Youth coaching
- Thread starter ptasafc91
- Start date
red apples
Central Defender
Do Brett and Travis take the penalties, free kicks, corners? Are they captains?
ptasafc91
Central Defender
Looks like it will be u7s
Don't try and be Guardiola on day one. Depending on the age group, just keep things simple.
Win the ball, give it to a team mate, move. It's a simple as that
My lad plays u12s football and the coaches are making constant,. rolling subs so that each player plays 3 or 4 different positions each game. It doesn't help the team at all and more often than not, everyone runs up front leaving the keeper exposed.
Give each kid a position, let them learn how to play that position. Keep it simple. Pass and move
M
Moneyball
Guest
Youth “coaching” in this country is killing the game. The FA have created a culture of box ticking rather than improving any quality.
The simplest way of improving the whole kids grassroots system is banning parents from managing sides - I’d go further and ban parents from the sidelines too!
Let the kids play, enjoy it and improve - the best teacher is the game itself.
Hopefully the kids will be in a environment where they can play and experiment - be that coach not the egotistical, nepotism driven prick that thinks he’s Pep or Klopp!
The simplest way of improving the whole kids grassroots system is banning parents from managing sides - I’d go further and ban parents from the sidelines too!
Let the kids play, enjoy it and improve - the best teacher is the game itself.
Hopefully the kids will be in a environment where they can play and experiment - be that coach not the egotistical, nepotism driven prick that thinks he’s Pep or Klopp!
Seaham Towny
Striker
3 or 4 different positions a game at that age is a bit much I reckon. Agree with the theory though. Would maybe rotate positions game to game rather than in game if that makes sense.
Age 7-11 we played on full size pitches (doesn't happen now I'm led to believe and rightly so) but even so in them four years I played in every position apart from centre forward. Certainly helped me.
red apples
Central Defender
Who does he play for?
scallyban
Midfield
I've been doing it for 18 months now with my lads team (now u8). My advice/opinion is that there is no right or wrong way but try to follow the new fa structure as much as possible. Understanding the four corner model and how it applies to your team and kids will benefit everyone. Ball moving time in training is crucial to ball mastery at this age. Game time will develop them more than training. Identify a few key principles and let the parents know. Good parents a crucial to you. We rotate positions each week and give equal playing time. We win some we lose some. The kids get over defeats by the time they get back to the car.
@John J Rambo may be able to offer some guidance too. Think he does a team in Washington.
@John J Rambo may be able to offer some guidance too. Think he does a team in Washington.
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JAZMAN2
Striker
Coach them into understanding that
Defender and Attacker are not positions on a pitch
When we have the ball the whole team is attackers
When we don't have the ball the whole team is defenders
If you put them into teams get them all to play all positions rather than saying
Your tall so you will be a centre back or target lad up front
Make sure you adopt this when they play matches against other teams
By the time they are 14 they will be used to playing all positions
Most of all teach them this
T. E. A. M.
Together Everybody Achieves More
Doberman
Striker
it's recommended that kids are rotated in various positions as it gives them a more rounded skill set. Too often coaches select players based on the characteristics that they have when they're 8. The tallest player goes at the back, fastest plays left wing etc. That can all change in 8-10 months and then they have to adapt. If you've got a player that has played several positions for 2-3 years then they should be good at reading the game, picking a pass, making a tackle, they should have good technique to score goals and be comfortable in/out of possession because they've spent 2 or 3 years working on different things every time they've been brought on.
