LONG-TERM
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT:
A COMMUNITY GUIDE
GIVING ALL
PLAYERS
THE BEST
CHANCE OF
SUCCESS IN
SOCCER
Whether they dream of playing for
Canada’s National Teams or simply want
to have fun with their friends, taking the
right approach to the game when children
are young sets the stage for a lifetime of
enjoyment.
GET KIDS TO FALL IN
LOVE WITH THE GAME.
For players under the age of 12, many of
whom are lacing up cleats for the first time,
the goal of this approach is simple:
The Canada Soccer
Pathway provides
a roadmap for
players of all ages
and aspirations who
want to play soccer
at the recreational,
competitive or high
performance EXCEL
levels, with the aim
of encouraging
lifelong participation.
The Pathway is built
around the principles
of Long-Term Player
Development (LTPD).
CANADA SOCCER
BELIEVES EVERY
PLAYER DESERVES
THE BEST
POSSIBLE SOCCER
EXPERIENCE.
LTPD GIVES ALL
PLAYERS THE BEST
CHANCE OF SUCCESS
IN SOCCER
by tailoring training,
competition and coaching to their needs at the
appropriate stage of development.
WHAT IS
LTPD?
LTPD is a model of athlete
development that parallels what
doctors and psychologists have
long used to better understand
human development: as a series
of distinct stages, which take us
from infancy through adulthood.
A person’s abilities, behaviour
and emotions, as well as their
understanding of the world around
them, varies from stage to stage.
Similarly, experts in sport science
have identied seven stages
of development—each with its
own physical and psychological
characteristics—that form the
basis for LTPD. When young
soccer players are able to train
and compete in an environment
that’s appropriate to their stage
of development, they not only
perform at their best, they also
have more fun.
In other words, LTPD is
designed to give players an
optimal soccer experience
at every stage by putting
their needs front and centre.
WHY
LTPD?
We don’t expect kids to compete
in spelling bees without rst
teaching them their ABCs. When
activities and expectations
don’t match with a child’s
developmental stage, this can
set them up for failure.
The same is true when young
children are thrust into a soccer
environment that over-emphasizes
winning at the expense of
developing skills and having fun.
The negative consequences can
last a lifetime: Some kids develop
bad habits and poor skills and
can become discouraged. Many
don’t achieve their performance
potential. Others end up leaving
the sport altogether because they
don’t enjoy the game.
LEARNING
TO TRAIN
(U-8/U-11 F, U-9/U-12 M)
This “golden age
of learning,” when
children become less
self-centered and are
more able to reflect
on their actions and
learn from mistakes,
provides an optimal
window for further
development of
skills. The focus is
on learning by doing,
building a larger
repertoire of soccer
movements and
teaching the basic
principles of play in a
fun and challenging
environment.
ACTIVE START
(U-4/U-6 M/F)
Gives the youngest
players the
opportunity
to develop basic
movement skills
like running,
jumping, landing,
kicking, throwing,
and catching in a
fun setting built
around informal
play and positive
reinforcement.
STAGE ONE:
STAGE THREE:
FUNDAMENTALS
STAGE TWO:
(U-6/U-8 F, U-6/U-10 M)
Allows children
to develop their
movement ABCs—
agility, balance,
coordination, and
speed—and learn the
basics of the game
while emphasizing
fun, cooperation, and
maximum time on
the ball.
The first three LTPD stages,
which guide development
up to age 12, are built around
small-sided games. There
are no league standings for
these age groups; the focus
is on learning and fun.
THE FIRST THREE
LTPD STAGES
As children move into
adolescence, ofcial league
standings are introduced and
the game becomes more
competitive, with more emphasis
on strategy and tactics. With a
steady increase in training time
over the next three LTPD stages
(4-6), a move to larger-sided
games and year-round play,
the most advanced players are
given opportunities for further
development with the Canada
Soccer Pathway’s EXCEL
program. Others may decide to
continue playing recreationally,
moving straight to LTPD stage 7.
