Intro to Junior Generic EMAIL

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INTRODUCTION

TO COACHING

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Part 7 The Junior Coach & Game Leader - Introduction to Coaching

Our goalThe NZF Introduction to Junior Coaching aims to provide junior coaches with the right knowledge and skills to encourage

football participation and support effective player development in a fun, safe and rewarding environment.

Understand how the needs of young players can be catered for through effective management and operation of sessions.

Provide details on planning, running, and managing fun practice sessions.

Provide a complete programme of session activities for junior coaches, particularly beginner coaches, to deliver to their

players.

Support the understanding of how positive learning environments can be created for players during practice sessions

and on match days.

By delivering this Coach Development section, all First Kicks and Fun Football Game Leaders and Mini Football Coaches

will be completing the NZF Introduction to Junior Coaching programme. Any Junior Game Leader or Coach participating in

the club delivery of the NZF Junior Framework season, at any level, will therefore be recognised as having completed the

NZF Introduction to Junior Coaching.

The Role of a Junior Coach

Coaches have an amazing opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of young people. This Introduction to Junior

Coaching focuses on developing an understanding of the core roles and responsibilities of junior coaches, so coaches are

suitably prepared to make that impact.

Junior coaches need to understand the needs of the players that they are working with, and understand the management,leadership, communication and teaching skills required to increase their enjoyment and effectiveness in the role.

INTRODUCTION

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The Four Corner Model and how it relates to the Junior Footballer

New Zealand Football uses a Four Corner Model to help give a broad understanding of players at all levels. This approach

considers all of the different factors that inuence how a junior footballer develops as a player and a person. These factors

change as a player grows older, so the Four Corner model gives insights into the different characteristics of players in each

of the junior age groups.

Four Corner Overview

This corner takes into account the stage ofphysical development that different children areexperiencing, and the characteristics associatedwith this. Key physical attributes that areassociated with this corner are:

Agility, balance and coordination

Speed

Strength

Stamina/energy levels

As the junior player develops, their needsfrom their peer group, and from coaches andparents will change. As football is a team gamebased on the individual attributes of the playersinvolved, it is important to consider the followingcharacteristics of junior players:

Awareness of the opinions of peers and adults

Awareness of the value of others

Understanding fairness/a sense of justice

Enjoyment in having fun when playing

with others

This is the most Football specic corner ofplayer development as it relates directly to thetechnical requirements of individual players, andthe tactical requirements of teams as the juniorfootballer grows older. It is essential for juniorcoaches to understand that the ability of playersto develop technical skills and understand theconcept of team tactics is based on the other threedevelopment corners. Pushing a player beyondtheir technical or tactical capabilities too early willresult in a lack of success and enjoyment, andmay lead to the child giving up the game. Keytechnical/tactical attributes are:

Coordination/agility when controlling, passing

or shooting a football The ability to understand team tactics such as

being in possession of the ball and being out ofpossession

Awareness of the concept of team

The required level of skill when executingfootball specic techniques (dribbling, faking,turning, passing, heading, and shooting).

This corner identies the different mentalcharacteristics of players as they develop frombeing a First Kicks player through to becominga Mini Footballer. Key mental attributes that areassociated with this corner are:

Concentration/attention span

Level of curiosity and imagination

Sensitivity to criticism or positive praise

Ability to overcome mistakes/need for success

Spatial awareness

Level of competitiveness

PHYSICAL SOCIAL / EMOTIONAL

TECHNICAL & TACTICAL MENTAL

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Optimal requirements: 2 game leaders with 2 mini areas or more available. Minimum requirements:2 game leaders and 2 mini areas


Each junior training session will involve four training components. As the players grow older, the emphasis placed on each

of the components changes.

Understanding your Players

The coaching programmes and competitions for children should be like their shoe size they should t perfectly

and feel comfortable. Horst Wein

As players pass through the stages of development, their physical and mental characteristics change. Many junior coaches

fail to recognise or understand these changes and as a consequence they focus on coaching football rather than children.

In other words, they often concentrate on the practical aspects such as the drill, the grid or the equipment giving littleattention to the childrens psychological and emotional developmental needs. (Cottrell et al 1999)

FOOTBALL TECHNIQUE

The core techniques involve dribbling,shooting, fakes and turns and nallypassing.

Dribbling is the focus for younger players at thisage and becomes the priority

Older players need to develop the full range of coretechniques, and be able to execute them with both theleft and right feet

Motivational games that involve dribbling and shootingare great ways to excite players at this age, as playersenjoy the success associated with scoring

Activities and games used provide the opportunity forplayers to learn, rather than having an instructionalcoach who limits the time the players have with the ball.

GENERAL MOVEMENT

Coordination activities incorporating running, hopping,

jumping, turning and falling are fundamental for

developing effective football performance.

