Drills for younger players?

[stevethefootycoach]

Hi Bill,

I have just recently joined Premium and I think the material is very good.

I just have a quick question I currently coach mostly 5 year olds and I have been coaching them for about 18 months. I coach at an International School so we have many different languages and I am trying to find some relatively simple drills to assist with the First Touch and Control TS program. I tried the criss-cross drill last week with limited success partially because the other coaches have never coached and played football and partially because of the language. I will do this drill again this week but was interested in your thoughts on some other age appropriate drills. Most of the drills appear to be for 8+ year olds. Tim

Premium Soccer Coaching - check it out!

[stevethefootycoach]

Bill's answer:

Hi Tim

Glad to hear you are enjoying the Premium package. I also work with some very young children during one of my regular sessions and, it has to be said they are a special challenge.

I would recommend that at 5 years of age our main objectives would be to encourage the fundamentals of movement, agility, balance and coordination, and individual ball skills. Personally I spend plenty time letting them work with a ball each so they get comfortable in possession and can move with the ball with their head up. Activities like Drill 52 "Ten" is one I use often and adapt the various skills to their age and ability. I also find it worthwhile to include football "homework" when introducing new skills. Although there is nothing wrong with teaching the basic technique of passing and touch with five year olds there is little chance they will use these skills in a game; they are not yet programmed to cooperate in team games. For this reason I tend to focus on running, dribbling turning and shooting until they are a little older.

I recommend putting plenty emphasis on games rather than drills at this age; their attention span is very short. All of the 20 "Early Learners" activities are ideal both in developing technique and basic movement skills. From the main drill index I would suggest 34 - Knockdown, 41 - Shoot on Sight, 43 - Open Goal, 49 & 50 - Tractor-Trailer, 51 - Bill's gates, 57 - 3-2-1, and 58 - The Numbers Game as especially suitable.

I usually find there are a group of players at this age who are more advanced than the main group. Why not try experimenting with this group for short period of times to see how they cope with some of the more challenging drills for 10 or 15 minutes during the session? It is a lot easier than trying to communicate with a large group of very mixed abilities.
Please remember too that the coaching points are the mini thing. The games and drills are the tools we can use to help layers learn and refine these basic skills. The more we can encourage players to play with a ball away from formal practice sessions the quicker they will develop.

Please let us know how it goes, I will have a look at working specifically on first touch with my own group over the next few weeks and get back to you on how we get on.

[colton footy tots]

hi all coaches of 4/5/6 years old
I have been coaching the Little ones for 4years now. How do we get the best out of them easy encourage them all the time and do not miss one if you do he/she will tell you (they pick up moor than you think) I also have incentive's for them eg a small trophy or medals at the end of the session for the boy or girl who as worked hard (not all ways the best player) I also use the Footy 4 kids patch's for a good!!! pass- throw ins= save= space-run-tackle- position-and so on the smiley for a ball in the face or a bang on the leg.I have found i can keep there attention longer and they have learnt moor. Do not get to serious keep it FUN. there is not a bad kid just one that needs encouragement
Brian Colton Footy Tots