals
   3. Team tactics
      1. Teaching of individual and team play in the thirds of the field
      2. Does not have to be 11v11. Could be 6v4 attacking from mid third and how to create a goal. 
      3. Use of restrictions like 1 or 2 touch passing.  pass and sprint into space, short-short long (passing), man to man
      4. Restart - training for individuals and team
3. Physical (FITNESS)
   1. Endurance  
      Repetition of a continuation of effort
      Having adequate supplies of energy yielding compounds in the active muscle cells to perform a task over an extended period of time.
      (220-Age) = Maximum heart rate
      Interval Training - Examples:
           Beginning of Season - 3 activity and 1 rest
           As Fitness Improves - 2 activity and 1 rest
           Game condition - 1 activity and 1 rest
      1. Aerobic capacity
         1. Ability of cardiovascular system to sustain activity for 2 x 45 minutes (Cooper Test)
         2. Anaerobic capacity - ability to repeat explosive movement for 2 x 45 minutes
   2. Flexibility - Range of motion of joint levers
      1. Train to increase range of motion and prevent injury
      2. Accepted process is static stretching
   3. Agility
      1. Ability to change direction with quickness and ease
   4. Speed
      1. Pure Speed - how fast can a player cover a given distance (without the ball).  This can be improved by about 10%.
      2. Technical speed - how fast can a player move his feet in relation to a soccer ball.
      3. Speed of action - the perception and thought processing procedure
      4. Mental speed - awareness of all factors within and around the game
   5. Strength
      1. Moving a resistance through a certain range
   6. Power
      1. The application of strength in time
4. Psychological
   1. The continued development of a positive attitude for all aspects of the game
   2. To develop a responsibility within the players toward themselves and the game
   3. Not only individual but team
   4. Discipline to implement the components of Tactics, Technique, Physical and Psychological as individuals and team.
      
5. ECONOMICAL TRAINING
   One who understands Economical Training
   The combining of as many components as possible in one exercise
   
6. SAID Principle
             Specific
             Adaptations of
             Imposed
             Demands

   Training should be specific to the:

   TECHNICAL
   TACTICAL
   PHYSICAL and
   PSYCHOLOGICAL
   demands of the positions. 
   

   These are the FOUR PILLARS OF SOCCER.

   Examples of two positions using SAID principle:
   

   1. Soccer training must replicate the game.  What is done in training must be like what happens in the game.
   2. To get fit to play soccer, training must be specific to the needs of soccer.  If you are going to a tournament, you must be able to play up to five games in a weekend. 

To download the entire outline in .pdf form click here.

On to Part 2