Provides a broad foundation that makes it easier for

children to learn more complex movements later on.

Fundamental movement is the focus for

younger children

Well developed coordination in older

children means movements can be

executed in a football specic manner

FocusforTraining - where we spend most of our training time

FOOTBALL COORDINATION

Junior footballers enjoy this type of practice

because it allows them to use their own

imagination and incorporates lots of contact with

the ball.

Uses games and activities that provide

players with a strong feel for the ball

Involve lots and lots of touches of

the ball with different parts of

the foot, or different parts of the

body.

SMALL SIDED GAMES

Small sided football games are

tailored to meet the developmentneeds of junior players (i.e. small

numbers playing in small areas)

Games will provide junior footballers with a level

of decision making that is age appropriate and

achievable

Initially Small Sided Games involve only a

few players (e.g. 2v2 or 3v3), but as players

become more capable the number of players

involved in each game increases.

THE FOUR FOCUS AREAS FOR TRAINING

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Coaches working with young players should rst understand the physical and mental characteristics of their players. Through

developing an awareness of how children perceive their world and an understanding of key developmental characteristics,coaches can provide a football environment where children experience success.

It may pay to remind yourself of the following before delivering practice sessions:

Dont tell me off when I get things wrong I may be trying my best!

I love playing football so give me the chance to play!

Dont expect me to get it right rst time but praise me for trying!

Dont slap me down when I ask a question your answer may help me learn!

Dont expect me to produce what we practise in a game straight away I may not be ready!

Try other ways of teaching me if I seem to be struggling I can learn if you nd the right way!

Look at me when I talk to you it lets me know you are really listening!

Remember I am a young person, not a small adult sometimes I dont understand what you are saying!

Effective Coaching Styles for Junior Players

Due to the social and mental attributes of young players, the junior coach must use a coaching style that is age-appropriate.

Consider if what players are doing is of maximum benet to their enjoyment or learning.

This means the coach must ensure the needs of the players are the focus at all times, rather than the coach dominating the session.

Coaching Styles Continuum

For different age groups, coaches will need to develop different coaching styles. In each age group section of the JuniorFramework, you can nd more specic hints and tips about coaching and communicating with the players of all ages.

THE COACH

Values all players as individuals who can contributeto the team

Listens to the players and takes them seriously

Makes sure each player is capable of succeeding

Asks questions of his/her players and encourages

them to solve problems on their own when possible

Learns about the players, takes a personal interest

and gets to know each one of them

Creates players who rely upon the coach to

solve all their problems

Expects the team to conform to his/her way of

doing things

Speaks to rather than listens to players

Treats the team as one rather than as a group

of individuals

Asks very few questions and tells the players

what they should do

Promotes a win at all cost attitude rather than

the development of players

The players are

the central focusof the session at

all times

The coach

dominates andcontrols sessions

at all times

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Crafting a Positive Training Environment

Children should at the very least feel valued and have a positive and worthwhile experience while in the care of a junior

coach. With any session, the following key ideas should always be considered:

SecurePlayers should feel secure enough to try new techniques, make mistakes and ask questions.

SafeAll learning environments should adhere to health and safety guidelines players safety is paramount.

EnjoyableEnjoyment comes from an appropriate challenge successfully met.

ChallengingWithin positive learning environments, challenges should be difcult but not unobtainable.

OwnershipPlayers should be allowed to take ownership of the work and, if appropriate, take practices to another or more individual

level.

ChoicesLearning environments need to reect the game, where exactly the same thing never happens twice, but lots of very similar

things happen often. Within this environment, players need to experience repetition of opportunity, to be given chances to

make decisions.

InclusionNo player should be left out of a practice. Organisation should be exible enough to cater for odd numbers. On match days

the starting line-up should vary, as everybody needs to learn how to be a substitute and starting is different from being a

substitute. Players views and reviews should be treated with respect.

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Guiding Principles for Beginner Coaches

Allow players access to well-organised practice and competition environments.

Players should be treated with respect and dignity by the coach, teammates and their opponents.

Focus on enjoyment both in practices and competition, with a wide variety of activities that promote fun and achievable

learning.

Treat players as children and not mini-adults.

Provide players with the opportunity to play with children their own age, with similar chances of achieving success.

Recognise individual differences and respect the developmental needs of the players in your care.

Training Hints and Tips

The Introduction to Junior Coaching Manual provides a wide selection of activities across each of the four training components.

In particular, training sessions for the rst four weeks of the season are provided, with activities and games prescribed for

these four weeks. Weeks ve to eight will also be prescribed, and for the remainder of the season you can dip back into this

selection of activities and games to build your own sessions between weeks 9 20. All of these prescribed activities and

games are available online as part of the NZF Coach Development website.

