Baton Rouge Soccer Club Under 5 and 6 Handbook By: Marvin Smith, Director of Coaching
Table of Content Mission Statement Age Group Characteristics A Typical U6 Training Session Tips For A Good Practice Things You Need For Your Practice Basic Information and Tips For Beginning Coaches BRSA League Playing Rules Sample Practice Plan 10 Training Ideas Activities/Small Sided Games The Rationale for not playing with goalkeepers
Mission Statement: To provide our youth membership the most rewarding and fun filled playing environment! Characteristics of U6 Soccer Players Pre-K, Kindergarten, and First Grade. Psychomotor Development Movement education approach Body segments grow at different rates Differences between boys & girls are minimal Weight range approximately 30-50 lbs. Height range approximately 35-37 inches Motor development starts with the head and moves downward to the feet, and from the center of the body outward. Easily fatigued, rapid recovery. Heart rate around 90 bpm. Increased use of all body parts Need to explore qualities of rolling and bouncing ball. Emphasis on fundamental movement skills ~ Locomotor: walking, running, leaping, jumping, and hopping ~ Nonlocomotor: bending, stretching, twisting, pulling, and pushing. ~ Basic Manipulative: throwing, catching, striking, and kicking. Cognitive Development Preoperational stage (Piaget) Plays consist of a high degree of imagination and pretend activities. Beginning use of symbols to represent objects in their environment. Tend to only one task at a time in problem solving situations. Process small bits of information at time. Long sequential instructions are not processed. Immature understanding of time and space relationships. Simple rules. Psychosocial Development Development of self-concepts, body awareness, self-image through movement. Egocentric, see world only from their perspective. Demonstrate through parallel play. Need generous PRAISE! Play without PRESSURE! Influential person in their life is most likely their mother or significant parent. May verbalize team, but does not understand group or collective play. General Characteristics of Children Under The Age of Six Short attention span Most individually oriented (me, my, mine) Constantly in motion
Psychologically easily bruised Little or no concern for team activities They believe in Santa Claus, but will not discuss with peers Physical and psychological development of boys and girls quite similar Physical coordination immature Eye hand and or eye foot coordination most primitive at best Love to run, jump and roll Like to roll on the ground (that s is good dress-up clothes, not in team uniform) Enjoy climbing Prefer large soft balls and nerf balls Catching skills not yet developed Can balance on good foot No sense of pace they play/run all out A Typical U6 Training Session Should not exceed 60 minutes Every child should have a ball 6-8 minutes; Warm-up which should include movement education problems and soccernastics 20-25 minutes; Game Activities mostly body awareness type along with some maze games 15-20 minutes; 4V4Game to small goals (should replicate the league game) Tips For A Good Practice Keep it Fun! Kids love playing games and keeping score. Select and play activities that are more game like. Limit activities that incorporate lines. Everyone should stay active and participate. Maximize touches on the ball. At least 100 touches per practice for each player. Teach proper technique and emphasize games that practice technique or simulate play or playing situations. Play games by keeping time (i.e., so they last 1,3, or 5 minutes) or by keeping score (i.e., first to 3, 12, etc. wins). Praise effort, improvement and good attitude. Measure each player s performance by his/her personal improvement and effort, and not by comparing them to someone else. Try to motivate in a positive way that builds self-esteem. A good game must be easy and quick to set up and should be simple to explain and manage. If you re spending too much time on set up and instruction, simplify it. If it s not fun, it s not a good game, change it!
You must have at least one ball per player Avoid general scrimmaging for more than 10 minutes per hour. In general scrimmages, players don t get enough touches on the ball, the weaker players tend to get the fewest touches and bad habits can be reinforced because players tend to do the same things they have always done. When you scrimmage, do so without goalkeepers. Adopt this philosophy: Keep it simple, keep them active, and keep it fun and at least 100 touches per player per practice. Things You Need For Your Practice Small Soccer Disks Cones. Disk cones are ideal for marking areas for small-sided games. As a general rule, you should have two cones per player (i.e., 30 cones for a team of 15 players). Cones look like an upside down bowl and come in fluorescent colors. As an alternative, you can use strips of brightly colored cloth to mark the areas. A Way To Identify Teams. You can buy practice vests/bibs (visit Third Coast Soccer) A Ball For Every Player. Ask each player/parent to bring a ball to practice, but we suggest you buy some extras to keep with you at all times because some players/parents WILL forget. A nylon mesh laundry bag makes a great ball bag. You will also need to buy a ball pump to keep the balls properly inflated. A Whistle. A cheap one will do. This will be hugely helpful in getting your players attention. Use the whistle to stop and start the practice. An Equipment Bag. To keep your gear in. It should also have a small medical kit (lots of band-aids) and a few of the 99 cents instant ice packs. A Watch With A Countdown Timer. You can get by without this, but it makes it a lot easier to run timed games. Assistants. The more the better. Ask other parents to help with communication, snack assignment, etc., even if it is just to pick up balls and cones Water. Ask every player/parent to bring water in a plastic water bottle with their name on it. We suggest you bring a cooler with extra water because someone always forgets.
