Things are starting to settle down at the Club, the merry-go-round of staff is coming to end and it looks like my coaching partner for the year is confirmed and we worked together for the first time last Thursday and then again on Saturday. We are still in limbo awaiting the new syllabus so roughly working to the end of last years, ramping up the tempo and intensity of training as the games programme starts in a few weeks time.
This Saturday I led the session, with my partner having not worked in the Academy for a few years, he needs to find his feet again. Having still not seen the boys in games, it's very much learning about them still, what they can and can't do and know or don't know. Therefore, the session was to see what they understood about defending principles.
Session went as follows:
15mins - Tag games.
These have a great focus on agility for the boys, require real quick feet and dodging and weaving skills to get themselves out of tight areas. Interesting to observe who the boys were that are good at this, and often the smaller ones. It also teaches them some of the principles of defending, linking to the main body of the session. Does this also equate to dribbling skills? Maybe.
15mins - Passing square.
As part of the syllabus there is a reptition circuit that is done twice a week. Essentially this is about technique development, pass and follow around a square. Four cones, whatever distance you feel is right apart. The boys did this all last season so are familiar with its organisation ergo the instruction was simple; "there's the equipment, in two minutes can you be playing?".
What was interesting then was to stand back and see who led the group, who solved problems, who tried to do their own thing without the rest of the group etc. Real social corner skills. With this you generally have 5 players per square, otherwise you have an empty cone once the passes have been made. There was 8 boys and set up two squares...until one bright one sussed they needed one square! He is very much the thinker and the leader.
It was then a case of watching technical work in practice; who cheated and used their stronger foot, who did a pre-move and checked away to lose a defender, who had the biomechanics to punch a pass in...
30mins - Try to put into practice the principles of defending during a small-sided game.
Set up was as follows; a pitch big enough for 7v7, in this case about 60x40, split into thirds and then the middle third I split into four channels with flat rubber discs. The challenge was "when defending, can you defend three channels but attack across all four".
It then gave us as coaches the opportunity to watch the players understanding of defending principles; who closed the ball down quickly, who got side on to predict play, who covered and offered support, who tucked across and left the far channel where there wasn't any danger, who recovered when the ball had gone past them etc.
I then coached WITHIN the practice - asked questions during play using a variety of different coaching methods from command ("you need to get across when the ball is on the other side") to guided discovery ("what happens if you turn side on and why different sides - try it"). I'll talk about coaching methods in a future blog.
Anyway, for the 30mins they played I stopped the session ONCE. I set myself the target of stopping it a maximum of twice so succeeded. Children don't like adults ruining their game by constantly stopping it! So, just the once, and this was so they could have a drink as the tempo and intensity was high.
In that 2mins (maximum) of stoppage I asked some questions around their understanding and they had some surprinsgly good knowledge, I was impressed. Don't assume they don't know, and then teach them stuff they already do!
30mins - Small-sided game, thirds but no channels.
Could they now recall the information when they didn't have guidance to help them...and they did! Again, stopped it just once during the game for drinks and changing ends. Finished 5-4, very competitive...
...who said kids needs three points and a medal to be competitiive?!
Showing posts with label coaching; children; football; soccer; Fulham FC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coaching; children; football; soccer; Fulham FC. Show all posts
16 August, 2011
28 July, 2011
Coaching - The second session, first week...
As with every coaching session, the plans never quite go to the written down version you have in store. Or the version in your head.
I'd planned a number of games, using a constraints-led coaching approach, to change the task after every mini-game and rack up the challenge, getting progressively harder each time.
Well, when I say make the game harder, the boys were going to make the game harder. They were going to suggest the conditions each time, deciding what the rules were each time to build on difficulty. For example, all-in for the first game but after fifteen minutes of play (with no stopping it from me), they had to decide what was next - two changes per game. This could include; weaker foot finish, include offsides, two-touch in midfield third etc.
Let the children go wild with their imagination, within the realms of what would really happen in the game though. Give them the ownership - it doesn't have to be all about the coach.