Although the session format and content has been prescribed for junior coaches, some of the following tips and hints may

prove to be helpful.

BEFORE THE SESSION DURING THE SESSION AFTER THE SESSION

Know how many players you

are likely to be working with

to help you plan (ask club

coordinators or parents to warn

you in advance if a child is

unavailable).

Make sure you know what

equipment is available and that

it is in good condition (balls

pumped up, and the correct

size, goals safely in place andbibs clean)

Arrive early to set up the

session if possible.

Provide children with an

opportunity to demonstrate

anything they have been

practicing at home

Make sure you, or your club,

have everyones emergency

contact details, who will normally

collect them, medications, any

injuries etc.

Finish on time (parents and

children often have other

commitments). Allow a few

minutes at the end to get

players into the habit of cooling

down. Teach a new stretch

every week

Re-cap the learning with your

players

Ask players to demonstrate

or discuss the things that they

have learned

Set a fun and challenging

homework task for the players

Ask the players to thank the

parent helpers

Reect on your session; think

about the things that you

enjoyed about your session

and the things that you would

improve for the future.

Get off to a good positive start

with all children active and

moving with or without a ball

Use drink breaks to help

transitions between activities

and games

Explain new tasks clearly and

simply (show and tell)

Ask players to help set up and

take down the equipment used

in the games they have played

Use positive re-enforcement and

avoid focusing on the negative

e.g. Well done Marissa youre

dribbling the ball really well with

your right foot! Can everyone

keep the ball that close while

youre dribbling?

Take a step back and let the

players play. Avoid talking too

muchkeep the explanations

short and concise and showwhat you mean to support

understanding

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Solutions to Some Common Problems

Lack of footballsMake children responsible for bringing their own football or use activities that involve pairs/small groups that encourage

maximum touches on the ball. Inform your junior club coordinator of the need for more balls.

Abusive parents on the sidelineOrganise a parents meeting and develop a parents code of conduct for sideline behaviour. Use the ideas in the Junior

Framework as a foundation for discussion.

Odd numbers for practicesRotate players to rest and work. Rotate quickly. Call on any parent helpers to ll the gaps and support the practice. Improvise

ask players to work in odd numbers and adapt the task.

Bullying or ghtingIdentify the problem and address it. Look for support from the parents involved and together create a plan of action for the

players to follow.

Limited support from parentsDevelop a parent support roster for those parents who may have time to commit, but on a more casual basis. List some of

the jobs that may need to be completed at training sessions and on match days.

Injury during the sessionStop the session and ensure the safety of all other players. Have a cellphone handy at all times to ensure a caregiver can

be contacted. If possible have a parent helper at each session who can manage these situations. Ensure you or they always

have a First Aid Kit.

Your team gets defeated every week and motivation is disappearingSet weekly process goals within the game: i.e. shots at goal achieved, tackles made, successful dribbling. Disregard the

outcome and scoreline. Accentuate the positives.

Too many players and not enough game-timePlan the rotation of players prior to the game and ask a support parent to manage the rotation of players during the game.

Develop a parent group strategy to ensure all players get even playing time.

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Adult Role Models and Child Protection

What can children expect from adults?The junior football coach is also a role model to the players, as children are likely to model their behaviour on the coachs

behaviour. This provides a great opportunity to inuence childrens values and ethics positively.

Remember that children are often easily led, anxious to please and prone to over-enthusiasm. Plenty of praise and positive

reinforcement is therefore needed, especially with beginners. Children nd it hard to understand negative instructions

and easier to understand positive reinforcement. This can frequently mean playing down the result and playing up the

performance. This reduces the childs anxiety and decreases their worry about failing. Remember that children do not mean

to make mistakes, so we should accept mistakes as a necessary part of learning.

Make sure the players play by the rules. The majority of children at these ages will not knowingly infringe the Laws of the

Game. Finally, work with other adults, not against them, and by doing so, you will reinforce positive attitudes among the

children.

Interference from the touch lineWhile the fun and friendly atmosphere created by football should keep such instances to a minimum, there may be situations

where comments and abuse from adults, parents and team coordinators are made from the touchline. These could be

directed at the referee, but also at the players. - What can be done?

Stay calm

Dont get into disagreements

Report the matter to relevant club ofcials

Set a positive, responsible example

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Editorial staff: John Herdman, Bev Priestman, Johan Koutstaal, Simon Eaddy, Tony Readings, Cesar Meylan, Michael Rumpf, Peter Ohara, Aaron McFarland,Michael De Bono. Imagery supplied by Photosport. Printed March 2011. Design by Sidekick Creative Ltd. New Zealand Football.

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The Whole of Football Plan would not be possiblewithout the support of the following organisations:

Member Federations

Community Partners

Commercial Partners

www.nzfootball.co.nz

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