UPDATED 2013 March
Note: The Coerver School has made many new improvements to their instructional videos. They also have regional training sessions that you can join. Follow the links listed below to find more information.

Anyone who is serious about soccer has likely heard of the Coerver Coaching Method for player development.  In the 1970s, Wiel Coerver began to develop a different approach to soccer training.  Up to that point, many people believed that you were either born a great soccer player or you were not.  After studying countless hours of film, Wiel Coerver determined that there were fundamental principles and moves which could be taught to other players.  This DVD series is a new release of the best of the Coerver Training material.  For the full review, read on.


As a youth soccer coach for over five years, I’ve seen numerous volunteer coaches struggle with what to do with their limited practice time.  I’ve struggled with it myself.  The desire to impart knowledge is there, but the methods and practical drills or training methods may be lacking.

This DVD series will literally get you started toward developing an individual player or team without any other training materials.  It’s that good.  This is not to devalue other methods or advanced team play strategies.  But most youth soccer coaches aren’t worried about developing advanced strategies.  They just want to teach their players how to control the ball and begin to work with other players as a team.

Part of the brilliance of the Coerver method is that it focuses on interaction between 2-4 players.  The reasoning for this is that in a full field soccer game, not all 11 players are at work at any given time.  Rather, a full game is comprised of numerous sets of interaction between two to four players.  Think about it.  The ball moves between these small “teams” as it is brought up the field.

The DVD set contains five discs.  The first three discs are part of the “Make Your Move” series.  On each disc there are a number of skillsets related to moves that a soccer player can use to create space, lose an opponent or go around an opponent.  These include Fakes and Feints and Changes of Directions.  The move is shown in various contexts usually with an adult player and then a juvenile player.  Slow motion or stop action sequences help you and your players to be able to easily see what the main points are in learning to use and perfect each particular move.

Development:
The fourth disc covers the Coerver Pyramid of Player Development, part of their New Era Coaching Series.  This shows the foundational issues of Ball Mastery, Passing and Receiving, Moves (1v1), Speed and Finishing.  Coaches will find the drills they provide in this section especially helpful.

The fifth disc covers Fast Break Attack and is designed to help coaches train their players how to take advantage of situations where speed will make the difference between a goal or a lost opportunity.

I purchased this DVD series over a year ago and began incorporating the drills and techniques with a competitive (U9) soccer team.  It made a tremendous difference in the individual skills that the players developed during the past year.  In the Spring, I began using some of the simple techniques with a U6 recreational team and was also pleased with the results.

There are older versions of some of this traning material available, and you may be able to purchase them used.  I would recommend the new material due to it being updated, containing a more comprehensive approach, and also because you have access to other resources such as their online video library and conference calls with some of the trainers.

To purchase this material, follow this link.

You can also find great goalkeeping instruction at the site. Just click on this link.

I have recommended this set to numerous persons individually, and I have no hesitation recommending it generally to any coach who wants to impact their player development in a positive way.

FINAL NOTE FOR PARENTS:  Please note that they DO have a smaller DVD set that is geared toward the individual player and not just the coach.  You can click on the “purchase” link above.  Once you are at the site, click on Products at the bottom.  Then choose the “Play Great Soccer DVD” option.  It has some of the same material as the coach’s set, but is focused on the player.  My son LOVES to watch the moves DVDs and always seems to be inspired to go out and practice them.  (That’s a good thing!)