GEORGIA SOCCERCOACHING SCHOOL

‘G’ COURSEFor U-6 and U-8 Recreational Coaches

October 2009

OUR CHALLENGE: CHANGE THE CULTURE

• Change from a Coach-centered approach to a Player-centered approach

• Change from a ‘Drills mentality’ to ‘Game-like activities’ approach

• Change from a ‘result-oriented’ philosophy to a ‘process-oriented’ one

• Adults need to learn to view the game through the child’s eyes

THE PLAYER-CENTERED APPROACH

• The Player is the central focus• Understand players’ characteristics• Allow players to take ownership• Allow players to make own decisions• Allow players to solve problems• Avoid over-coaching. Let go!! • Avoid coaching in absolutes• Avoid coach-controlled choreography• Avoid imposing adult agenda/expectations on kids

THE PLAYER AND HIS/HER BALL

• First introduction to soccer• Egocentric stage• Fascination with new toy• Don’t want to share their new toy• Learning to control their body and the ball• Cannot handle opponents yet

OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE• Understand characteristics of U-6/U-8• Understand their needs and capabilities• Able to organize appropriate practice sessions• Understand the importance of dribbling• KINS Program• Understand rationale of Small-Sided Soccer• Become a comfortable and confident coach

UNDERSTAND PLAYERS’ CHARACTERISTICS

• U-6 Players – Motor Skills• Differences between Boys and girls minimal• Motor skills start with the head and move

downward and outward• No sense of pace• Easy fatigue, rapid recovery• Catching skills not developed• Eye-hand and eye-foot coordination primitive• Need to explore quality of rolling/bouncing balls• Movement education, locomotor/nonlocomotor

UNDERSTAND PLAYERS’ CHARACTERISTICS

• U-6 Players – Cognitive Skills• Short attention span• Play consists of high degree of imagination/pretend• Illogical thinking• Constantly in motion. No sense of pace• Can tend to only one task at a time • No understanding of time/space relationships• Can only handle simple, one-step instructions• Focus only on ball. Cannot handle tactics• Don’t really play soccer but play at soccer

UNDERSTAND PLAYERS’ CHARACTERISTICS

• U-6 Players – Psycho-Social Skills

• Developing self-concept through movement• Egocentric. Do not play with but play in parallel• No concept of TEAM or group dynamics• See world only from their perspective (physically and

emotionally)• Need generous praise and opportunity to play without

pressure • Fragile psychologically

UNDERSTAND PLAYERS’ CHARACTERISTICS

• U-8 Players – Motor Skills• Motor skills continuing to improve but still primitive• Catching and bouncing skills beginning to improve• Constantly in motion. Hyper with energy to burn• Still lack adult like stamina and tires quickly• Prone to heat injuries• Lack visual acuity to deal with air balls• throw ins, goal kicks, corner kicks issues• Movement education still the key (locomotor, non-

locomotor and manipulative)

UNDERSTAND PLAYERS’ CHARACTERISTICS

• U-8 Players – Cognitive Skills• Fantasy age disappearing. Some start to think and solve

problems but do the first thing that comes to mind• Attention span still short. Players are fidgety• Controlling the ball still main focus. Cannot think ahead• Concept of time and space still forming• Limited self evaluation – effort equal success• Doesn’t recognize some relationships and assumes some

that do not really exist

UNDERSTAND PLAYERS’ CHARACTERISTICS

• U-8 Players – Psycho-Social Skills• Becoming self-conscious. Act less goofy.• Looking for approval from adults. Like to show off.• Negative comments carry great weight.• They want everyone to like them.• Like to imitate the big guys (sport heroes, adults)• Likes soccer because it’s fun. Intrinsically motivated• Playmates emerge. Universe expanded.• Limited Team identity.• Father becomes more influential

UNDERSTAND PLAYERS’ CHARACTERISTICS

• U-6/U-8 Rec Soccer Skills

• They don’t pass – they kick• The ‘swarm’• Cannot handle throw-ins• Cannot handle goal kicks• Cannot handle corner kicks• Implications for Field size• No such thing as a ‘wrong’ technique• Randomness of play

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY• Must focus on dribbling – KINS approach• Max ball touches (every player with the ball)• Must be fun. Motivate to participate.• No tactics. No positions.• Rules modified to accommodate players’ level• Activities vs drills, to promote thinking• De-emphasize winning/losing. No scores.• Criticism not appropriate. Develop rapport.

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY

• Philosophy of Equal Opportunities• Increase number of potential growth experiences at

each practice and game• Each participant challenged and grow at their own

ability level• Better players contribute to growth of players who are

a level below• More turns, more ball contacts, less down-time

Choose activities that allow everyone to play and accomplish above stated goals/philosophy

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY

• Slanty Line Theory• Replace traditional rope game of high water-low water

where everyone jumps over straight line rope• The traditional straight line rope eliminates the weakest

players early (those who need the activity the most)• Use slanty line rope so each player can engage at

his/her level and experience success• When players feel comfortable, secure they seek out

new challenges.

