RHAM Youth Soccer

WHAT IS PLAY-PRACTICE-PLAY?

Play-Practice-Play is a Grassroots developed philosophy designed around a player-centered approach to coaching. Taking a player centered approach places the needs and motivations of the player at the forefront of a coach’s approach to coaching his or her players. The concept of Play-Practice-Play is to allow young players to experience the game and game-like situations as much as possible. This approach differs from traditional practices that may have children standing in lines, running laps and participating in drills that don’t resemble the game of soccer.

STAGE 1: PLAY

When players arrive to practice, the first responsibility of the coach is to create an environment that is safe, engaging and fun. In the first Play phase, players engage in small-sided games with the primary focus on having fun. It is important that these pickup-style games are led by the players and facilitated by the coaches. During this first Play stage, players have the opportunity to experience the game while the coach observes and guides them towards developing their own solutions rather than being directed what to do.

STAGE 2: PRACTICE

In the second phase of Play-Practice-Play, children are engaged in different forms of targeted learning activities to further guide their opportunities to develop. The goal of the Practice phase is to create an environment filled with opportunities for players to experience and learn about the goal of the training session through repetition.

Practice activities should be of appropriate challenge (striking a balance between success and failure), resemble the game, involve the players making decisions and allow for creative problem solving. The role of the coach during this phase is to guide players while using teaching actions. While it is during this phase that targeted learning takes place, there should always be an emphasis on keeping the atmosphere fun and enjoyable for the players.

STAGE 3: PLAY AGAIN!

The final stage of Play-Practice-Play is the game. This phase offers players the opportunity and freedom to play, without interruption, in an environment that mirrors the actual game. The focus of the final Play phase is to encourage players to express themselves and demonstrate what they learned during the Practice phase. A coach should observe and guide using minimal dialogue if possible. By silently observing the application of the Practice phase in the final Play phase, the coach is able to check each player’s understanding and ability to execute the goal of the training session.

WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION

Through U.S. Soccer’s Grassroots Licensing Courses, prospective coaches have the opportunity to learn more about the Play-Practice-Play methodology. These opportunities include gaining access to already created Play-Practice-Play training sessions. Click here to access U.S. Soccer’s free Introduction to Grassroots Coaching Education Module and start your journey towards becoming a licensed coach!

Field Status

Open

Hebron- Burnt Hill (03:47 PM | 01/31/24)

Closed

Lower Burnt Hill A (9v9) (12:06 AM | 08/26/20)

Open

Lower Burnt Hill B (7v7) (05:00 PM | 08/12/20)

Open

Upper Burnt Hill A (9v9) (05:00 PM | 08/12/20)

Open

Upper Burnt Hill B (9v9) (12:04 AM | 08/26/20)

Open

Andover- Longhill Field (05:00 PM | 08/12/20)

Open

Longhill Field A (9v9 OR 11v11) (05:00 PM | 08/12/20)

Open

Longhill Field B (7v7) (05:00 PM | 08/12/20)

Open

Hebron- Veteran's Memorial Park (12:06 AM | 08/26/20)

Open

Veterans Field A (11v11) (12:05 AM | 08/26/20)

Open

Veterans Field B (9v9) (02:16 PM | 04/21/23)

Open

Veterans Field C (7v7) (02:16 PM | 04/21/23)

Open

Hebron Lions Club Fairgrounds (12:06 AM | 08/26/20)

Open

Lions Field A (7v7) (12:05 AM | 08/26/20)

Open

Lions Field B (4v4) (12:05 AM | 08/26/20)

Open

Lions Field C (4v4) (12:05 AM | 08/26/20)

Closed

Lions Field D (4v4) (12:06 AM | 08/26/20)

Closed

Marlborough Blackledge Field (11:17 PM | 05/11/20)

Closed

Blackledge A (7v7) (11:17 PM | 05/11/20)

Closed

Blackledge B (7v7) (11:17 PM | 05/11/20)