BASIC INFORMATION & TIPS FOR BEGINNING COACHES AND HOW TO COACH U 5 U8 AGES Soccer is a game played primarily with the feet. The head & other parts of the body can be used but the hands & arms (up to & including the shoulder) cannot be used except on a "Throw-In" and by the Goalie in certain circumstances and the appropriate ages. If you've ever played basketball, many of the concepts you learned such as "give & go", "inbound plays", "getting open", "support", "man-to-man", "zone defense" & others are very applicable to soccer. You will also find similarities in many other team sports including hockey, rugby & American football, & concepts such as "follow through", "staying on your toes" & a "quick first step" are used in most field sports. Soccer is very much a team sport & coaching begins to make a great difference by age 9. After that age a wellcoached team will almost always beat a poorly coached team, even if the poorly coached team has better athletes. Recreational & Competitive Soccer. There are 2 types of youth soccer programs; one is called "recreational" (or "Rec.") and the other is called "Competitive", "club" or "travel". "Recreational" soccer is what most youth participate in. Players and coaches register with BRSA and parent volunteers coach all the teams. There are two seasons, fall and spring, during the season there is usually one game per week, fun & good sportsmanship are stressed & each player plays at least 50% of each game. "Competitive" soccer is more competitive & teams often practice several times per week & play year-round. There are usually try-outs for these teams, players can be "cut" and playing time is not guaranteed. The focus of these teams is often on seeking the best possible competition and often travels as a result. They are sometimes called "travel" teams because they travel to tournaments in other cities. Our paid licensed professional trainers coach these teams. How To Determine A Child's "Soccer Age". Children are usually placed in age groups based on their birth date. For most leagues, the way to determine a child's "soccer age" is to ask "How old was the child on last July 31?" For example, if a child was nine as of 7/31/02, they will stay in the "Under-10" (U-10) group until 7/31/03, when they move up to U-11. You should keep in mind that a child with a July birthday is almost a year younger than a child with an August birthday (even though they may be the same "soccer age") & that the younger children often have shorter attention spans and often won't learn as quickly as the older children. Rules. Soccer rules are published annually by FIFA, the world soccer governing body, but youth organizations usually adjust the rules to fit children. Please refer to the BRSA rules.
Equipment. a. All players must wear shin guards to every practice and every game. Hard surfaces of shin guards must be covered with socks. (Referees will check this). Encourage parents to buy properly sized shin guards that have a hard surface (plastic or fiberglass) and padding to cover the anklebone. b. No shoes with front cleats may be worn (i.e., no baseball or football shoes if they have a front cleat, unless you cut it off). Only rubber cleats are allowed; metal cleats are not allowed. (Referees will check). c. No jewelry, metal devices, or hazardous equipment may be worn. (Casts can be allowed if they are padded & the Referee approves them before the game). d. Each player should bring a plastic water bottle to games and practices. Coaches should allow adequate water breaks during practice & bring extra water (some players will always forget to bring water). e. Each player should have a stitched ball (as opposed to a hard seamless ball) of proper size. (Soccer balls come in 3 different sizes: 3, 4, & 5. The ball size is shown on the ball. Also, look for a stamp that says either "official size & weight" or "FIFA Approved". Even if a ball is the official weight, some balls are heavier & harder than others. Don't get a ball that is too heavy or hard (some seamless balls are especially hard). Some balls are so hard that it is painful to kick them. If you have a choice, a shiny, waterproof surface is best because it won't absorb water & will last longer. Test the ball to see if it's round & will fly straight by tossing it into the air with a lot of spin on it to see if it wobbles. U- 6 & U-8 (i.e., Under-6 & Under-8) use a size 3; U-10 & U-12 use a size 4; and U-13 & older use a size 5 ball). f. For the games, each player must wear a jersey (issued by BRSA), shorts (most leagues don't object to long pants if it is cold; note that the FIFA rules say that if thermal under shorts are worn they must be the same main color as the shorts), shin guards, stockings or socks that entirely cover the shin guards, and footwear. Practice Tips. See "Things You Need For A Good Practice" & "Keys To Good Practice Games". Practice Attendance. You really can't punish a child in a recreational league for not coming to practice because it's usually the parent's fault. However, we do think it is fair to tell them that because soccer is a team sport, it is only natural that those who come to practice the most might play the most & might get first preference for the positions they prefer to play. Try to motivate players to come by making practices fun & playing games like those described in the section titled "Soccer Practice Games". Also, explain to them that soccer is a team sport & the team will play better & have more fun if everyone comes to practice.
