What are some of the key considerations for coaching youth soccer players? The teenage years in particular are a crucial time for our players’ development as both soccer players and people. As their coaches, we can play a decisive role in that process. Between the ages of 12 and 18, youth players will experience significant physical, psychological, and emotional growth. Social dynamics and the pressures placed upon them will change. And they’ll make repeated leaps between different game formats, transitioning from small-sided games to 11v11….