Soccer School Program Guide. for. Soccer School Coordinator and Coaches. for. U4s, U5s and U6s

Transcription

1 Soccer School Program Guide for Soccer School Coordinator and Coaches for U4s, U5s and U6s Original author: Terry Church, 2004 Updated by: Andrew S. Illingworth, 2011 page 1 of 17

2 Table of Contents Forward...3 Numbers...4 Coaches...4 Forms...5 Dividing Players Into Teams...5 Jerseys / T-shirts...5 Equipment...6 Timelines...6 Information For Coaches...7 Information For Parents...7 TODOs and Gotchas...8 Game Format...8 Coaching Suggestions...9 Ideas For Games...9 page 2 of 17

3 Forward This document was originally written by Terry Church in 2004, when the program was called Park Soccer and included U5s, U6s and U7s. Terry recognized the need for a document that could be accessed for new to soccer coaches, that would guide the coaches as to how to deal with a bunch of young players who just want to play soccer, but at the same time, start to introduce some of the skills that the players will need in the game as they get older. In 2006, the Almonte Soccer Club split the Park Soccer program to separate the U7s into a group of players, where coaches would prepare the players for league play, which starts at U8. At some point the program was opened to U4s. The U7 program continued to be called Park Soccer, while the program for the U4s, U5s and U6s was called Soccer School. Under the section in this document entitled Games for Fun, coaches will find a series of fun soccer related games that the players will love, that are easy to coach, and that teach the players some FUNdamentals without the coach having to be a soccer player him/herself. Thanks to Terry's hard work, the Almonte Soccer Club has a foundation document for our new coaches. Thanks Terry!! Andrew S. Illingworth President, Almonte Soccer Club page 3 of 17

4 Introduction Coaching soccer successfully is all about organization. This document includes general information about organizing Soccer School from a coordinators perspective, and also includes information about coaching the young soccer player. Please take time to read the detail in this document, as it really includes some valuable tips that will ensure success during the season. Success is defined as the players having a fun time. If they have a fun time, they'll return next year for more, and they will grow into a sport which they can enjoy for life. If you have any questions about this document, please do not hesitate to speak to the Soccer School Coordinator, or any Board member of the Almonte Soccer Club. Numbers There are usually about 90 players that register and about 4 to 8 that register late. The Club's philosophy is: every child who wants to play can play. They may get a different coloured jersey than their teammates, or not get a jersey, but those are issues we can resolve. One idea is to use related colours. For instance, a red jersey (if there are extra red jerseys) can blend in with the orange team. About 10 to a team is the best number. A number of teams had 11, and some had 12 in This was a little difficult for the coaches to manage. Coaches Coaching is best done in pairs or triples, so that one person doesn t have to be there all the time. For every 5 players, the program needs a minimum of 2 volunteer coaches. As the players get older, this ratio is a good guide for team head coaches. No certification is required for coaching park soccer, however the Club arranges free coach clinics, which typically last a day. page 4 of 17

5 Forms Police Criminal Record Check The Club's policy is that all coaches and assistant coaches have a Police Record Check completed. The Soccer School Coordinator can get the forms, and should be responsible for ensuring that this policy is followed. Coach Registration Form The Club also requires that all coaches and assistant coaches complete a coach registration form. It requires very little effort and ensures the coach is insured. The Coach Registration Form can be downloaded from the Club's website ( The completed form should be returned to the Club Registrar. Dividing Players Into Teams The Soccer School Coordinator is responsible for dividing the players into teams. Each age group should play separately. So for example, to divide the U5s, print the names of the 5-yearold boys, 5-year-old girls, and put them in separate containers. Then (assuming there are 4 teams of 5 year olds), draw from each container for the appropriate team. For example, four draws from the container of 5-year-old boys one for each team of 5 year olds; followed by four draws from the container of 5-year-old girls one for each team of 5 year olds. Once the teams are created, players can be shifted around to accommodate special requests, such as: Sally knows Jane, can they play on the same team?. And, of course, ensure that the coaches players are on the coach s team. Jerseys / T-shirts Soccer School players get a t-shirt as part of their registration. In the past these have been ordered from Home Hardware s sports department. The t-shirts should have the Club's logo printed on the front of the shirt. Order enough t-shirts to allow for a differing colour for each team, and with a few spares for late registering players. page 5 of 17

