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COACHING
UNDER
6
PLAYERS |
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CHARACTERISTICS OF U - 6 PLAYERS |
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|  | Short attention
span. | | Can attend to only
one problem at a time.
| | May understand
simple rules that are explained briefly and demonstrated. | | May or may not
understand or remember: what lines mean on the field; what team they are
on; what goal they are going for. We need to be patient and laugh with
them as they get 'lost' on the field. | | Easily bruised
psychologically. Shout praise often. Give "hints", don't criticize. | | Need generous
praise and to play without pressure. No extrinsic rewards (trophies,
medals, etc.) should be given for winning. | | Prefer "parallel
play" (Will play on a team, but will not really engage with their
teammates. Thus, a 3 against 3 game is, in reality, a 1 against 5 game
because they all want the ball at the same time. | | Very individually
oriented (me, mine, my). | | Constantly in
motion, but, with no sense of pace. They will chase something until they
drop. They are easily fatigued but recover rapidly. | | Development for
boys and girls are quite similar. | | Physical
coordination limited. Eye - hand and eye - foot coordination is not
developed. Need to explore qualities of a rolling ball. | | Love to run, jump,
roll, hop, etc.. | | Prefer large, soft
balls. | | Catching or
throwing skills not developed. | | Can balance on
their "good" foot. |
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INVOLVING THE
PARENTS |
| It is imperative
that coaches get the parents involved. Not only are they are a major
resource for your team, but the U-6 player still views their parents as
the most significant people in their lives. A pre-season meeting should be
held with the parents so that objectives and team policies can be
addressed. Some topics that you may want to address at this meeting are:
| | A means of
contacting everyone without one person doing all of the calling. (Phone
chains.) | | Choosing a team
administrator-someone to handle all of the details. | | Complete all
paperwork required by your league or club. | | Discuss the laws
of the game. | | Carpool needs.
| | Training and game
schedules. How you feel about starting and ending on time, what your
attendance expectations are, what you think is a good excuse to miss
training. | | What each player
should bring to training: inflated ball, filled water bottle, soccer
attire, shin guards (Cleats are not mandatory.) | | Most importantly,
your philosophy about coaching U-6 players. Let them know that everyone
plays; that the game does not look like the older player's games; that you
are there to ensure that their player is safe and has a good time, as well
as learn about soccer. | | What your
expectations for them is during game time. How do you want them to cheer?
Do they know that they should not coach from the sidelines? | | Above all, try to
enjoy yourself. If you do they probably will too. |
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THINGS YOU CAN
EXPECT |
| As coaches of
these younger players there are things that we know that we can expect
during training and games. If we know what to expect, we will be more
effective in dealing with the hundreds of situations that come up. This
will help us relax, and, in turn, allow us to enjoy the unpredictable
nature of working with these children even more. Here are some of the
things that we can expect. | Most players cry
immediately when something is hurt. Some cry even when something is not
hurt. | | No matter how
loud we shout, or how much we "practice" it, they can not or will not
pass the ball. | | Somebody will
come off the field in need of a toilet. Somebody will stay on the field
in need of a toilet. | | The only player
to hold a position is the goalkeeper (if you play with one). Don't even
consider teaching positional play. | | Twenty seconds
after the start of a game, every player will be within 5 yards of the
ball. | | Several players
will slap at the ball with their hands, or pick it up. Several parents
will yell at them not to do that. | | A model rocket
that is launched from a nearby field will get 99% of the player's
attention. By all means, stop whatever you are doing and go watch for a
couple of minutes! | | During a season,
you will end up tying at least 40 - 50 shoe laces. They will do
something that is absolutely | | During a season,
you will end up tying at least 40 - 50 shoe laces. | | They will do
something that is absolutely hysterical. Make sure that you laugh!
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COACHING
RATIONAL |
| It is important to
understand at the outset that players coming to any sport prior to the age
of 6 years old, in general, do not do so by their own choice. As a result,
their coaches need to give them something about which to get excited.
Further, at this age, learning to play soccer is secondary to most other
things in their lives.
With the above
assumptions, lets look at some things that we can do to energize the U-6
players, and, hopefully, get them to the point where they will
enthusiastically initiate the sign up for next year! | Each session
should be geared around touching the ball as many times as possible.
Involve the ball in as many activities as possible. Basic movements such
as running, skipping, hopping, etc. need to be emphasized. If these can
be done while kicking, catching, rolling, or dribbling a ball... all the
better! | | Training should
not last for more than one hour. This is primarily due to physical
fatigue and attention span considerations. Train once or twice a week.
Any more than this may lead to their and your burnout. | | Have as many
different kinds of activities ready as you can get into one hour.
