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Glossary

Every coaching word on this site, in plain English. Tap or hover over a dotted word on any page to see its meaning.

England Football (FA) coaching terms

These terms come from England Football Learning and The FA Boot Room. Each one links to the FA page it comes from. Aligned with England Football coaching guidance, not endorsed by The FA.

Four Corner Model: The FA way of looking at a whole player in four areas ("corners"): Technical/Tactical, Physical, Psychological and Social. No corner works on its own. FA source
Technical/Tactical: Corner 1 of the Four Corner Model: ball skills (technique) and making good choices in the game (tactics). FA source
Physical: Corner 2: how players move, such as speed, balance, agility and stamina. FA source
Psychological: Corner 3: the mind, such as confidence, focus and dealing with mistakes. FA source
Social: Corner 4: getting on with others, such as teamwork, talking and listening. FA source
In possession: When your team has the ball. FA source
Out of possession: When the other team has the ball and you are trying to win it back. FA source
Transition (FA game phase): The moments just after the ball changes team: attack to defence, or defence to attack. FA source
STEP: A simple way to make any practice easier or harder by changing the Space, the Task, the Equipment or the Players. FA source
Practice spectrum: The FA list of four practice types, from simplest to most game-like: unopposed, unopposed with interference, overloaded, matched-up. FA source
Unopposed with interference: Other players are in the area and get in the way, but nobody tries to win the ball. FA source
Overloaded (practice): A practice where one side has more players, e.g. 3 attackers v 2 defenders. FA source
Matched-up: A practice with equal numbers on each side, e.g. 4v4. Most like a real game. FA source
Parallel practices: Two or more pitches side by side with different levels of challenge, so every player is stretched the right amount. FA source
Whole-part-whole: A session shape: start with a game, break off to practise one skill, then finish with a game. FA source
Carousel: A session shape: small groups rotate round 3 or 4 stations, then everyone plays a match. FA source
Up the steps: A session shape: start with simple practice, then add defenders step by step, then finish with a game. FA source
Three Rs: FA tip: practices should be Realistic (like the game), Relevant (right for the age) and give lots of Repetition. FA source
Plan-do-review: Players plan how they will play, play it, then talk about what worked and what to change. FA source
Foundation Phase: FA age phase for players aged 5 to 11. Focus on fun, lots of ball and loving the game. FA source
Youth Development Phase: FA age phase for players aged 12 to 16, when growth and puberty change things a lot. FA source
Professional Development Phase: FA age phase for players aged 17 to 21. FA source
Match formats: FA match sizes from 2026/27: U7 3v3, U8-U9 5v5, U10-U11 7v7, U12-U13 9v9, U14 and older 11v11. FA source

Football and fitness words

1RM: One-rep max: the heaviest weight you could lift once. We only estimate it. Never test it without a qualified coach.
1v1: One player against one player. 2v1 means two against one, and so on.
Adductors: The muscles on the inside of your thigh (groin).
Back-pedal: Moving backwards on your toes while staying ready to turn.
Bibs: Coloured vests that show which team a player is on.
Condition: A special rule added to a game, such as "2 touches only".
Conditioning: Fitness training to build stamina, speed and strength.
Cool-down: Easy movement and stretches at the end, to help the body recover.
Copenhagen: An inner-thigh (groin) exercise done in a side plank with the top leg on a bench.
Counter-press: Pressing straight after you lose the ball, to win it back within a few seconds.
Cut-back: A pass from near the goal line back towards the edge of the box.
DBS check: A criminal record check. Anyone coaching children in England and Wales needs an enhanced DBS check.
Distribution: How a goalkeeper gets the ball to team-mates: throwing, rolling or kicking.
Drag-back: Pulling the ball back with the sole of your foot.
FIFA 11+: A warm-up made by FIFA. Studies show it cuts injuries when teams do it regularly.
First touch: Your first contact with the ball when it comes to you. A good first touch sets up your next move.
Floater: A player who joins whichever team has the ball.
Goal-side: Standing between the attacker and your own goal.
Growth spurt: A time when a young player grows fast. Co-ordination can drop and joints can ache, so training should be lighter.
Half-turn: Standing side-on when you get the ball, so you can see more of the pitch and turn quickly.
Hamstrings: The muscles at the back of your thigh.
In-season: The part of the year when matches are being played.
Jockey: Defending by staying on your feet, side-on, and backing off slowly to slow the attacker down.
Load: How much training a player does overall: how often, how long and how hard.
Mid-block: Defending as a team in the middle third of the pitch, not too high and not too deep.
Mobility: Moving joints through their full range so you move freely.
Nordic: A hamstring exercise. You kneel, a partner holds your ankles and you lower your body forward slowly.
One-touch: Passing the ball first time without stopping it. Two-touch means control then pass.
Overlap: A team-mate runs around the outside of the player with the ball to give a passing option.
Overload: When one team has more players in an area than the other, for example 3 attackers against 2 defenders.
Passive defender: A defender who only walks or blocks. They do not try hard to win the ball.
Plyometrics: Jumping and bounding exercises that build power.
Possession: Having the ball. Possession games are about keeping the ball as a team.
Pre-season: The weeks before the season starts, when teams build fitness.
Press: Running at the player with the ball to win it back quickly, as a team.
Progression: A way to make the drill a bit harder once players can do it.
Rep: Repetition: doing the move once. "8 reps" means do it 8 times.
Rondo: A keep-ball game. Players stand around a square and pass. One or two defenders in the middle try to win the ball.
RPE: Rate of perceived exertion. A score from 1 to 10 for how hard the work feels. 1 is very easy and 10 is flat out.
Safeguarding: Keeping children and adults at risk safe from harm.
Scan: A quick look over your shoulder before the ball comes, so you know where space and players are.
Set: A group of reps done in a row. "3 sets of 8" means 8 reps, rest, three times.
Shielding: Keeping your body between the defender and the ball to protect it.
SSG: Small-sided game: a match with fewer players on a smaller pitch, such as 4v4.
Step-over: Moving a foot around the ball without touching it, to trick a defender.
Switch play: Moving the ball quickly from one side of the pitch to the other.
Tempo: How fast you do each part of a lift, in seconds. For example 3-1-1 means 3 seconds down, 1 second pause, 1 second up.
Third-man run: A pass from player A to B, who passes on to player C who has run into space.
Transition: The moment the ball changes team. You switch from attacking to defending, or from defending to attacking.
Underlap: A team-mate runs past on the inside of the player with the ball.
Underload: When a team has fewer players than the other team, so it has to work harder.
Unopposed: With no defenders, so players can practise without pressure.
Volley: Kicking the ball before it bounces. A half-volley is kicked just after it bounces.
Warm-up: Easy movement at the start that gets the body ready to play and helps prevent injuries.
Welfare officer: The club person who looks after the safety and wellbeing of children.

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