6 Equipment Players' Equipment Each player must provide the following: Shorts, Shoes / Cleats, Socks, and most importantly, Shin Guards. The Shin Guards are mandatory, as these guys may look small, but they can kick hard, and they're not always accurate. Parents not wanting to buy Cleats for a new to soccer player may allow their player to try the sport with running shoes, but the parent should be advised that if it's wet, the player may have difficulty turning on the grass. Most sports shops have inexpensive cleats these days, and be sure to advise the parent to check out the Hub in town for used cleats. Other Equipment The Club's Equipment Manager will provide the Soccer School Coordinator with balls, cones, bags, and first aid kits. Contact him or her early on to ensure that he or she is aware of the requirements and number of registered players. The ball size for Soccer School is size 3. Timelines Soccer School commences at least one week after the Goulbourn Lanark Soccer League (GLSL) has started. This gives the Club, and the parents time to organize their older players first. Usually the GLSL commences around the last week of May, so Soccer School should start around the first week of June. Soccer School should run for a minimum of 8 weeks, or to the end of July. The following table is a guide to timing for various activities: Recruit volunteer coaches and assistant coaches Contact Shriners for end of season party Order jerseys Identify season dates for communication to parents Organize teams February to April. The Club Head Coach usually has a list, obtained from the Registrar. Late in April, or sooner f possible, contact Wayne Guthrie, who is the Shriners representative in Almonte. The earlier the better; they need lots of advance notice. Once registration numbers received. Late April or early May. Needed so that volunteer coaches can advise their players / parents. Typically first Tuesday in June, to last Thursday in July. May 3 rd (or one week before the coaches meeting). page 6 of 17

7 Send coaches information May 3 rd. Hold a coaches meeting Create initial handouts for coaches May 10 th (don't leave until the May 24 th holiday weekend). Make sure that the coaches know that they must call the parents of their players and tell them when, where, etc. Otherwise, the parents get concerned, since the older siblings have already started playing. May 10 th. Create handouts for parents May 10 th. Hand out parents information First night of Soccer School. Order end of season trophies Third week in June, or halfway through the season; need about four weeks notice. Retrieve equipment End of season. Have coaches bring it the last Soccer School night. Then you don t have to chase it. Information For Coaches Here's a list of information that the Coaches will need: Coaches contact list Coaching cover letter Team list with the coach s child s name on it (their team) A page with the other teams in that age group A page with the teams in the other age group A page with contact information for their age group Game schedule for their age group Copy of the information for parents Blank PRC (Police Record Check) form Blank Coach s Registration form Information For Parents Cover letter Role of the parent at the field page 7 of 17

8 TODOs and Gotchas Ensure the coaches know to contact their team members at least two weeks before the season starts. This prevents a lot of phone calls from parents who are concerned that their children have missed the start of the season. This is because Soccer School typically starts a week or two later than the regular soccer season. It also ends a few weeks earlier. Activities for the last day. A mini-tournament can a good idea, but it needs to be a partial tournament given that it's just the last evening. When combined with the Shriner s barbecue, the photographs, the clowns, and the general mayhem, it can be a lot to achieve, so be careful with time. It would be better to have two games, followed by the barbecue, etc. Make sure there is a committee of non-coaching parents assigned to organizing the party on the last day. Advise parents well ahead about the last evening. Let them know that the Shriners will be there and that there will be food for the kids. Suggestions for photographs. Having the pictures taken on the first week would be best. Doing it on the last day is not only hectic, but since we didn t see the kids or their parents after that evening, getting proofs to them, was difficult at best. Game Format A number of years ago, teams would play each other in a home and away 4v4 format. Problem is, if you have 8 or 10 players per team, it meant that up to six of the players were sitting while the others played. We need to ensure that the players have as much playing time as possible. Please ensure that when it's time in the evening to play games, that each team split into two, one half travels to the opposing team's field, and one half stays, playing half of the opposing team. As an example, if Red was to play Blue, half of the red players would visit the blue field to play half of the blue team, while the other half of the red team would host the other half of the blue team on their own (red) field. page 8 of 17