Emphasis needs to be placed on what is FUN!. | | Every player
should bring his or her own size #3 or #4 ball. | | Remember,
although they may have very similar in birthdates, their physical and /
or mental maturity my vary as much as 36 months. Activities need to
accommodate these individual differences whenever possible.
| | Team play and
passing is an alien concept to these players. They know that if they
pass the ball, they may never get it back. In fact, they often will
steal it from their own teammates. Do not get uptight if they do not
pass, let them dribble to their heart's content. | | Plan for at
least 4, 90 second drink breaks, especially in warmer weather. Their
"cooling system" is not as efficient as in older players.
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TYPICAL
TRAINING SESSION |
| Here are some
items that should be included in a U-6 training session:
WARM-UP: A brief warm-up is appropriate in order to get the players
thinking about soccer and to prepare them physically for the time ahead.
This should involve individual body activities that may or may not involve
the ball. They can chase their ball as it is thrown by the coach, bringing
it back with different parts of their body. Or, they can chase someone
with their ball at their feet. Static stretching is also appropriate at
this time, again, hopefully done with the ball. "Soccernastics" activities
are very appropriate, like: rolling the ball with the bottom of their
feet, with their elbows, backwards, with the back of their neck while
holding on to it; throwing it up and catching it; keeping it up with their
feet while sitting.
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES: Follow the warm-up with some kind of individual
activity, not a real 1 v.1 game, but some kind of activity where players
act as individuals in a game environment. An example would be a kind of
tag game, or "Red Light - Green Light", or a game where players are trying
to knock their ball through gates. Keep players in motion at all times.
Avoid having them wait on lines. Play games of "inclusion" instead of
games where the "looser sits".
PLAY THE GAME: Move on to the real game, but, make sure it is a 2 v. 2, 3
v. 3, or 4 v. 4 game. Switch the game every 5 minutes or so. Be creative.
Play with 4 goals, or 2 balls. Play with or without boundaries. Use cones
if you don't have real goals. Keep players involved. Have more than one
game going on at a time if necessary. It is important that every player
has a chance to shoot on goal as often as possible.
WARM-DOWN & HOMEWORK: Finish the session with a warm down. Give them some
more stretches to do with the ball. You may want to review what you
started the session with. Also, give them some homework so that they
practice on their own. Think of some ball trick that you would like to see
them try to do, like, bounce it off their thigh and then catch it. It is
important to finish on time. This is especially essential if the players
are really into it. Stop at this point and you will get an enthusiastic
return.
U-6 PRACTICE IDEA:
"Keep Your Yard Clean"
Here is a game that involves kicking and is a good example of parallel
play in that it involves all players on the team at one time, but, they
are all acting as individuals during the game. This allows for individual
differences in skill. The game is simple, fun, and easy to adapt to
account for team size and experience.
THE GAME: Create a
'neutral area' between the two teams where no player is allowed into. This
area can be as small as one yard and as big as 10 yards wide. The width is
determined by how far the players can kick the ball.
Each player starts
with a ball at his / her feet. On command, each team tries to keep their
side of the game free of balls by kicking their ball over to the other
teams side.
After an
appropriate amount of time (when the balls become too scattered, or, the
players are loosing focus), call the game and count which side has the
most balls on their side.
Distribute the
balls evenly for another try if the players are still interested.
After players have
found some success with this basic game, try these variations:
•Players can only
use their left foot. •Throw the ball back. •Punt the ball back. •Dribble
the ball around a cone that has been set up in the middle of their "yard",
then, kick the ball back. |
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| U-6 PRACTICE IDEA:
"Red
Light...Green
Light"
Here is a game that should be familiar to most U-6's. Again, the game is
fun, simple to set up, and has direct application to the game. The skill
that it is targeting is dribbling.
THE GAME: Each player has a ball, except the one player that is designated
as the "light".
Lines from start to finish should be approximately 20 - 30 yds..
Players start from the line opposite the "light". The "light" then turns
away from the group shouting out "GREEN LIGHT". At this signal, the
players start to dribble towards the "light".
When the "light" turns back around, calling out "RED LIGHT", players must
freeze their bodies and their ball.
If the "light" catches players or a ball still moving, that player must
take 5 steps back.
The first player to cross the line where the "light" is standing is the
winner and becomes the new "light".
You can start the game without using balls for younger players, then have
them roll the ball with their hands, then use their feet.
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Written by Jeff Pill,
NHSA Director of Coaching. Special thanks to:
Dr. Thomas Fleck and the National Youth Coaching Staff, Bill Buren,
Dr. David Carr, Dr. Ronald Quinn, Virgil Stringfield.
This article was taken directly from the New Hampshire Soccer
Association website |
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