I know there was a thread about this before but i can't find it.
I have finally got involved in coaching [u10]. Just wondering what drills some of you use at this level.
Pm me an email and I'll send you on a load of stuff I have. I coach 6 to 12 year olds and I'll post some thoughts and drills here too in the hope that it will encourage others to do so too. I know AZ does a fair bit with underage too though I'm not sure what age he primarily works with now.
Quote from: ardchieftain on April 10, 2013, 12:22:44 PM
I know there was a thread about this before but i can't find it.
I have finally got involved in coaching [u10]. Just wondering what drills some of you use at this level.
It all depends on what skills the players involved acquired at U6 and U8 level. If they have been well coached at these two levels then at U-10 you should be able to work a lot on conditioned games and decision making. If they are coming to you with a lack of previous coaching then you may have to concentrate mostly on the basic skills.
I'd be interested in some good u14 drills.
Quote from: Zulu on April 10, 2013, 12:34:11 PM
Pm me an email and I'll send you on a load of stuff I have. I coach 6 to 12 year olds and I'll post some thoughts and drills here too in the hope that it will encourage others to do so too. I know AZ does a fair bit with underage too though I'm not sure what age he primarily works with now.
Zulu i sent you a pm thanks.
Quote from: reddgnhand on April 10, 2013, 07:00:15 PM
Quote from: Zulu on April 10, 2013, 12:34:11 PM
Pm me an email and I'll send you on a load of stuff I have. I coach 6 to 12 year olds and I'll post some thoughts and drills here too in the hope that it will encourage others to do so too. I know AZ does a fair bit with underage too though I'm not sure what age he primarily works with now.
Zulu i sent you a pm thanks.
Fire me on a PM too there. I'm responsible for the coaching of 6,7 and 8 year olds in my club, hurling and football. I have 3-4 coaches working with me in each group. I'm also involved with development squads (u14) football.
Quote from: AZOffaly on April 10, 2013, 08:04:46 PM
Quote from: reddgnhand on April 10, 2013, 07:00:15 PM
Quote from: Zulu on April 10, 2013, 12:34:11 PM
Pm me an email and I'll send you on a load of stuff I have. I coach 6 to 12 year olds and I'll post some thoughts and drills here too in the hope that it will encourage others to do so too. I know AZ does a fair bit with underage too though I'm not sure what age he primarily works with now.
Zulu i sent you a pm thanks.
Fire me on a PM too there. I'm responsible for the coaching of 6,7 and 8 year olds in my club, hurling and football. I have 3-4 coaches working with me in each group. I'm also involved with development squads (u14) football.
PM sent AZ thanks.
I work with 5-8 year olds in our club (football). The key tip I keep getting and trying to work towards is to try and use conditioned games more so that drills. Kids just love the competitive aspect and if you're creative you can get the best of both worlds - the skill development you want from a drill as well as the enjoyment/competitiveness the kids will love. For the younger kids when you're focussing on movements and basic skills a series of stations is brilliant. Keeps them moving, has plenty of variety and easy to organise in small areas like halls. A great way to get parents involved too as very little knowledge of the game is required to operate a station (coach can float about working on technique, spotting and fixing).
I absolutely love it but I've oceans to learn. If you're willing to learn you'll improve all the time.
Thanks for the e-mail Zulu, greatly appreciated. Will get stuck into them after i bring the young lad to training.
Hi to all, I have been a reader of this forum for a long time when i see this topic I had to join. I am going to get involved with my local club and this would be my first stint at coaching kids. I would greatly appreciate any help from above posters. I am wondering Zulu and AZ could you also forward on any information that you may have. It would be great to have with regards to preparation for the first training session. Many Thanks Dar.
Plan each session.
Get as much help as you can - the smaller the coach/players ratio the better.
No negative commentsto children
Good communication with parents.
Spot and fix.
Enjoy.