9 Coaching Suggestions Have name tags to pin on the kids jerseys so you know who is who. About 10 minutes of warming up, 20 minutes of games, drills, and about 30 minutes of game time works well. Ensure all players have a parent or an assigned adult present so you don t have to deal with an injury or tears while trying to manage the other players. Have fun. If additional players arrive they need to be registered before playing an insurance issue. Then ensure they have a team with which to play. Have some more fun. Ideas For Games The Club's Philosophy: Give the player a ball and he/she will figure it out. Provide players with lots of time on the ball. Sitting isn t good for young eager players. They want to move. Our job is to let them while ensuring an environment in which they are learning, even if they are unaware of it. That s what this list of activities is about. These games are simply suggestions for pre-game activities. The success of any depend on the group of players involved as well as the phase of the moon; i.e. sometimes a group of players will love the game and two nights later the same group couldn t be bothered. Adjust the games as necessary. Some don t have neat names, if they did, they would be more popular. The snazzier the name, the more they seem to like it. Some favorites always seem to work: Red Light / Green Light, Clean Your Room, Ice Monster, Sharks and Minnows. None are cast in stone. If they are tiring of a game, just drop it and move on. There should be enough from which to choose. Some work best for initial warm ups and some once the whole team has arrived. page 9 of 17

10 Don t plan to teach / coach the players very much at any one time. They are outside, with their friends, and with a ball listening to you explain a skill isn t very high on their list of priorities. These games and drills are intended to teach them without explanation of any skills involved. They listen because it is a game and because the games have cool names. They learn despite themselves; and have great fun in the process. It is also easy for us as coaches. An idea that worked well was to have one or two sessions in a season where the players take off their cleats and play in their bare (or sock) feet. The moms may not like it too much since they typically wash socks, but the kids like it. As a coach, it means they will learn very quickly to kick the ball properly. When they kick it with their toe, it hurts. Dribbling Dribble around an enclosed area. Mark an area with flat cones, say 10x5. Each player has a ball. Ask the players to dribble in the area. Explain what dribbling in soccer is. Ask the players how many parts of the foot they can use to move the ball in different directions (inside, outside, sole, heel, etc.). Oh, and left and right! Dribbling II Dribble around an area and stop on command. The command indicates how to stop the ball right foot on the ball, left foot, elbow, knee, head, butt (the boys love that one). Shooting Mark a goal with a couple of cones. This game works best if players don t have to retrieve the ball (parents can help here). Players get bored after a couple of tries, and they head off with the ball and you have to retrieve your players. Shoot from a cone 10 yards from goal; or from a semi-circle of cones, players move from one cone to another. Variation is to have a lot of players shooting at once; each retrieving their ball after shooting. Monkey In The Middle (Keep Away) One player in a triangle of three other players. The outside players pass back and forth between each other, while the monkey tries to intercept. If the monkey is successful, the kicker becomes the monkey. This is a staple of games to play in soccer, and is played by the pros in Europe they call it Keep Ball or Keep Away. The game can have endless combinations of players, e.g. 5v2, 6v3, etc. page 10 of 17