PROGRESSING
INTO
COMPETITION
TRAINING
TO COMPETE
TRAINING
TO WIN
TRAINING
TO TRAIN
STAGE FOUR:
(U-11/U-15 F, U-12/U-15 M)
The onset of the
adolescent growth
spurt for most
kids during this
stage is an ideal
time for endurance
training. Players are
also introduced to
concepts like mental
preparation, goal
setting, and coping
with winning and
losing while learning
more advanced soccer
skills, including
position-specific
techniques.
(U-15/U-19 F, U-16/U-20 M)
Players are now
working to hone their
soccer skills under a
variety of competitive
conditions in an 11
v 11 game format
that mirrors adult
play. Along with the
continued refinement
of advanced
techniques, players
work to develop their
tactical awareness,
discipline and mental
toughness.
STAGE FIVE:
STAGE SIX:
(U-18+ F, U-19+ M)
With most of their
soccer skills now fully
established, the focus
for EXCEL players at
the National Team,
semi-professional and
professional levels
shifts to performing
at their best. They
work on adapting
strategies quickly
to suit changing
demands, establishing
a pre-training and
pre-match routine,
and maintaining
optimal physical and
psychological fitness.
STAGE SEVEN:
This stage
encompasses
boys
and girls, men and
women of all ages and
abilities who want to
play soccer for fun
and fitness. They may
be youth players who
don’t pursue high-
performance play
through the EXCEL
program, former
competitive players
who don’t intend to
play internationally, or
professionally or, they
may be brand new to
soccer. In all cases,
the game structure
is adapted to suit
the level of play, the
number of players and
the available space.
ACTIVE
FOR LIFE
LTPD IS PLAYER-CENTERED:
Respecting the developmental needs of players is the
number-one priority. This means making sure recreational
players have fun, and also that those with special talents are
given opportunities for further development as they move along
the Canada Soccer Pathway.
LTPD IS INCLUSIVE:
A handful of players may follow the Canada Soccer Pathway’s
EXCEL program all the way to a National Team or professional
club, but LTPD is also designed for the 99% who won’t. It’s about
giving everyone the best possible soccer experience every step of
the way.
LTPD RECOGNIZES COMPETITIVENESS
COMES FROM WITHIN:
The fact that there are no standings for players under 12 does
not translate into a lack of competitive spirit. When kids play in an
environment where learning is put ahead of winning, they’re less
afraid to make mistakes and more willing to take risks in order to
try out the new skills they’ve learned during practice. They’re free
to play their own best game without worrying they’ll be chastised
for a poor match result.
WHEN CHILDREN
LEARN THE RIGHT
SKILLS AT THE RIGHT
TIME
—
supported by a caring soccer
community of parents, coaches, ocials, and
volunteers — they become more confident in
their abilities and have a lot more fun. This means
more of them will grow into healthy, active adults
with a lifelong love of the game.
CANADA SOCCER PATHWAY PARTNERS
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
CANADA SOCCER PATHWAY AND
LONG-TERM PLAYER DEVELOPMENT,
PLEASE VISIT
CANADA SOCCER.COM/PATHWAY
British Columbia
Soccer Association
bcsoccer.net
Alberta Soccer Association
albertasoccer.com
Saskatchewan Soccer
Association
sasksoccer.com
Manitoba Soccer
Association
manitobasoccer.ca
Ontario Soccer Association
ontariosoccer.net
Fédération de soccer
du Québec
federation-soccer.qc.ca
Soccer New Brunswick
soccernb.org
Soccer Nova Scotia
soccerns.ns.ca
Prince Edward Island
Soccer Association
peisoccer.com
Newfoundland and Labrador
Soccer Association
nlsa.ca
Northwest Territories
Soccer Association
nwtkicks.ca
Yukon Soccer Association
yukonsoccer.yk.ca
Nunavut Soccer Association
facebook.com/Nunavut
SoccerAssociation