Team Names & Cheers. Most teams choose a nickname. Young children also like a cheer, which they can do before or after the game or at halftime. If your team's name has a "rhythmic" spelling, you can spell it (e.g., M-A-G-I-C, GO Magic!). The best one I've heard is "Play Hard, Play Fair, Have FUN". Players usually gather round & touch hands while doing their cheer. Playing Time. The BRSA recreational leagues require that each child plays at least 50% of every game he or she attend. When You Can Substitute. (Aka "Subbing"). The BRSA Leagues allow "unlimited substitutions" (which means the coach can "sub" as many times as he/she wants during the game but only at certain times such as goal kicks) or only allow subbing between quarters. If "unlimited substitution" is allowed, you can usually sub at these times (check with your league to see if they follow these rules): after a goal kick is called for either team, after a goal by either team, after a throwin is called for your team (not the other team), at halftime, and at an injury time-out if the other team replaces a player (but you can only sub as many players as they do). You usually cannot sub on corners, or free kicks. Except at half time or between quarters, substitutions may only occur with the Referees permission (you can get his attention by yelling "sub"). Players entering & leaving the field should only do so at the halfway line. The rules technically say that a player must leave the field first before his sub can enter the field. Many referees don't enforce this in youth games because there is so much substitution. However, if the Ref says "call them off first", this is what he/she means. Small Sided Games & Formations. The BRSA league plays "Small Sided". The U6 U8 plays a maximum of 4 players per team NO Goalkeeper; the U9 & U10 plays a maximum of 5 players per team With A Goalkeeper see BRSA playing rules. At young ages it is much better to play small sided; the players get many more "touches" on the ball & it is much easier to teach them the important concepts such as "support", "First Defender", to "shift & sag", and to spread out & get open for passes. In small sided games with 5 or less players per team, you shouldn't worry about "formations" or "positions" but should teach basic concepts, teamwork, passing, dribbling & basic tactics such as "sagging" & to mark up behind a man when the other team has a throw-in or is near our goal. To quote Bobby Howe, Director of Coaching Education for the U.S. Soccer Federation & author with Tony Waiters of 2 excellent books: Fewer players on the field Reduces the size of the "swarm;" Creates more touches; Does not allow players to "hide" or be excluded from the activity;
Presents realistic but simple soccer challenges; Requires players to make simple but realistic soccer decisions. Realistic Experience + Fun = Improvement In Play. Injuries. If a player is injured, play will continue until the whistle is blown. The referee will stop the game if a child appears to be seriously hurt or if there is blood. If the game is stopped for injury, you should have your players immediately stop and sit or kneel down where they are. It is recommended that each coach become familiar with the proper procedures in the event of an injury. An injured player should sit out and receive appropriate treatment. Encourage Learning & Tolerate Mistakes. If your team is learning & trying new things, they will make a lot of mistakes. You must accept this fact & be tolerant of mistakes. If you aren't, you will discourage them from trying new things. Encourage them to try new things & encourage the effort even if it doesn't work. Examples: "Great try. Keep it up." or "Good idea; try it again." Rewarding Or Punishing Performance. Never punish or scold a child for lack of ability. All you can expect them to do is their best (e.g., Don't make those who lose a game or come in last run laps, or do jumps, or sit out while others play). Tell everyone, including the non - athletic players, that you are proud of them if they are trying hard. You will have some athletic players and some non-athletic players. Measure each player s performance by his or her personal improvement & effort, and not by comparing them to someone else. Try to motivate in a positive way that builds self-esteem. See "Incentives" below for ideas about rewarding practice and game attendance, hustle and effort. Measuring Success. In recreational soccer, consider measuring success in these ways: a. Is everyone having fun? (If it's not fun, it's not good). b. Are they learning about teamwork? c. Are they learning something about soccer (i.e., are they improving?). (This one mainly applies to U-8 & up). d. Are they hustling, enthusiastic & doing their best? Incentives. Tangible incentives aren't required, but kids love them & I believe they can be good if they are used in the right way. For example, in recreational soccer, you can use them to reward practice and game attendance & hustle. You can also use them to reward team effort such as the team that wins a practice game. (Rewarding individual effort doesn't work as well unless your players all have