11 Ice Monster Mark an area within which the players dribble their balls. One player is the ice monster and doesn t have a ball. If the ice monster touches a player's ball or kicks it out of the area the player is frozen with their foot on the ball. When everyone has been frozen a new monster is chosen (or some other time out that works). Cops and Robbers Make two lines about twenty yards apart. All but two players, each with a ball, line up on a line. They are the robbers. The other two are the cops and start in the middle. The robbers dribble from one line to the other while the cops try to take their ball away. Cops and Robbers II or British Bulldog As above, but when the robbers that are caught, they become cops and help cathc the remaining robbers. Sharks and Minnows Mark an area within which players each dribble a ball the minnows. On the outside of the area is one player without a ball the shark. On the whistle the shark comes in to the area and tries to kick a ball away from a minnow. If successful, that minnow becomes a shark. Pirates Like sharks and minnows but with a different name. The pirate takes the ball away or kicks it out of the area. Bomber Like above but the player starting on the outside has a ball as well. He or she rolls or kicks the ball at the others' balls, and if it hits, they help the bomber knock out the others in the same way. Kick Out Everyone is in a marked area with a ball. They all dribble around and try to knock the other players balls away while protecting their own. When a players ball is kicked out, he/she stays out until the next round. page 11 of 17

12 Egg Hunt Use a hula-hoop for this one, but marking a basket with cones would also work. Spread the balls out on the field and then have the kids get them (the eggs) and put them in the basket (hula hoop or cone area). They can carry them, dribble them, whatever. They can t take anyone else s ball away and they should cooperate to get the eggs in the basket as fast as possible. Having lots of balls is best. Marbles Mark two opposing lines with half the players on each. They all should have a ball to start. Place a different ball in the middle - the marble (basketball, beach ball, or another soccer ball that is uniquely coloured). Both teams use their balls to move the marble past the other players line. Once they start, they can use any ball to hit the marble. They usually get excited and kick the marble. When that happens have them stop and start over. Lineup Races Mark two goals with cones. Everyone lines up at one end, each with a ball. They dribble their ball to the other end, shoot and score, then retrieve their ball, dribble to the former end, shoot and score. Before starting, it is good to have them tell you who will win. (The answer is the one who dribbles the straightest.) Cone Soccer 1 v 1 place a cone on the ground one player has a ball and tries to hit the cone with it. The other player tries to take the ball away and then score himself. 1 v 2 one defender and two attackers 2 v1 two defenders and one attacker Etc. Reverse Move A little complicate to explain to the players, but they usually like it. Mark a goal with cones. Have a few of them stand in the goal. Roll a ball away from the goal and have one of them go after it; stop it; turn it around; dribble back to the goal and try to score while his or her friends stay in the goal. Repeat with all the players in the goal, as often as they want to continue. page 12 of 17

13 Red Light, Green Light You are the light. They line up each with a ball. You turn your back to them and call green light. They dribble toward you until you call red light and turn around. They should all be stopped with their foot on the ball. If not, they go back and start again. Finish when one or more goes past you on a green light. Close Up Kids all have a ball. Separate them into two lines, where each is paired with someone on the other line. On command the players from one line try to get as close as possible to their partner while their partner is trying to keep as far away as possible. They need to maintain control of their ball while doing this. Change Directions A dribbling exercise they dribble and change direction on command forward, backward, sideways, turn around. This one is often use by coaches as a standard warm up. Cat and Mouse (see also Cops and Robbers above) Mark two lines with cones. One person is between the lines the cat. All others (the mice) have a ball (their cheese) and are lined up on one of the lines. On command the mice try to get their cheese to the other line. The cat tries to get their cheese. If so, they turn into cats. Passing Drill Players in two lines works best with either a parent as a partner or one or more parents per pair of players supervising the passing. Otherwise the balls get booted hard in many directions. Triangles this can work with a parent and three players. They simply pass from one to the other this is a key to successful playing strategy later on. Star simply expand the triangle. Clean Your Room Mark an area and all the balls go in the area your room. Players line up around the outside of the room. One is inside. The one inside tries to kick the balls out of the area cleaning the room. If all balls are out at one time, the cleaner wins. Time out if this is not happening. Can put two or more cleaners in the room. Parents can help keep balls in the room. page 13 of 17