Some things I would recommend from my experience:
Have various levels of difficulty in your drills and games. For example, if you are better at kicking than me but we are both doing the same drill then you might get bored or I might find it too difficult. It's better to group players of similar ability for drills and set them a challenge reflective of their ability.
Always teach through questions rather than telling them the answer - Sean where do you think is the best place to go to get the pass? rather than Sean you should pull out to the wing and into space for the pass.
FUN, FUN, FUN - If they like you and are having a laugh at training then they'll probably come back. If your training sessions are excellently laid out and you could spot a technique fault in any kid, it matters not a jot if it isn't fun as they won't come back or won't look forward to your sessions. I want my sessions to inspire them to practice on their own rather than be a series of repeated drills where I correct ad nauseum. They don't need to be perfect by next week but (hopefully) by the time they are 26 or 27. So watch for technique errors but just give pointers and let them self correct too.
Games, games and more games - I'm a firm believer in the benefits of learning in the environment in which you'll be asked to perform. Of course you need to start basic and reinforce the fundamentals but all the skills are performed in game situations and that's where the must be perfected. I see no reason why you can't start that process with 6 and 7 year olds. I have anyway and I see great results so far.
Let them show off - I tell the kids every now and then to go away and create a trick shot or piece of skill and we'll see whose is the best in 6 weeks. Of course I don't really pick a best or even check them out all the time but it gets them practising and using their imagination. I also play games where players can't pass the ball ball, they must take on defenders and shoot. Of course kids love this and left to their own devices most would never pass but I don't think we should entirely discourage kids of this. We usuallly now play underage games with one hop and one solo but if we always do this in games and training then we'll produce better team players but perhaps not players who can retain possession under pressure. Encourage the glory hole in some of your training sessions and encourage showing off - just keep it controlled.
I love working with these age groups and while it is challenging it is also very rewarding. My philosophy is to make them feel like they are they most important players in the world, because they are. Also remember this is their time so don't tell them not to do something instead ask them if they should do it or if they would do the same thing again. Why tell a 10 year old not to pass across his own goal for example, I'd encourage them to express themselves and then ask if they thought it was the right thing to do. If they said yes, then fair enough. The kids want to win desperately, as do you, but it's their competition and their chance to win medals, if you encourage them to go out and play as they want you'll see some amazing things and they'll correct themselves if their actions didn't help winning.
I think the lads have covered most of it at this stage, and in fairness Zulu was a huge help to me when I was getting started. I'd agree with most, if not quite all, the lads have said above, but just a couple of thoughts from me.
1 - Purpose.
What are you trying to achieve as a coach and as a group? You should have a clear view of this before the start of the year. This will vary depending on the age group you are coaching, but as Zulu said above, the most important thing at a very young age is that they enjoy it. All players, of all ages, should be enjoying our games. I'm very clear on that. However a 6 year old will find something enjoyable that a 36 year old would be very bored with. At the younger age groups I would say you should be aiming to instill the basic skills, and instill a love of our games in an environment that the kids enjoy and makes them want to return. Always coach with a smile on your face, and interact with the kids on that basis. If you have to correct technique, don't bark at them at all costs. Positive reinforcement is the key there. Watch out for other coaches doing the same. If ye are enjoying it, chances are the kids are too.
2 - Planning sessions
Once you have a clear view of what you are trying to achieve and have a guiding principle for the year including the age appropriate skills you want to work on, it helps a lot in planning a session or series of sessions. This is vital because there is nothing worse, regardless of age group, than a coach humming and hawing about what he's going to do next, or setting out cones or whatever before the drill starts. Adults will grumble and grouse, but kids will start to lose attention, and any of the madder young lads will start messing, as kids do. You'd be in danger of losing the session then, so it's vital that you know what you are doing, when and how.