about the same ability because a few kids will probably win all the time & some will never win). A few years ago, the mother of one of my players bought some gold iron-on fabric and cut out stars, which we gave out for practice & game attendance & hustle. The kids loved it. Later, we started buying small iron-on soccer ball patches. These come in 4 colors & the player iron them on their jerseys. We gave out a red and white one for bravery and tough play and the boys called it a "Blood Patch". We asked for $10 donations to buy these. A tip: if you give out rewards, don't give out more than 2 per player per practice and 2 per player per game, otherwise they lose their value & the kids aren't as excited to get them. Another idea is to do like teachers do & give a special reward for perfect practice & game attendance. For example, a computer printed attendance certificate. Be A Good Role Model. To a large degree, your players & parents will follow your lead. Be a good sport & don't yell at the referees or at the other team. After the game, seek out the referees and shake their hand and thank them, even if they made some bad calls. Things You Are Not Allowed To Do: a. Coaches may not come on the field (or step on the lines) during the game except with the referee's permission. This does not apply for the U5 & 6 because the coaches referee the games. b. There should be no yelling or conversation between a coach and the other team during the game. c. Coaches & spectators must stand on the sidelines & cannot stand behind the end lines (See "Coaching During Games" in this section). Things You Should And Things You Should Not Do: a. Positive encouragement and instruction of your players from the sidelines is allowed. You should not offer negative criticism, show any hostility, abuse or anger behavior. You are a role model and must set the example of good sportsmanship and insist upon it from your team. b. Cheering when the other team makes a mistake is bad. Cheering when the other team makes a great play is good. c. Never criticize the referee. It is a tough job. Remember, you are the role model and must set the standard for behavior. It is good to thank the referee and linesmen after the game. d. You should stay 2 steps back from the sideline (U7 and above) during games so you don't block the Assistant Referee's view of the line. e. Don't run up the score. It's not good for either team if the game is a mismatch, but sometimes it happens. If your team gets 5 goals ahead, you should be a good sport & do one of the following: o Put your weakest scorers up front (use this as an opportunity to let them be forwards). o Try someone new in goal & at fullback
o o o Pull a player off the field & "play short". If it is still a mismatch, pull off another player. Tell your players they must complete 5 consecutive passes before shooting Tell them they can only take shots from outside the Penalty Box (i.e., practice chip shots, lofted shots at the top of the goal or power shots). Coaching During Games. Some books will tell you that during games you should let the players play & not give instructions. That may work for older or premier teams, but it isn't very practical for youth recreational teams, which only practice once a week. We encourage coaching from the sidelines (although sometimes only by one coach who must stay in a designated area). If the objectives are to have fun & to teach the boys and girls how to play, then coaching during the game can help achieve those objectives. There are many things that you can teach in a game that are difficult to teach in practice, especially if you only practice one time a week (a "shifting & sagging" defense is one). We view games as another teaching opportunity. Be sure to not get in the other team's way & remember you have to coach from the side lines, not the "end zones". To be courteous, you might ask the other coach if it is okay with him). Should you yell? Yes, it necessary to yell instructions to the players so they can hear you across the field. Yelling negative or general comments such as: "You guys stink" or "Hustle" is not allowed. Try your best to yell specific instructions such as "John, push up", or "Matt, cover the center" or "Don't get thrown over" (or "punted over" or "goal kicked over"), or "Mark up behind a man" (on the other teams throw-ins, goal kicks, & free kicks) or, on the other teams corner kicks, "Mark a man goal-side". Try not to show frustration or irritation & try to not single out anyone for criticism unless they aren't hustling & then you ask, "John, are you sick?" If he says "No", then ask "Are you tired?" If he says "No", you say, "Then hustle". However, you should make coaching comments to correct errors at the U7 & U8 age level. For example, if a player's passes are coming off the ground, you might say "Matt, strike the ball higher". Or, if they turn over a throw-in because their foot came off the ground you might say "Patrick, drag your toe". At the End of the Game. At the end of the game, players & coaches usually line up facing each other on the halfway line, walk past each other & touch hands & say "Good Game!!" Coaches are usually last in line & shake hands. It is also a nice gesture & sets a good example for the coach to seek out the referee & assistant referees & thank them. Parents usually take turns providing refreshments after games. Keeping Children & Parents Under Control. These are two areas that need a lot of your attention throughout the season. The most difficult things you will have to learn are how to deal with disruptive players and disruptive parents. Here are some ideas to deal with these situations should they arise.
