Juvenile Coaching

[jp2020]

Hi, just joined forum but was looking a bit of advice.

My club has decided to set up like a football academy for underage football. I attended a recent internal coaching course and when they spoke about coaching u8 and u10s a few things were mentioned that i didnt agree with so I queried them.

Here goes, i asked should we not be encouraging u8 and in particular u10s to be kicking off both feet, well at least introducing the concept and encourage it, i was basically told I didn't know what I was talking about and that the idea of playing off both sides would only be introduced at u14 or even u16 when they were more physically prepared! I found this very alarming, but after heated debate i gave in to greater consensus. I would love to know what other clubs are doing and if my views on coaching are wrong?? I was going to contact our county development officer for advice but that would only highlight the issue within the club.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Zulu]

I'm absolutely flabbergasted by this. You're 100% correct and need to get other coaches to change their minds. Kids under 12 are ideal for developing bilateral skills, not only kicking but hand passing, soloing, hopping the ball, side stepping, jumping, landing, turning etc. Quite frankly your club shouldn't bother with an academy if that's what your coaches believe.

[ardchieftain]

At our club we encourage all our players to use both feet,[ well, for u10 and 12 which i have been involved with]. In my opinion the younger they are encouraged to use both feet [ and both hands] the better.

[jp2020]

Sorry i used both feet as an example but the debate was really about using both sides in general!

What i was told was "why bother trying to get them to do it with their left when they can't even do it with their right". I became really disillusioned and went home thinking why bother, but i know that if Im not there God knows what they'd be coaching them!

[mylestheslasher]

Should be looking to use both feet and hands at U8 in my opinion. If you have got some weaker kids that can't kick with their good foot, why not keep them in a group together where a coach can focus on their needs. The kids that are that bit ahead of them, you keep in another group and work on their weak sides. That's how I do it. A key to success is to try and get 4/5 coaches at the same age group and break the kids up when doing the skills/drills. You need all your coaches singing of the same hymn sheet which I know is easier said than done!

Bring all the kids together for your games though but keep numbers small, use go games rules etc so that everyone is getting involved. The last bit is important as you don't want elitism creeping in either.

[muppet]

I was at U-8 training yesterday and they were using both feet (or at least trying to).

[Zulu]

They should be learning to use both sides from day one.

[ardchieftain]

They should be learning to use both sides from day one.

Agree completely.

[twohands!!!]

Here goes, i asked should we not be encouraging u8 and in particular u10s to be kicking off both feet, well at least introducing the concept and encourage it, i was basically told I didn't know what I was talking about and that the idea of playing off both sides would only be introduced at u14 or even u16 when they were more physically prepared!

Utter madness - I'm pretty sure I saw some stuff from the Go Games paraphernalia during the summer about the main aim for 9/10 year old was developing use of the non-dominant side (phrase stuck in the head as opposed to weaker side) and I remember my nephew (6) talking last summer about being told about the concept of striking on his weaker side at either hurling training or at Cul Camp.

[5 Sams]

Best idea I ever saw at this age group was where the young lad or girl has a ribbon tied to their "non-dominant" leg and if they scored using that foot it counted double.

[manfromdelmonte]

bi-lateral movement and skill is mainly learned at 7-10 (and best taught)

so those lads hadn't a clue what they were talking about

[The Gs Man]

Surely if they don't start off using both feet at U-8, by the time they get to 14-16 then it'll be a much harder skill to learn?

Can't teach an old dog new tricks and all that.

[INDIANA]

Surely if they don't start off using both feet at U-8, by the time they get to 14-16 then it'll be a much harder skill to learn?

Can't teach an old dog new tricks and all that.

Gaelic football no - you can still learn . Hurling - forget about it

[The Raven]

I wouldn't worry about it by the time you're under 8s and 10s are playing senior all they will need to do is throw the ball backwards

[Zulu]

Surely if they don't start off using both feet at U-8, by the time they get to 14-16 then it'll be a much harder skill to learn?

Can't teach an old dog new tricks and all that.

Gaelic football no - you can still learn . Hurling - forget about it

Not true in either case. You can definitely develop a weaker side in either code at any stage but the earlier you learn the more developed you should become and more natural it will be.