3 - Help/Assistants
Point 2 segues me nicely onto the help. We have upwards of 80 kids every tuesday and Saturday with us, from 5 to 8 yrs of age. Obviously that would not be feasible for a single coach to deal with, so be clever. Firstly, divide and conquer. Don't be constrained to a specific age grouping if that does not do the job for you, but for us it works okay to have 3 groups, under 6 and beginner, 7s and 8s. Note the 'and beginner' bit. This speaks to Zulu's point above. You should be trying to have your groups split loosely along skill maturity and ability, and then within each group, try and split them into sub groups for the games and skills according to their abilities. An 8 year old attending for the first time might be lost and disheartened if you group him with the strongest 8 year olds you have, so use the noggin when splitting up. Again, this is something that should be done well before any session starts. Feel free to move kids between groups as they progress as well, as long as it is appropriate.
I agree with Seanie I think it was, who said smaller groups the better. I love groups of 8 because it's a nice round number, but don't go bigger than that if you can at all. The less kids per coach, the more coaching is done and the more they get out of it. In order to do all this splitting up we organise ourselves thusly. Coaching Co-Ordinator/Lead Coach -> 8-10 coaches split amongst our 3 groups -> Parent Volunteers at each station with a coach to help them by standing in goals, organising kids etc. I realise we're lucky to have this, but if you have them available to you, use them. Parents are vital to you at that age, so even if they stand in goals and shout encouragement it's good.
3. Skills/Drills
First of all, I agree with the lads above that games are the best places to hone and perfect the techniques the kids are learning, but I would just urge caution regarding jumping into games too quickly (see below for a bit more on this). The best way of learning the skills they need to begin with is through drills, or as I call them 'skills games'. These drills should have a specific purpose (Ask yourself Why? and if you can't answer, don't do the drill). Keep the drills simple, and make sure the kids have maximum time on the ball. My mantra is one sliotar per child for all drills that involve a ball (which is most of them) and one football between two kids at least for football skills.
My advice on skills introduction or basic practice drills, is that they should be simple to understand and execute. They should maximise interaction with a ball. Don't have kids standing around, at all costs. Keep lines to a max of 3. They should involve movement, ABCs (Agility Balance or Co-ordination/Fundemental Movement Skills) or a game type element (keep score of 4 v 4 as they try to score a goal on a parent volunteer etc, even though you're really looking at working their striking off the ground, or punt kicking), and they should last 8-10 minutes max. Finally the best drills incorporate more than one skill. Even though striking, for example, might be the primary focus, don't forget to look for correct grip and swing, running, jumping, etc. The Drill should ideally be exercising other skills they've already learned and are relatively comfortable with.
I do something very similar to what Seanie suggests in our sessions. When I am planning a session I decide what we are going to focus on for each specific age group. Usually 1 or 2 things. Might be hurling striking and football belly catching for example. Then I decide on 2-3 different skills games which focus on those areas.
At the pitch then, at least 15 minutes before the session, lay out your equipment. (NOTE 1,000 cones does not equal a good session, so adhere to the simple is good philosophy and put out cones, poles, ladders etc only where you need them. Nothing wrong with using them when they are needed, they are invaluable, but if you're throwing out loads of stuff for the sake of it, you're probably not focussed on the right things.)
Then walk through the session in 10 minutes with the assistant coaches, who will brief the parents at their stations, and assign a coach to each station if you can. If you don't have numbers you might have to take a station yourself, but so be it, otherwise you can float and keep an eye on how the session is progressing and help out with strugglers on a 1 to 1 basis.
Finally, I mentioned stations. Like Seanie says, I find this brilliant. Set up your stations, and as the session is progressing the kids move from station to station (2 or 3 max in a one hour session), while the coaches and parents stay put. This way the coaches are comfortable with what they are doing, but the kids get to move onto something new every 8-10 minutes.
Finally, amidst all this talk of drills theres a couple of things I make sure we do in every session. 1 is warmup focussed on the ABCs and Fundemental Movements Skills. 2 is touch base (sorry about the terminology!) EVERY session with younger kids on the basics. Hurling Ready Position, Lock Position and Swing is vital. You need to set aside a few minutes at the start of every hurling session to reinforce that, and watch for it in every single drill you do.
