Do you ever let U13s choose the formation?

You can give the players ownership without turning the formation into a vote. Start with the football problem. Ask what the team needs in possession, without the ball and during transitions. Then ask small groups to suggest a shape and explain how it helps. The coach keeps final responsibility because the players may not see every consequence or may choose roles around personal preference. You can test one proposal for a short game and review what happened. The loudest voice should not decide. Give every player time to think first, then hear from different groups or nominate quieter players to share. At U13, the useful learning is not choosing a fashionable formation. It is understanding that a shape should help the team create width, depth, support and defensive balance with the players available. Give everyone one minute to write or think privately, then discuss in groups of three. Each group must explain one benefit and one risk of its shape. Ask a different player to report back. The coach then selects one option to test and explains which ideas influenced the decision.