a. Be a coach & an authority figure, not a "buddy". Occasionally, you will see a coach who is a natural leader. Be firm, but fair. (Be nice/kind, don't be a mean). b. Do not tolerate rude or disrespectful behavior from players. You shouldn't have to and, if you do, you will probably regret it. I have found it advantageous to tell the parents & players from the very start what is expected. One-way is to send home a letter at the start of the season that discusses your "coaching philosophy & expected behavior". Here are six simple rules you can implement (these may have to be adjusted for children age 6 or younger): 1. Everyone must follow all directions given by the coaches & assistant coaches 2. Everyone must hustle & do their best 3. "When I talk you must be still & listen" (i.e. one foot on top of ball) 4. I expect everyone to be a good sport whether we win or lose (this includes parents) 5. "No cursing or name calling". 6. Disruptive or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. c. It s a good idea to buy a whistle & use it to get attention. d. Safety Rules. Certain rules must apply regardless of age: 1. "Keep your hands to yourself" (You cannot allow anyone to get hurt) 2. "Do not kick the ball in the air unless I tell you it is okay" (otherwise you will have kids getting hit in the back of the head or the face by flying balls) 3. Dangerous behavior will not be allowed or tolerated. e. Dealing with disruptive players (U-8 & older). (The following only applies to ages 8 and older). It s of the utmost importance to regulate ("nip in the bud") bad or disrespectful behavior. If you allow it to continue, it will get worse and worse and create a situation, which is unfair to the other players and is unpleasant for everyone involved. A disruptive child gives you an appreciation of what a schoolteacher faces when dealing with a child who disrupts the classroom. Teachers are trained to deal with this, but volunteer soccer coaches usually aren't. We do hope you never have this problem, but if you do, here are some helpful suggestions: 1. Talk to the child and explain what he is doing that is unacceptable and why, and ask him to stop it. 2. If he/she persists, ask him/her to do 10 "knee jumps" (he stands still and jumps, raising his knees to waist height. This is quick & less disruptive than laps). If he/she still persists, ask him/her to go to the sideline (time out) until he is ready to obey the rules. Take the player over to the side and speak to him/her privately and explain that he/she is disrupting practice (or doing something unsafe) and that it won't tolerated and
that if it happens again he/she will have to sit out until his parents arrive & then talk to his parents. 3. If the player still persists, ask him/her to sit on the sideline until his parents arrive at which time you should talk to the parents. 4. If he/she still persists at any future practice, or if the parents don't support the need for discipline, encourage the parent/s attend each practice so they are present to observe and enforce discipline, or the very last resort, ask them to resign from the team and file a written report with the league administrator. Warning: Never say anything mean to a child and be very careful about touching a child. There have been cases where parents became upset and threatened to sue because a coach patted their child on the head or grabbed him by the arm. f. Dealing with disruptive parents. This is a dilemma. Depending on the circumstances, ask your league coordinator for advice and support. The following are some suggestions to assist in this area: 1. Have a parent meeting before the season starts 2. Clarify Parental Behavior and Expectation". Examples: "Positive encouragement is good; negative comments are bad." "Cheering is good, but do not yell at your child or anyone else's child during the game. It can be distracting and what you tell them may be different from what the coaches are saying. If you would like to be an assistant coach, please call me, I would love your help." "Be careful not to say anything that might be taken the wrong way or hurt someone's feelings. Remember: this is for fun & these are children." "Be a good role model & a good sport." "Do not yell at the referees or say anything bad to or about the other team. Never boo the other team or cheer when they make a mistake." Where To Buy Soccer Stuff. You can acquire all your soccer needs at Third Coast Soccer store located in the Landmark Plaza at 8312 Jefferson Hwy. You can find many sources of books, tapes and soccer gear on the Internet. You can find a list of recommend sites at www.brsa.org (click on coaches link). A tip: Don't buy cheap shoes that don't have cushioning and be sure they are properly sized. Soccer shoes don't come in widths, and generally they run narrow, but some brands are wider. Always Remember: You are doing this for fun and to help the kids. Be a "nice" coach who your players will remember fondly.
Questions & Answers: a. Do you need a goal or a lined field to have a good practice? No! Most people think so, but it's really not necessary, you can use cones to make goals. However, a real goal or a backstop is great. b. Why not just scrimmage the entire practice? There are 4 reasons why that isn't best for a Recreational team: 1. If you have a lot of players, they won't get enough touches on the ball. This is especially true for the less aggressive and less skilled players. If you split up and play "small sided" on a small field (e.g., 30-50 steps long and 25-40 steps wide, depending on age) it increases the number of touches, but there are still the problems described in 2 & 3 below. If you scrimmage, only do so for 10-15 minutes per practice and scrimmage without a Goalie (U9 & above) so your defenders are forced to defend. You can't practice specific techniques or tactics in a general scrimmage. 2. Players tend to not try new things in a general scrimmage and scrimmaging can reinforce bad habits. They tend to do the same things they have always done, even if they are incorrect (i.e., scrimmaging reinforces bad technique & doesn't present the opportunity to teach correct technique). 3. Some players are less enthusiastic on game day if they have scrimmaged a lot during the week. This may not be true with all players, but it does happen.
U6 Sample Practice Plan Using Games/Activities Approach Objectives: 1. To acquaint coach and team members. 2. To become familiar moving with a ball at their feet. 3. To react to coaches voice Warm-up Activities: Approximate Time: 3min. Body part dribble 2min. Stretching 3min. Math dribbling Total: 8min. Main Activities: 4 min. Shadow dribbling, one-minute periods with at least two periods each. 2 min. Water Break 4 min. Everybody s It play 2-4 min (1 min. games). 2 min. Water Break 5 min. Red Light, Green Light 10 min. Pac Man 2 min. Water Break 15 min. 4 v 4 Small- sided game Total: 48 Cool Down Activities: 2 min. Stretching 2 min. Snack Time Total practice time: 60 minutes End practice with positive reinforcement for their efforts.
