PRE-ORDER & SAVE $101Limited pre-order: Starter kit $749 (reg. $850)Free nationwide shipping
See kitsDrill library
Skill comes from repetition against a live ball. An enclosed four-sided field removes the two things that end backyard sessions — the ball leaving the yard and nobody to pass it back.
Training outcomes vary by player, age and effort. SoccerYards describes what an enclosed field makes possible, not a guaranteed result. “5×” is SoccerYards brand language describing continuous play inside four walls, not a measured study result.
Independent research
Sports scientists have spent decades on small-sided soccer: smaller pitches and fewer players mean more touches, more 1v1s and more decisions per session. That research is about the training method — not about SoccerYards. A SoccerYards kit is designed to make small-sided, rebound-rich play easy to set up at home.
Human Movement (systematic review) · 2020
The Effects of Small-Sided Soccer Games on Technical Actions and Skills
A systematic review of the literature reports that small-sided games are an effective way to develop technical actions and skills.
Read the studyScience & Sports / PMC · 2024
Can Pitch Dimension Influence the Fitness Adaptations Induced by Small-Sided Training? A Randomized Controlled Study in Youth Players
A randomized controlled study in youth players: small-pitch training added to regular practice produced measurable fitness adaptations.
Read the studyBMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation · 2023
Effect of Interval and Continuous Small-Sided Games Training on the Bio-Motor Abilities of Young Soccer Players
Open-access study in young players: small-sided games training improved speed, agility and endurance.
Read the studyThese are independent third-party studies of small-sided soccer training in general. They are not sponsored by SoccerYards, were not conducted on SoccerYards fields, and do not test this product. Most of the studies below were carried out with youth players; product suitability for other ages is our positioning, not a research finding. Individual results vary by player, age and effort.
Step by step
Each drill lists how to set the field up, the order to run it in, and what the walls change versus an open yard.
Finishing, first touch and repetition volume. Built around the rebound so a player can shoot without stopping to fetch.
Four weeks
Four weeks, three sessions a week, about 30 minutes a session. Every session is built for an enclosed four-sided field, where the ball stays live and the reps keep coming. Run the striker track, the defender track, or alternate them week to week.
Week 1 · Touch volume
Session 1: Get the reps flowing
Two-Touch Tempo → Rebound Finish
Log your touch count. This is your baseline for the month.
Session 2: Shape and stance
Jockey the Channel → Two-Touch Tempo
Slow the defending reps down. Correct shape first, speed later.
Session 3: Finish the week
Rebound Finish → Block the Shooting Lane
Finish with 10 free shots. Log shots and goals.
Week 2 · Turning and pressure
Session 1: Turn and go
Back-to-Goal Turn & Shoot → Two-Touch Tempo
Weak foot gets equal reps this week. No skipping it.
Session 2: Front-foot defending
Block the Shooting Lane → Recovery Sprint & Clear
Time the recovery sprints. Consistency beats one fast rep.
Session 3: Live duels
1v1 to Finish → Jockey the Channel
Keep score out loud. Competition is the point.
Week 3 · Speed of decision
Session 1: Two-touch maximum
Back-to-Goal Turn & Shoot → Wall Cross & Far Post
Cap every finish at two touches. Reset if it takes three.
Session 2: Second balls
Defend the Second Ball → Recovery Sprint & Clear
React to the rebound, do not wait for the bounce.
Session 3: Tight-space battles
1v1 Contain to Win → 1v1 to Finish
Quarter-field only. Shrinking the space is the whole drill.
Week 4 · Match speed
Session 1: Finishing under fatigue
Wall Cross & Far Post → Rebound Finish
No rest between rounds. Log shots and goals honestly.
Session 2: Defend the whole field
Recovery Sprint & Clear → Defend the Second Ball → 1v1 Contain to Win
Full field, full effort. Two-minute breaks only.
Session 3: Re-test and play
Two-Touch Tempo → 1v1 to Finish
Repeat the week-one touch count, then finish with a real game.
This plan is training guidance, not a coaching certification, medical advice or a performance guarantee. Warm up before every session, stop if anything hurts, and adjust the volume to the player's age and fitness. Players under 13 should train with adult supervision.
Progress tracker
Log touches, shots and goals after each session. Totals stay in this browser so a player can see the month add up.
No sessions logged yet. Run a drill, then come back and put the numbers in.
Do the math yourself
Every number below is an assumption you can change. Move the sliders and the comparison updates instantly — this is your arithmetic, not our statistic.
One session
320
20 minutes of continuous play.
One match
35
That's 9.1× a match in a single backyard session.
Sessions needed
1
To reach 175 touches a week — 5× what 1 match alone gives.
Already there
1 week
4 sessions a week already clears the target.
This is an estimator, not a measurement or a promise. Real touch counts depend on the players, the space, the session and how the field is used. “5×” is SoccerYards brand language describing continuous play inside four walls, not a measured study result.
