Grade the effort,
not the scoreboard
A free soccer report card for players, parents and coaches. Rate work rate, communication, first-touch focus and bounce-back, then print it or save it as an image to share after the season.
What the six grades mean
- Work rate: runs back on defense, presses after losing the ball
- Talks on the field: calls "man on", "time", names
- Defends as a team: stays connected, covers a teammate
- First-touch focus: eyes on the ball, body open to the field
- Brave on the ball: asks for it again after a mistake
- Bounce-back: resets within seconds after a goal against
Heading rules for kids
U.S. Soccer guidance bars heading for players 10 and under and limits heading practice for ages 11 and 12. Ask your league what it follows.
Any player who seems dazed after contact comes out and stays out until a clinician clears them. Concussion signs.
From an ER doctor
I see young players after collisions, heat illness and falls. The habits on this card, especially speaking up, protect them too.
Collapse without contact is a 911 call: start CPR and get the AED.
Written and medically reviewed by Harvey Castro, MD, MBA, board-certified emergency physician. Last reviewed October 25, 2026.