Choose activities that allow everyone to stay engaged without getting eliminated early

PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY

• Flow State Model• Flow is the period of time in which the activity or task

matches your ability• If too easy – it becomes boring. If too hard – it becomes

frustrating.• When in a state of flow, players lose track of time and

experience happiness and success• When not in a state of flow, other behavioral states may

occur (misbehave, inattentive, bored, anxious, etc).

Choose activities that allow everyone to reach a state of flow quickly, with action, opportunities & challenges

KINS PROGRAM• KINS = Kicking Is Not Soccer• Emphasize the skill of DRIBBLING

• Foundation/preparation skill for every other skill• Must start early and develop feel/composure on ball• Best time to learn from Trial and error

• Discourage aimless booting of the ball• Emphasis on Booting stunts development• Players conditioned to get rid of the ball

• Promote decision making by players• Warm up – emphasize dribbling

BENEFITS OF KINS PROGRAM

• Improves skill and enjoyment of players• Provides built-in on-going coaching assistance• Easier to enlist parents to volunteer as coach• Develop club identity and loyalty• Raises the skill level of the recreational level• Raises the skill level of the select level

KINS Program Manual in www.gasoccer.org

TEAM MANAGEMENTSAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT

• Coach has responsibility for safety of players• Safe environment (field, goals, equipment)• Free of physical, sexual, or verbal abuse• Coach proper technique• Safe activities and proper warm up• Supervision of players, size mismatch• Quick and sufficient medical response• Common sense with weather/lightning

TEAM MANAGEMENTSAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT

• Calmness during games & keep cool head• Frequent water breaks• Get certified with Coaching License• Get certified with First Aid course• Know the laws of the game• Coaches Connection membership

• www.usyouthsoccer.org

TEAM MANAGEMENTETHICAL ASPECTS

• Standards of behavior (moral & ethical)• In the best interest of the individual player• Respect all participants (opponents, ref, etc)• Respect others’ confidentiality/privacy• Provide feedback in caring/sensitive manner• Developing players’ character, values, positive

self-image, self confidence more important than soccer skills and team results.

TEAM MANAGEMENTCARE AND PREVENTION

• Always ERR on the side of caution• First Aid kit• Prevention is key• Player Safety Information Card• Rule of Thumb when handling injury:

• Avoid panic. Inspire confidence and reassure player.• Check for history of injury (how it happened)• Check for Breathing, bleeding, deformity, discoloration• Avoid moving the player if potential injury to back/neck• Use common sense and seek professional help

TEAM MANAGEMENTCARE AND PREVENTION

• Coaches need to know:• Rest – Ice – Compression – Elevation• Strains and Sprains• Blisters• Broken bones and recognition of them• Cramp• Heat exhaustion• Concussions and head injuries

TEAM MANAGEMENTTEAM ORGANIZATION

• Training sessions 45 min to 1 hr• Comprise of many short activities• No Laps, Lines, or lectures• Maximize ball touches• Movement education• Equipment needs (cones, extra balls, air

pump, bibs, First aid kit, Ice, goals)

TEAM MANAGEMENTTEAM ORGANIZATION

• Principles of Teaching• Players learn from doing, not from listening• Don’t over coach• Create games that promote thinking• Wean them out of dependence on adults• Parents should not coach the players• Parents should not tell players to kick or boot ball• Coaches should also keep instructions to a minimum

• Parent pre-season Meeting

COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Why 3v3/4v4?• What about Passing at U-6/U-8?• How to handle player who refuses to

participate?• How do we handle a timid player?• How to handle a dominating player?• How to handle a disruptive player?• How to handle dangerous physical play?

Georgia SoccerCoaching Education Program

Practice Planning

& SoccerROM

Practice Planning & SoccerROM• SoccerROM is an online application, not just a web site

– Designed to work for coaches of all levels– Makes it easy for coaches to plan practices and bring new ideas

to their players– Extends education beyond the clinic (before the course and after)

• Georgia Soccer is providing FREE SoccerROM subscriptions to coaches who attend a coaching course– It is very important that you have a WRITTEN practice plan with

you every time you step on the field– Having a plan in your head isn’t enough!– Your sessions don’t have to come from SoccerROM, but this

makes it easy!

When you have finished your plan, simply print it out using the “Print” feature of your web browser, and you’ll get a one- to two-page plan that you can take with you to your session.

When you have finished your plan, simply print it out using the “Print” feature of your web browser, and you’ll get a one- to two-page plan that you can take with you to your session.

To get started…

1.Go to www.SoccerROM.com2.Click on “Subscribe Now!”3.Go through the registration process, and enter the following “Program ID Code” when prompted:

GA09CED716

4.When asked for payment, pick “Check”5.Your account will be activated within a few hours!

To get started…

1.Go to www.SoccerROM.com2.Click on “Subscribe Now!”3.Go through the registration process, and enter the following “Program ID Code” when prompted:

GA09CED716

4.When asked for payment, pick “Check”5.Your account will be activated within a few hours!

GEORGIA SOCCERCOACHING SCHOOL

‘G’ COURSE

October 2009