ABSTRACT
The development of youth players into expert professional players is a key concern of clubs, governing bodies, coaches and support staff. Players engage in multiple coaching sessions across their youth that are aimed at developing the skill and knowledge required for expert performance in the professional game. The aim of this chapter is to review previous research and theory on the practice activities that football players engage in during coaching sessions. Two new research studies are presented that examine practice activities in elite youth football coaching sessions, as well as knowledge and skill acquisition in both coaches and players.
