Blog

Youth soccer training tips, development insights, and updates from the FlickTec team.

A soccer ball in mid-air inches from a defender's forearm tucked against their side, illustrating the handball rule in soccer

What Is a Handball in Soccer? The Rule Explained for Youth Games

Not every ball that hits an arm is a handball — under IFAB Law 12 there are only two ways to commit the offence, and "ball to hand, not hand to ball" hasn't been the real test for years. Here's what actually counts, and how it's called in youth games.

A girls' club soccer match kit and ball laid out on a stadium bench at golden hour, representing the tiers of the girls youth soccer pyramid

The Girls Youth Soccer Pyramid: League Levels Explained for 2026–27

Two leagues at the top, no MLS NEXT, and a tier-two layer most parents misread. Here is the girls youth soccer pyramid for 2026–27, tier by tier, with the numbers.

Two pairs of soccer cleats side by side on turf, one pair noticeably larger than the other, illustrating the size gap involved in playing up an age group in youth soccer

Should My Child Play Up an Age Group in Soccer?

Playing up is usually offered as a compliment and accepted as a promotion. It should be neither. Here is what actually changes on the field, who genuinely benefits, and the question most parents forget to ask first.

An empty high school soccer field at dusk with metal bleachers along the touchline and floodlights switched on, illustrating the club soccer vs high school soccer decision

Club Soccer vs High School Soccer: Can Your Child Play Both?

Club coach wants a commitment, school coach wants a commitment. Here is what MLS NEXT, ECNL and the Girls Academy actually allow — and the state rule that quietly decides it.

An empty youth soccer pitch at sunrise with a line of orange training cones and a ball on the touchline, ready for a preseason training session

Soccer Preseason Training: A 4-Week Ramp-Up Before the Season Starts

The three to four weeks before the season starts are the highest-leverage — and riskiest — stretch of the youth soccer year. Here's a week-by-week preseason ramp-up, what the 14-day heat-acclimatization rules actually require, and the training-load ceilings most keen families quietly exceed.

An empty high school soccer field at dusk under floodlights, with the goal net and metal bleachers in view, illustrating how long a high school soccer game lasts

How Long Is a High School Soccer Game? NFHS Rules, Halves and Overtime

High school soccer runs on its own rulebook: 80 minutes, two 40-minute halves, a clock that counts down and stops. Here is what NFHS actually specifies, and the parts your state gets to decide for itself.

A painted white build-out line running across a green grass youth soccer field with a small goal in the background, illustrating the build-out line in 7v7 soccer

What Is the Build-Out Line in Soccer? 7v7 Rules Explained

The build-out line forces the defending team to retreat when the goalkeeper has the ball — and quietly moves the offside boundary too. Here's exactly how it works at 7v7, why punting is banned, and the details referees and parents get wrong.

An empty professional soccer training pitch at sunrise with cones, bibs and balls laid out in rows, illustrating how often professional soccer players train

How Often Do Professional Soccer Players Train? Inside a Pro's Week

Pros train five to six days a week, around 110 minutes a session, with one match and a scheduled day off — often less football than a busy youth player. Here's the real weekly structure, and what actually transfers to young players.

A soccer substitution board showing numbers resting on a stack of training bibs on an empty sideline bench, illustrating youth soccer substitution rules

Youth Soccer Substitution Rules: How Many Subs and Can Players Re-Enter?

Unlimited subs, rolling re-entry, or one-and-done? How youth soccer substitution rules actually work — and how they change from rec ball to competitive travel, high school, and the pros.

A smartphone leaning against a football on a grassroots pitch at golden hour, representing the best football training apps for young players

Best Football Training Apps for Young Players (2026 Guide)

From grassroots first-timers to academy hopefuls, here are the football training apps that actually get young players touching the ball every day — compared honestly.