Bah.. Not enough interest from budding pre-primary school players in my kids school.. so no team this year.

However, they did mention there is a winter league playing in the west here in my location.. anyone know what this is
??

Take it you don't believe in FFA periodization model then, or hasn't your state TD done a session for you yet using it.

I like that. I'm going to use that with my 12's team.

Edited by SoccerDad: 20/2/2015 07:53:06 PM

except for over 35's we like the idea of not being on the ball to have a rest :lol:

Great stuff.

The funny thing is one can do this stuff with adults too.

Apparently Norm Boardman used to look at the Grass Roots handbook for ideas.

I coached u8's last year, first time coach, I found the grassroots program to be great, but I warn you, I cam away with "Great I have been doing everything wrong, in fact every coach I have ever had did it wrong" LOL. once you get over that it is really good.

The biggest advice I took from it, and also listening to Tom Byer. DONT coach them, just let them play with some structure, the more time they are on the ball the better, that means as said earlier don't have them standing around, have them moving all the time.

I modified a bull rush game (found it on a coaching website) called crocodiles and my kids loved it, begged to play that every training. you set up a large rectangle like bullrush have two ends like bullrush but in the middle you have "the river" mark it out with a few cones, this is about 1.5-2 me wide (maybe a bit more to make it harder for the rushing players) One kid is the crocodile in the river, the rest of the team has a ball each and they run through. The croc can only try and take the ball whilst they are in the river.

I like this game because it taught the smarter kids that they could go back out of the river to protect the ball instead of just running straight through. The other thing is the rule they must touch the ball whilst in the river so as to stop them just booting it through.

Good luck

Ok, have read all the above. Cheers Decentric.

Yeah, browsed some of those other links in the Performance thread. Tonne of info, wouldn't know where the f*&* to start with all that but if I was in the right mind I'm sure I could make use of it. Have to hand my registration form in for my son, the fee and additional shit about managing em' .. will be fun teaching little tackers

Yeah, I'm going to get amongst that ASAP.

They're the top team in their age group at the club, and only just missed the semis last season. With my old team (which I was coaching at age 17 and 18) I got them up a division and into the finals both seasons, playing some great football along the way. If these guys do half as well as that I'll be happy!

It would be good to do a FFA Game Training Certificate if you haven't done one.

Something seems to happen to boys between the age of 13 -16. They don't seem to absorb info as one might expect.](*,)

Coaching U16s this season which I'm really excited about. Haven't coached in 3 years and not above age 10.

its probably just a guide to help you, even though it says for 3-4 minutes in the 6v6 exercise. im sure you can manipulate the sessions to make it as intense or as long as you want.

Edited by switters: 9/2/2015 10:25:11 PM

Looking at the age of 17 onwards in the link;

Small games;

Third exercise;

it is rubbish.](*,)

Even though I've been a FFA coach, I told one of the top coaches in the country that he had queues for too many players. In this third exercise, most players are watching only two players perform, while inactive.

For any level, never , ever have queues, where people stand in a stationery position for more than 1-3 seconds.

Why?

1. They are wasting valuable training ground time.

2. They should be developing technique. If one has to have players, queueing, ensure they have a ball to juggle or do stationery dribbling techniques, whislt waiting.

3. It creates the preconditions for misbehaviour or distractions.

I know all this from teaching and have successfully extrapolated it to football coaching at all age levels.


If one has 1v1, have two players in the same size grid. Thy start game, but one player passes to the other at the other end of the grid. When they receive the player starts the action by dribbling/running with the ball diagonally. The action ends when one player scores a goal. Then start the next game again immediately.

This requires far greater fitness, far more touches, and far more defensive involvement. The players like it more too.


All other exercises excellent that I've seen in the FFA link.=d>

The one thing is in one 6v6 exercise, it says only operate for 3-4 minutes then rest for two. I cannot believe this.](*,)

I flog them for up to 25 minutes , with no stops. The players get far fitter, and it is far more intense. Honestly the players like it at any level, 10 - adult.

If they are tired give them a 30 second drinks break. Also, change opponents.

As someone else posted on this forum, the following FFA link is a good starting point:

http://www.ffacoachingresource.com.au/

Highkick, I've done heaps of coaching courses in the last few years.

The C Licence I feel ambivalent about. The knowledge gained was fantastic. Access to top coaches in the country on an ongoing basis was brilliant. But it seemed to take forever and I feel like I spent most of my summer weekends sitting in classrooms and out on the pitch

I don't think I could ever face the B Licence.:-&

The early licences cost very little in time, but one gains a decent amount of knowledge for time spent. Grass Roots, Skills, Game Training and Goalkeeping courses are well worthwhile.:)




Edited by Decentric: 9/2/2015 09:07:17 PM

Contact your local FFA branch.


Without wanting to put stuff up again on here there is heaps of info in this section of 442. The FA courses give a good outline.

FFA Grass Roots, costs nothing and is only a few hours.

FFA Junior Licence has become Skills Certificate and is a lot better than it was.

Good on you for putting your hand up, mate.=d>

One big issue are parent on the sidelines doing a lot of damage. It is also good to have people involved who don't coach their own kids in a team.

huh?

I dont want to live in a country where you can get a bluecard. Leave the kids alone.

Glad I asked the question now. I was expecting someone to say 'just teach them basics' etc

Will look these games up for sure. Thank you for the info =d>

Have you done the free Grassroots 2-3hr session? I found it really beneficial.

I've had a 6 and 7's team over the last 2 years and concentrated on getting the kids used to the ball. That might be by "games" such as:

- rob the nest (or whatever you may call it)
- bull rush
- 1 v 1 games with just a single cone to hit

They are just some of the things we did.

Effectively you don't treat them like you would older kids. You just want them to have fun kicking a ball but at the same time the "games" they are playing are teaching them core skills that they don't even realise they are learning.

Bull Rush is a great example. With someone in the middle trying to kick the ball outside the marked area everyone else is trying to get from one end to the other. This teaches them dribbling and beating a player but in a much more fun environment. And the more players that get "in" the harder it becomes. You also find that the smarter ones will look for the space and hence they are already start to read a situation. Such a simple game can really teach them a lot.

Well that's what I found.

Edited by SoccerDad: 7/2/2015 06:46:10 PM

Would that be allowed considering your criminal history?

Pre-primary school side, but what do I teach kids this young ..