Open

Marlborough- Farley Field (05:00 PM | 08/12/20)

Open

Farley A (11v11 or 9v9) (05:00 PM | 08/12/20)

Open

Farley B (9v9) (05:00 PM | 08/12/20)

Closed

Marlborough- West Road Memorial (11:21 PM | 05/11/20)

Closed

Memorial Field A (7v7) (11:22 PM | 05/11/20)

Open

Pomfret Parks & Rec (11:21 AM | 09/06/20)

Open

Tedford aka Brookside Park (04:41 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Field 1 (04:41 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Field 2 (04:41 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Pomfret - NEConn (05:23 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Field 1 (05:23 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Field 2 (05:23 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Field 3 (05:23 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Windsor- LP Wilson (08:34 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Field 1 (08:34 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Field 2 (08:34 PM | 09/06/20)

Open

Stafford HS (10:53 PM | 09/07/20)

Open

Field 1 (10:53 PM | 09/07/20)

Open

Field 2 (10:53 PM | 09/07/20)

Open

Field 3 (10:53 PM | 09/07/20)

Open

Avon Fisher Meadows (01:27 PM | 09/08/20)

Open

Field 1 (01:27 PM | 09/08/20)

Open

Field 2 (01:27 PM | 09/08/20)

Open

Field 3 (01:27 PM | 09/08/20)

Open

Field 4 (01:27 PM | 09/08/20)

Open

Field 5 (01:27 PM | 09/08/20)

Open

Tolland - Heron Cove (08:06 AM | 09/09/20)

Open

Field 1 (08:06 AM | 09/09/20)

Open

Field 2 (08:06 AM | 09/09/20)

Open

NEConnQ (08:43 PM | 09/12/20)

Open

Field 1 (08:43 PM | 09/12/20)

Open

Field 2 (08:43 PM | 09/12/20)

Open

Field 3 (08:43 PM | 09/12/20)

Open

East Lyme - Bridebrook Park (05:52 PM | 09/13/20)

Open

Field 1 (05:52 PM | 09/13/20)

Open

Field 2 (05:52 PM | 09/13/20)

Open

Field 3 (05:52 PM | 09/13/20)

Open

Field 4 (05:52 PM | 09/13/20)

Open

Pomfret Rec - NECONN (04:50 PM | 09/14/20)

Open

Vernon Legion Large #2 (04:52 PM | 09/14/20)

Open

Field 1 (04:52 PM | 09/14/20)

Open

Field 2 (04:52 PM | 09/14/20)

Open

Ellington - Sadds Mill Road (04:53 PM | 09/14/20)

Open

Field 1 (05:07 PM | 09/14/20)

Open

Field 2 (11:58 AM | 10/25/20)

Open

NEConn - Owen Bell Park Dayville (12:12 AM | 09/17/20)

Open

Field 1 (12:12 AM | 09/17/20)

Open

Field 2 (12:12 AM | 09/17/20)

Open

Field 3 (12:12 AM | 09/17/20)

Open

East Killingly (09:49 AM | 09/18/20)

Open

Field 1 (09:49 AM | 09/18/20)

Open

Somers - Connor's Place/Field Road park (06:59 PM | 09/20/20)

Open

Field 1 (06:59 PM | 09/20/20)

Open

Field 2 (06:59 PM | 09/20/20)

Open

Field 3 (06:59 PM | 09/20/20)

Open

Field 4 (06:59 PM | 09/20/20)

Open

Field 5 (06:59 PM | 09/20/20)

Open

Field 6 (06:59 PM | 09/20/20)

Open

Glastonbury - Smith Middle School (07:32 AM | 10/01/20)

Open

Field 1 (07:32 AM | 10/01/20)

Open

Field 2 (07:32 AM | 10/01/20)

Open

Field 3 (07:32 AM | 10/01/20)

Open

Field 4 (07:32 AM | 10/01/20)