Body Part Dribbling Organization: Each player with a ball 10 Training Games/Activities Structure: Random formation within a confined area. Procedures: Players dribble to keep control while avoiding touching others. While they dribble, coach or leader calls out a body part, players immediately stops the ball with that body part. You can call right elbow, chin, left knee, etc. Observation: Technical: Dribbling in confine area, close control, changing direction, changing speed. Physical: Reaction time, reinforce knowledge of body parts. Tactical: Reading the environment, looking and moving into open spaces. Social/Psychological: Working within a group, positive interaction. Listening Skills responding to what the coach/leader is saying.
Everybody s It Organization: One ball per player. Structure: Random formation in a confined area. Procedure: Each player dribbles within the area attempting to tag anyone while maintaining control of the ball. Each time a player tag someone, they receive a point. Variation: Play game without the ball for one or tow rounds first Observation: Technical: Dribbling, changing direction, changing speed. Using all foot surfaces (i.e. inside, outside, sole, instep), close ball control. Physical: Balance, expanding peripheral vision agility. Tactical: Shielding, getting away from players, looking to attack players. Quick decision-making. Social/Psychological: Positive interaction within entire group. Developing an attack and defensive posture.
Sharks and Minnows Organization: Start the game with one Shark, this could be the coach or a player. Structure: Two lines 20-30 yards apart. Procedure: Make two lines 20 yards apart and line the players along one side, they re Minnows. The coach/player Sharks starts in the middle and the Minnows try to dribble to the other side. The sharks try to tag the Minnows as they dribble by, the players who get tag becomes sharks for the next round (Minnows dribble to other side). Observation: Technical: Dribbling. Physical: Change in speed direction Tactical: improve vision, spatial awareness. Social/Psychological: High group interaction. Develops assertive play within an appropriate setting.
Rat/Fox/Donkey Tails Organization: Each player with a ball and a practice vest. The vest must be tucked in the waist of each player s shorts. Structure: Random formation within a confined area. Play game for a set time (i.e. 30 sec., etc.) Procedure: Players tuck a training vest in the back of their shorts and dribble around in the assigned area. Each player tries to get as many tails as possible before coach says freeze/stop. Observation: Technical: Dribbling, changing direction and speed. Physical: constantly readjusting body s balance around a new center of gravity, agility, and strength Tactical: Expands peripheral vision, introduces attacking and defending posture. Social/Psychological: Fun positive competition. A positive social interaction with players in the group.
Numbers Game I Organization: Each player with a ball. Structure: Random formation within a confined area. Procedures: Players dribble around until the coach calls out a number (2,3, etc.). Players should dribble their balls and form a group of that size/number indicated by the coach. Suggestion: The first time you do this with your team have them play without the balls. Introduce the balls when the get a better comprehension of the game. Observations: Technical: Dribbling at varying speed and direction, close control. Physical: Quick adjustments of body and ball Tactical: Increasing field of vision Social/Psychological: Problem solving, forming groups with many different players not just a best friend. Listening skills, paying attention to coach s instructions
Numbers Game II Organization: Each player with a ball. Structure: Random formation within a confined area. Procedures: Players dribble around while keeping an eye on the coach. The coach moves around the playing area and holds up 1,2,3, etc. fingers. Players should dribble their balls and yell out that number indicated by the coach. Observations: Technical: Dribbling at varying speed and direction, close control. Physical: Quick adjustments of body and ball Tactical: Increasing field of vision Social/Psychological: Listening skills, paying attention to coach s instructions
Musical Balls Organization: Start with one ball per player Structure: General area, defined space not necessary. Procedures: Play like musical chairs, could use a music box, your own melodic voice or a whistle. Everyone begins dribbling his or her ball within the area. When the music stops or you blow the whistle, all players must leave their balls and run to another. During the change take one ball away. Player without a ball continues to run in the area until the next change then attempts to grab a ball. Continue this until you take 4 or 5 balls away then begin adding them back. You would not want to play until the last ball because too many players would be without a ball to dribble. Observation: Technical: Dribbling. Physical: Agility, quick reactions. Tactical: Quick decisions to challenge for loose balls. Social/Psychological: High group interaction. Develops assertive play within an appropriate setting.