What I also wanted to achieve from tonight was seeing how much the boys were capable of making decisions for themselves. When you start to introduce new things to children (like being allowed to think for themselves), depending on what they have been used to, this can be difficult. If they are used to just being told what to do, whether in school, at home, from previous coaches, this can be a strange world to move into.
Even simple questions - "what do you think?" - can be unusual for them. Hopefully, if they have a good teacher and a good coach before, this process can be made easier. Therefore, when asked to lead their own team talk and discuss tactics for the second half of the 7v7 at the end, one team just talked about positions they were going to play, and not HOW they were going to play. This will take a little bit of time but worth the perseverance.
However, with the Under 9's only having 5 players tonight (summer holidays etc) and being new to the Club as their first year, we decided to put them together and play mini-games with the 9's and 10's mixed up. It gave Del and Andy the chance to see the boys coping with some physical challenges (which they coped with very well in fact) as well as the other three corners of development. I was very impressed with a couple of their players in fact, two very neat and tidy lads, excellent technically, composed and confident and friendly.
The first half hour is all about movement skills and we are fortunate to have, in my opinion, one of the best coaches around for this. Absolutely top drawer, works with the first team all the way down to the U9's, and has the skills, personality, adaptability and knowledge to be excellent at both ends of the spectrum. I purposely get in early to see him work, always learning something.
Highlight of my night though was a lad from my team last year thats now an U11, that I hadn't seen for about eight weeks due to work and end of season, coming up and saying he'd missed me. He's a nice kid, and sometimes developing nice people is just as important as getting them in the first team.
I'd planned a number of games, using a constraints-led coaching approach, to change the task after every mini-game and rack up the challenge, getting progressively harder each time.
Well, when I say make the game harder, the boys were going to make the game harder. They were going to suggest the conditions each time, deciding what the rules were each time to build on difficulty. For example, all-in for the first game but after fifteen minutes of play (with no stopping it from me), they had to decide what was next - two changes per game. This could include; weaker foot finish, include offsides, two-touch in midfield third etc.
Let the children go wild with their imagination, within the realms of what would really happen in the game though. Give them the ownership - it doesn't have to be all about the coach.
What I also wanted to achieve from tonight was seeing how much the boys were capable of making decisions for themselves. When you start to introduce new things to children (like being allowed to think for themselves), depending on what they have been used to, this can be difficult. If they are used to just being told what to do, whether in school, at home, from previous coaches, this can be a strange world to move into.
Even simple questions - "what do you think?" - can be unusual for them. Hopefully, if they have a good teacher and a good coach before, this process can be made easier. Therefore, when asked to lead their own team talk and discuss tactics for the second half of the 7v7 at the end, one team just talked about positions they were going to play, and not HOW they were going to play. This will take a little bit of time but worth the perseverance.
However, with the Under 9's only having 5 players tonight (summer holidays etc) and being new to the Club as their first year, we decided to put them together and play mini-games with the 9's and 10's mixed up. It gave Del and Andy the chance to see the boys coping with some physical challenges (which they coped with very well in fact) as well as the other three corners of development. I was very impressed with a couple of their players in fact, two very neat and tidy lads, excellent technically, composed and confident and friendly.
The first half hour is all about movement skills and we are fortunate to have, in my opinion, one of the best coaches around for this. Absolutely top drawer, works with the first team all the way down to the U9's, and has the skills, personality, adaptability and knowledge to be excellent at both ends of the spectrum. I purposely get in early to see him work, always learning something.
Highlight of my night though was a lad from my team last year thats now an U11, that I hadn't seen for about eight weeks due to work and end of season, coming up and saying he'd missed me. He's a nice kid, and sometimes developing nice people is just as important as getting them in the first team.
26 July, 2011
Coaching - The inaugural session...
So the first session is done but whilst not officially being allowed to tell the boys I'm their coach for the season, along with another yet unknown coach, it all went well. Plus, they aren't stupid so would have worked it out! There has been a few changes at the Club so until all age groups are sorted and settled and a formal announcement is made, it's all just rumour!