Yeah, I get that but I don't think it beneficial to rotate them so many times during a game. I guess it could be a directive from the club
Keep your cock in your pants and don't slap them around
John J Rambo
Striker
I coach my sons u8 side. Love it. Been involved for a year and a half now and can't imagine not doimg it. I originally volunteered, as I would probably be that parent that says too much and does the coaches head in 
do your level 1 coaching asap. I waited 6 months and it changed the way I looked at it all. It's very tempting to almost guide the kids through games. I was what the tutor called a "Sat nav" coach. Didn't mean to be or intend to be one, I was just that keen and desperate for them to do well. Encourage them, and give instructions, but ultimately you have to let the kids make their own decisions and learn from mistakes. Instead of telling them what they should do, ask them "What could you have done there" etc. It's called none competitive football at that age, but let's be honest, anyone who has been to a game knows it isn't. Need to keep it as fun as possible though and be approachable to the kids. They are like sponges and take it all in. Be positive and if someone does something well, make a fuss over them. It can take over your life at times, but personally I absolutely love it.
do your level 1 coaching asap. I waited 6 months and it changed the way I looked at it all. It's very tempting to almost guide the kids through games. I was what the tutor called a "Sat nav" coach. Didn't mean to be or intend to be one, I was just that keen and desperate for them to do well. Encourage them, and give instructions, but ultimately you have to let the kids make their own decisions and learn from mistakes. Instead of telling them what they should do, ask them "What could you have done there" etc. It's called none competitive football at that age, but let's be honest, anyone who has been to a game knows it isn't. Need to keep it as fun as possible though and be approachable to the kids. They are like sponges and take it all in. Be positive and if someone does something well, make a fuss over them. It can take over your life at times, but personally I absolutely love it.
johnny kayo
Striker
I’ve done it fir a few years, make it a laugh, the kids are great, some parents on the other hand.......
Abu Dhabi Red and White
Striker
What you've said is all Dutch to me.
John J Rambo
Striker
So if parents don't volunteer, where are these coaches meant to come from exactly? Without these volunteers, kids can't play. There is 120 teams at u8 alone in all the leagues.
That's just Russel foster as well. Gateshead and pinpoint, you're talking over 200 teams and ober 1000 kids need these volunteers.
That's just tyne and wear alone
ban parents. Aye mint idea.
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scallyban
Midfield
The FA Level 1 is excellent and I got much more out of it than i imagined i would. One message that stuck with me was regarding equal playing time and doing drills to keep kids involved rather than 'knockout' type drills. The coach said that he was no good at Maths in school, but he wouldn't have got any better at it if the teacher would have only let him in the classroom for the last 5 mins of each lesson. Brilliant analogy, in my opinion.I coach my sons u8 side. Love it. Been involved for a year and a half now and can't imagine not doimg it. I originally volunteered, as I would probably be that parent that says too much and does the coaches head in
I also completely agree a posing questions to the kids, rather than instructions. E.g where is the space?, what could you have done differently?, etc.
John J Rambo
Striker
Level 1 just opened my eyes totally. Thought I was doing right by the kids almost guiding them through games. Literally over night I changed. I was in the middle of every training session before, where now I step back, let the kids play then assess and speak to them after, asking questions on what was good, what could we do next time etc. I'm still pretty vocal on match days, but more all about encouraging their decision making. Played a couple 7 a side friendlies recently looki g ahead to u9 and all change again. Kids need guidance and coaching, just the right kind. I certainly don't have all the answers mind
What I would say to the op, there is 2 of us look after the the team. Huge help that and someone to bounce ideas off. Certainly helped me massively and hopefully between 2 you get more of a balanced answer.
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M
Moneyball
Guest
So if parents don't volunteer, where are these coaches meant to come from exactly? Without these volunteers, kids can't play. There is 120 teams at u8 alone in all the leagues.
That's just Russel foster as well. Gateshead and pinpoint, you're talking over 200 teams and ober 1000 kids need these volunteers.
That's just tyne and wear alone
Works in Holland and Iceland that I’ve experienced.
But then again those are countries that actually want to educate coaches and players even at grassroots level. We’ve an FA that is a greedy, money making entity.
Just because it’s the current situation doesn’t mean it’s the right way to do it!
Why can’t these parent/coaches move up or down an age group? They don’t have to manage their own kid.
And I that you are involved in kids grassroots football? If so would you agree that the biggest root cause of issues come from parents?