Red Light, Green Light Organization: Select one player to be IT. Each player with a ball, except for the person who is IT. Structure: Two lines about 20-30 yards apart. Procedures: Players with ball start at one line. The player that is IT, is at the other line. IT is should start by facing away from the player/teammates and call green light. Players begin dribbling their balls towards IT on the other side. When IT calls Red Light, players must freeze by placing their foot on top of the ball, before IT turns around and catches them still moving/dribbling. Anyone caught must go back to the starting line. The first player to cross the end line, becomes the new IT or is permitted to pick someone else who may not have been it. Observations: Technical: Dribbling under close control. Physical: Promotes quick reaction time and balance. Tactical: Anticipation of stop signal. Social/Psychological: Everyone can play and allows for the observation of different personality types. Observe to see which players are risk takers and move quickly or which players are more cautious and may move slower, but under more control.
Pac Man Organization: Each player with a ball. Structure: Confined area approximately 20 X 20 yards. Could use a larger space depending on your numbers. Procedure: One player with ball ( Pac Man ), all other players run freely in playing area. The players with ball, dribbles and attempts to hit the other players below the waist by passing the ball at them. The players without balls try to avoid getting hit with the ball. Once a player is hit, he/she gets their ball and becomes the second Pac Man. Game continues until all players have been hit and have their ball. Observations: Technical: Dribbling and passing, trying to hit a moving target. Encouraging quick preparation and passing of the ball. Passing and use of either foot. Physical: Cardio respiratory endurance fitness, agility, and jumping. Tactical: Looking for players, chasing, tracking, and playing/passing to a target. The first step in teaching players to attack someone with the ball. Creating an assertive and attack posture with the ball. Social/psychological: Allows all ability levels to play equally. Allows each player to be successful. If players are hit early, they will dribble longer. If they manage to avoid getting hit until near the end, their challenge greatly increases.
Shadow Dribbling Organization: Each player with a ball. Structure: Confine area, random formation. Procedure: Players take turns being the leader/shadow. The shadow attempts to dribble their ball to stay with the leader. Variation 1: Leader without ball and Shadow with ball. Variation 2: Both Leader and Shadow with balls. Observations: Technical: Dribbling while changing direction, changing speeds, and raising the head to keep partner in view. Allows player to expand field of vision without losing sight or control of the ball. Close control of ball. Physical: Balance, agility, fitness, changing direction and changing speed. Quick adjustments with ball using either foot. Tactical: Increasing field of vision, avoiding other players. Social/Psychological: Working with a partner. Developing field vision and sense of control with ball.
Wait Until They're Ready David Carr, Ph.D. Goalkeeping is not for 5- and 6- year olds and it could be harmful. David Carr is coordinator of physical education and sport sciences at Ohio University. He is a coauthor of the National Youth Soccer Coaching License program for U.S. Soccer and serves as a national staff coach. He is a former youth, high school, college and professional coach and is currently conducting research on developmentally appropriate practices for children in soccer and other youth sports. I read with interest the article titled "Goalkeeping - Start Them Young" by Tony Waiters that appeared in the January/February 2000 issue of Soccer Journal. I have admired Coach Waiters as one of our prominent goalkeeper trainers. He is an excellent educator and clinician and I certainly respect his opinion but must challenge the notion that the earlier we start children as goalkeepers the better off they will be. What has evolved over the past 10-15 years is a perspective that small-sided games for children are more appropriate for player development and the establishment of a soccer culture in the United States. Those of us who are involved in working for the improvement of youth sports, and soccer in particular, have agreed that the small-sided game structure presents the best opportunity to learn skills, develop positive peer relationships and have fun in a relatively stressfree environment. Where Coach Waiters and I disagree is in how these small-sided games are structured and the role goalkeepers play in this structure. In the mid to late 1980s and into the 1990s, a number of small-sided game formats were proposed and put in place across North America for young children. Among the formats were the United States Youth Soccer Association proposal of 3 v. 3 and 4 v. 4 formats and Waiters' development of Micro Soccer, for which he holds the trademark. The major difference is a philosophical one involving the use of goalkeepers. As these small-sided games evolved, a number of coaching educators began to take a critical look at the existing youth soccer culture in the United States. Nearly everywhere one traveled, a different interpretation of what youth soccer should be was observed. It was a mess and although the picture is improving, it still has a long way to go. A critical look revealed the following: nearly 80 percent of all youth soccer coaches were novice adult volunteers with little or no soccer coaching knowledge. However, each enthusiastically agreed to coach children, who were, for the most part, involved in their first exposure to sport participation. Often, the only vision of soccer these coaches had was of the adult version of the game they saw on television. The small-sided games version was not something they could identify with. Children as young as 4 were playing 11 v. 11 soccer on very large fields. As the participation numbers exploded throughout the 1990s, the need to educate these coaches became critical. In 1995, I was asked to join a select group of soccer educators who were responding to a challenge posed by Timo Liekoski, then a U.S. National Team coach and director of coaching education for U.S. Soccer. The challenge was to develop a coaching education program to serve coaches of children age 12 and under. This program became the National Youth Coaching License and was included in the coaching education offerings by U.S. Soccer. This educational program was also endorsed by the USYSA. The curriculum includes content that has grounded support in physical education, child development, educational learning styles, motor learning, psychology, sport psychology, sociology and other appropriate professional research that supports the concept of small-sided games play for young children. The challenge was to create a program to promote a philosophy that allowed for developmentally appropriate practice in a safe environment.