Standard first session stuff really; trying to work out eleven different names. My mode of attack was by barnet, or for the northern, hair style. There is quite possibly the best afro I have seen in ages, its massive, and very bouncy. Two lads have mohawks. One has a mullet. One has half an afro. It would be a full afro but compared to the biggest one I have ever seen it will just be a half.
I knew a few of the boys from last season but not really as players. So tonight was about trying to work out what they were like as players, trying to get a very rough gage in the 4 Corners (technical, psychological, social and physical) and see what I could learn. The best way to this - let them play a game!
It frustrates me seeing coaches that meet a new group for the first time, the first week of a new block of coaching sessions for example, that on their first session to try and understand where the kids are at, they do 'ball familiarity'. What does that show?! We are developing players to play the 'game' so watch them play a game!
Therefore tonight, we did exactly that.
Whole, part, whole session; after 30mins of movement skills and warm up, into a game. Played 6v5 as the delights of an odd number, including one GK. The opposition had to score in the corners of the goals for it to count, whilst the others shot against the GK. 30mins of game, I mostly watched, asked a couple of questions here and there and mainly listened to the comments the boys were making to each other - who moaned at who when they made a mistake, who got shouted at when they dribbled too much and who called for the ball when they had found space.
From the game we went into the 'part'; two areas of different shapes. One box 15x15yards and one 20x10yards, and played 3v3 and 3v2 in each one. Questions were key for me at this stage; what do you notice about the two areas? how does that affect your attacking strategy? how does it change your defending playing in different ones? For me, the key was listening to the answers - this showed where the boys are at with their understanding. That's important.
Played around with the conditions, moved players mid-game to change the underload/overload and see if they could cope in tighter spaces. 30mins.
Then back into the big game, taking the score across with us. Another 30mins.
Conclusion after tonight - this season is going to be fun! The boys are a nice group and there is the potential to really extend their learning. Back in Thursday.
Meeting the Assistant Academy Manager on Saturday for an hour after the session to discuss a creative approach to their learning this year too. Will post more about that if and when we get the go ahead!
Standard first session stuff really; trying to work out eleven different names. My mode of attack was by barnet, or for the northern, hair style. There is quite possibly the best afro I have seen in ages, its massive, and very bouncy. Two lads have mohawks. One has a mullet. One has half an afro. It would be a full afro but compared to the biggest one I have ever seen it will just be a half.
I knew a few of the boys from last season but not really as players. So tonight was about trying to work out what they were like as players, trying to get a very rough gage in the 4 Corners (technical, psychological, social and physical) and see what I could learn. The best way to this - let them play a game!
It frustrates me seeing coaches that meet a new group for the first time, the first week of a new block of coaching sessions for example, that on their first session to try and understand where the kids are at, they do 'ball familiarity'. What does that show?! We are developing players to play the 'game' so watch them play a game!
Therefore tonight, we did exactly that.
Whole, part, whole session; after 30mins of movement skills and warm up, into a game. Played 6v5 as the delights of an odd number, including one GK. The opposition had to score in the corners of the goals for it to count, whilst the others shot against the GK. 30mins of game, I mostly watched, asked a couple of questions here and there and mainly listened to the comments the boys were making to each other - who moaned at who when they made a mistake, who got shouted at when they dribbled too much and who called for the ball when they had found space.
From the game we went into the 'part'; two areas of different shapes. One box 15x15yards and one 20x10yards, and played 3v3 and 3v2 in each one. Questions were key for me at this stage; what do you notice about the two areas? how does that affect your attacking strategy? how does it change your defending playing in different ones? For me, the key was listening to the answers - this showed where the boys are at with their understanding. That's important.
Played around with the conditions, moved players mid-game to change the underload/overload and see if they could cope in tighter spaces. 30mins.
Then back into the big game, taking the score across with us. Another 30mins.
Conclusion after tonight - this season is going to be fun! The boys are a nice group and there is the potential to really extend their learning. Back in Thursday.
Meeting the Assistant Academy Manager on Saturday for an hour after the session to discuss a creative approach to their learning this year too. Will post more about that if and when we get the go ahead!
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