Open

Field 5 (07:32 AM | 10/01/20)

Open

Field 6 (07:32 AM | 10/01/20)

Open

Ellington - Pinney Street (08:41 AM | 10/09/20)

Open

Large Left Field (09:16 AM | 10/09/20)

Open

Wethersfield - Big Deane (07:37 PM | 10/14/20)

Open

Field 1 (07:37 PM | 10/14/20)

Open

Field 2 (07:37 PM | 10/14/20)

Open

Field 3 (07:37 PM | 10/14/20)

Open

Field 4 (07:37 PM | 10/14/20)

Open

Field 5 (07:37 PM | 10/14/20)

Open

Field 6 (07:37 PM | 10/14/20)

Open

Rocky Hill - Sunny Crest Park (01:03 PM | 10/15/20)

Open

Field 1 (01:03 PM | 10/15/20)

Open

Field 2 (01:03 PM | 10/15/20)

Open

CWSA -Shetucket (02:35 PM | 04/12/21)

Open

Field 1 (02:35 PM | 04/12/21)

Open

Field 2 (02:35 PM | 04/12/21)

Open

Vernon - Boulder Ridge (01:58 PM | 04/13/21)

Open

Field 1 (01:58 PM | 04/13/21)

Open

Field 2 (01:58 PM | 04/13/21)

Open

NECONN Q Prince Hill Park (04:40 PM | 04/13/21)

Open

Field 1 (04:40 PM | 04/13/21)

Open

Field 2 (04:40 PM | 04/13/21)

Open

Oakwood SP (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 1 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 2 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 3 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 4 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Glastonbury HS (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 1 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 2 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 3 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 4 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 5 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 6 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 7 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 8 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 9 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 10 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 11 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 12 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 13 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Glastonbury - Buckingham (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 1 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 2 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 3 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 4 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 5 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Field 6 (03:12 PM | 04/16/21)

Open

Tolland - Cross Farms (05:56 PM | 04/17/21)

Open

Tolland - Cross Farms Fields (05:57 PM | 04/17/21)

Open

Field 1 (05:57 PM | 04/17/21)

Open

Field 2 (05:57 PM | 04/17/21)

Open

Field 3 (05:57 PM | 04/17/21)

Open

Field 4 (05:57 PM | 04/17/21)

Open

Field 5 (05:57 PM | 04/17/21)

Open

Field 6 (05:57 PM | 04/17/21)

Open

Mansfield (WAM) - Lion's Club Memorial Park (12:38 PM | 04/19/21)

Open

9V9 (09:39 AM | 05/18/21)

Open

Vernon Center Middle School (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

Field 1 (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

Field 2 (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

Field 3 (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

Field 4 (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

Field 5 (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

Field 6 (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

Field 7 (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

Field 8 (09:06 AM | 04/20/21)

Open

NECONN Q - Killingly (09:38 PM | 04/24/21)

Open

Field 1 (09:38 PM | 04/24/21)

Open

North Haven Rock Rd Field (09:38 AM | 05/18/21)

Open

Field 1 (09:38 AM | 05/18/21)

Open

Lebanon Elementary School- Aspinall Field (10:31 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Field 1 (10:31 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Field 2 (10:31 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Field 3 (10:31 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Field 4 (10:31 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Philip Lauter Park (10:32 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Field 1 (10:32 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Field 2 (10:32 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Field 3 (10:32 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Field 4 (10:32 AM | 09/09/21)

Open

Coventry- Laidlaw Recreation Area (06:09 PM | 09/19/21)

Open

Field 1 (06:09 PM | 09/19/21)

Open

Field 2 (06:09 PM | 09/19/21)

Open

Bolton- Herrick Field (10:02 PM | 09/27/21)

Open

Field 1 (10:02 PM | 09/27/21)

Open

Field 2 (10:02 PM | 09/27/21)

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RHAM Youth Soccer

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