The ultimate goal was to unlock the game within every child. As the philosophy and content for the National Youth License evolved, it became apparent that many current standards and beliefs would be challenged. Through our analysis of how children best learn sport skills, it became very apparent that changes in the structure of youth soccer were needed. Much has been written about readiness and maturity factors related to a child's initial development in youth sports. Conventional wisdom often supports an "as soon as possible" perspective, which many youth sport experts see as flawed. Evidence suggests that the earlier children begin playing organized youth sports, the sooner they drop out. This is especially true if the program in which the children are engaged does not focus on psychomotor, cognitive and psychosocial development. Psychomotor (physical) issues Coach Waiters implies that the earlier children start to be goalkeepers, the better. There are a number of growth and development issues (psychomotor domain) that one must look at carefully before making such a claim. Many youth soccer programs have children organized by age with many beginning at age 5 or at a time when they begin school. Some programs support starting at even earlier ages. Every child grows and develops at a different rate. Some 5-year-olds are eager and ready to engage in an adult organized sport program but most are not. Children at age 5 and 6 are growing from head to toe and from the core of the body outward. At this age, children are a bit top-heavy as their feet/legs and arms/hands are the last segments of the body to fully develop. Young children have great difficulty tracking moving objects, especially if they are in the air. Most will duck or throw hands in front of the face if the ball comes toward the head. Children at this age are very reactionary in their movement behavior. Anticipating in advance where the ball might be played is a skill that has not yet developed. This ability does not really develop until age 8 or 9. Children at ages 5 and 6 want to run and kick the ball. They don't do well when told to stand in one place. If the action is at the other end of the field, a young goalkeeper will find some other activity to hold his or her attention. Cognitive (learning) issues According to Piaget, a noted Swiss psychologist who studied the growth and development of children, 5- and 6-year-olds are in a preoperational stage of development that approximately spans ages 2 to 7. This preoperational stage involves the initial stages of logical thinking but the patterns are immature. It is difficult for children to orient what they have learned into sequences or complex patterns of thought. They attempt to solve one concept at a time. Children at this age are able to process only small amounts of information at a time, and long complex instructions tend not to be successfully processed. Time and space relationships are not fully developed or understood. The task of goalkeeping does not relate to the other aspects of playing soccer for young children. Psychosocial issues Children as young as 5 are beginning to develop a self-concept of who they are and how they fit into the world. It is a fragile stage. Movement experiences to date are minimal and involvement with other children in grouped activities is new to most. Children at this age develop high levels of anxiety and arousal primarily due to the uncertainty of what is expected of them. Just running and kicking a soccer ball has profound self-image ramifications. The stress presented by being the goalkeeper raises these levels. If goalkeepers are utilized in small-sided games, self-image can take a hit when a goal is scored.
Even if scorekeeping and the emphasis on winning are minimized, fingers are pointed and blame is clearly placed on the goalkeeper. This factor, as much as anything else, may cause a child to discontinue playing soccer before he or she has really started. Having players stand in goal for a couple of minutes at ages 5 and 6 will not allow them to develop goalkeeping skills and will likely lead to increased levels of stress. Remember, at this age, children are very egocentric; they are into themselves - me, my, mine. They see the world from their perspective, not the perspective of adults. They need generous praise and the opportunity to enjoy play without pressure. The analysis of most soccer experts is that small-sided games for young children are most beneficial for learning basic motor skills, learning basic rules and fundamental concepts of the game (most commonly going in the right direction). They also learn how to interact with their peers within a game involving a ball. What is not supported is the use of goalkeepers in this format. Children want to run, kick the ball and score goals. Every child should experience the triumph and success of scoring a goal. Striking the ball at a small target accurately is a challenge for all children. Goalkeepers restrict the opportunities to score goals to a select few players. It is not easy or unrewarding as implied in Coach Waiters' article. Young children "stuck in goal" every three minutes will not develop goalkeeping skills. Young players are more likely to get hit with the ball than to actually "save it." It is my belief (one that is supported by my colleagues) that it is important to wait until children are better able to physically, mentally and emotionally handle the demands of being a soccer goalkeeper. We promote a small-sided (4 v. 4) format through age 8 and then introduce goalkeeping in an 8 v. 8 format beginning at age 9. This still allows plenty of time for children to grow up and be the best goalkeepers they can be and most likely keep them engaged in playing soccer for many years to come. Copyright: National Soccer Coaches Association of America