14 Shooting Gallery Hula-hoops work well here they try to shoot through the hula-hoops. Snake Set the cones in funny patterns and have them dribble around the players in a serpentine pattern. Gauntlet Two parents pass balls back and forth as players run between them trying not to be touched by the ball. Mirror Man Everyone with a ball, all players facing you. They have to imagine they are looking into a mirror and try to mimic your moves. Remember that most of them are right footed, so if you use your left, it will be easier for them. Ball Tag Mark an area with cones. The players are in the area and you are outside with a number of balls, you roll the balls in and try to touch the players with the ball. This has to be carefully controlled as you might imagine. As they get tagged and help you the balls can get a little more forceful. Throw-ins to Hula-hoops If parents hold the hula-hoops, the kids can practice throwing them through the hula hoop (moving the hoop to ensure success doesn t hurt). Telling them to make a rainbow with the ball as they throw it helps to get them to use the proper motion. Rabbit Around The Tree The tree is a cone and they dribble the ball around the tree and back. Can be done with two teams as a relay race. Follow The Leader Let a different one be the leader each time have the leader run in a serpentine pattern, back and forth or whatever not just in a straight line. If you are a coach with some soccer skills, ask them to perform moves to redirect the balls path. page 14 of 17

15 Through the Hoop Roll a hula-hoop from one parent to another and have the players try to get their ball through it first just rolling it and later kicking it. Bowling Set some cones up and have them kick their ball at them to knock them over helps to have parents retrieve balls. Down the Rabbit Hole Throw ins like above but put the hula-hoop on the ground and have them try to get their ball down the rabbit hole. On the Goal Like reverse move. Players line up on the goal and one is out front with a ball. That player tries to score on his buddies on the goal line. They will usually do this for a long time. Stretches Sometimes this is simply fun and makes them feel like grownups if they have to stretch a little before the session (actually it is good for them to stretch a little we need to stretch a lot). Fetch Have the kids line up. You have all the balls. Throw them one at a time into the distance. Have the kids (one at a time) fetch the ball and dribble it back. This can be progressed to a 1v1 battle for the ball. Run and Shoot A more advanced drill you have the balls they line up and as you roll out a ball the one at the font of the line runs at it, and kicks it into a goal. They then need to retrieve the ball. page 15 of 17

16 Give and go Give and go around the circle a little complicated but can work with the right group. A circle of players, with one in the middle. One ball. The player with the ball passes it to the player in the middle and then runs into the middle of the circle. The one in the middle passes it to someone on the outside and runs to the position the first player just vacated. Relay Races Two lines each with one ball at the front of the line and a cone some distance away. First player runs to the cone and back to tag the next player in line who does the same. As they return, they go to the back of the line. Some variations: running with a ball carrying it, with a ball dribbling it. Handing Ball to Parent Around bodies 10 times. Figure eight around the bodies. Over head and under legs. Kick to Parent Kick to parent parent keeps backing up player dribbles toward parent and kicks it to them. Parent stops the ball and backs away from it again. This can be tough for the parent! Dribble Around the Cones To cone and back. To cone, completely around it and back. In figure eights around cones. Ball Juggling Drop onto foot and kick back in the air into their own hands. Goal Game 2 equal teams no goalkeepers a goal on each of 4 sides each team can score on any of the 4 goals. As a variation, include parents as goalkeepers. page 16 of 17

17 Score on a Parent 2 players with a ball score on a parent get everyone involved. Variation with three players. Warm up Exercises Skipping around an area alter this by having them doing some things such as change direction, sit down, etc. Giant strides take exaggerated strides around an area. Bunny hops- short bouncy hops with feet together. High jumps jog around an area then jump as high as possible using first one foot and then the other land on both feet. Long jumps like above but jump as far as possible Caterpillar walk begin in a push up position then walk your feet towards your hands, then walk your hands away from your feet. Side rolls lie on your back then roll sideways do 3 complete revolutions in on direction and then three in the other. Walking backwards move around the area while trying to avoid other players. Jogging backwards like above. Windmills feet apart, right arm in a circle then left arm. Zig zags move around the area zigging and zagging around other players without running into them end page 17 of 17