Even as you progress up the levels, keep an eye out for that stuff as bad habits can creep in unless the player is on top of that.
A sample session outline from me for a group of young kids would be along the lines of
a - Warmup - movement, running jumping, balance, agility. Games like Dodgems, Cup and Saucer, Hares and Hounds, Cowboys and Indians, etc.
b - Warmup - hurling basics. Reinforce the grip, ready, lock, swing.
c - Skills Drills - 2 or 3 skills games spread across 4 or 5 stations if needs be (numbers based). Coach and Assistants at each station. 6-8 kids per station, 8-10 minutes per station, then move onto a station doing a different drill.
d - Games (see below)
4. Games
As I've said above, and as the lads mentioned, games are the real arena to see how our skills are developing, and to hone them under competitive pressure. I'm not necessarily talking about games against other clubs, but even games amongst yourselves at the end of each session, which I try to do if at all possible.
Games versus other clubs.
I would be cautious about this with beginners and 6s say. I normally schedule about 4 or 5 such games each summer for them at this age, and normally try to have a month or 6 weeks of coaching (since March) before the first one. Obviously you don't care about the result, but you do want the kids to enjoy the experience, and to want to play again, so I find it's better to have them at a certain level of competence before exposing them to external teams too much. By all means games internal in each session, as outlined below.
For the slightly older, or more used to it, lads, I would encourage games outside the club on a more active level. For example, we will be trying to arrange a series of inter club blitzes with the likes of Ahane, Murroe, Ballina, Ballinahinch, Sean Treacys and ourselves and we will also play one off games with other clubs, including trips to Cork etc. Again the result is of no importance, but the ability for the lads to show their skills in a game environment is one they love. I would make sure you chat to the opposition coach if you think you have significantly stronger or weaker kids, so that you can match up accordingly. These games will be max of 7 a side, so if you have 30 kids you will want 4 or 5 games happening simultaneously if possible, so you should be able to match up strongs v strongs etc.
Internal Games -
As above, every session should end with a game, including the beginners and 6s. Feel free to make these games as conditioned as you want, but again, try to keep it easy to understand. One thing that works well is zones, where you restrict forwards to the forward zone, backs to the backs, and midfield can either move all over, or be restricted to the midfield zone. This allows you to have players of similar abilities in the same zones, and the strongest lads cannot dominate possession and the entire game. You can also introduce more than one ball, especially if the play is up the other end. Rather than allowing the kids to get distracted, fire in another ball there and say 'who's awake?'. This works well in football as well because it encourages the basic punt kick technique as backs try to clear it out of their zone to the forwards.
As you move up the age groups, games and conditioned games are brilliant for decision making and emphasising the importance of it. Not so much from a tactical point of view initially, but more from a standpoint of encouraging the lads to think about what they are doing. My mantra on this is that there are only 3 things you can do when you get the ball. 1) You can shoot, 2) You can pass, 3) You can carry.
The best players are those who make the right decisions, quickly, on what to do. I always try and get my players at older levels to operate on that mantra. It can be frustrating as they process their decision at the start, but eventually they will be able to make decisions quickly, and hopefully make more correct than incorrect decisions. However, again, you can introduce this maybe at 8s in my opinion, and really work on it at 10s, 12s, 14s, 16s etc. Even up to adult level decision making is almost as important as the execution itself. A great shooter who shoots every time he gets the ball, regardless of situation, is probably considered a greedy, selfish f**ker. If he made decisions quickly and only shot where he picked that as the best option, he might become a county star. Decisions under pressure and at pace are so, so important.
Obviously there are other decisions that go on in a game, when you don't have the ball, when you're supporting a team mate, etc etc, but the principle will remain the same.
Sorry about the essay there, as I said I think the lads probably covered most of it anyway, but just my two cents worth.
Quote from: Fionntamhnach on April 13, 2013, 12:25:44 AM
It's been a few years since I was involved in youth coaching, but I'd agree with Seanie that at young age levels up to around U8 or U10 try not to spend an excessive time on drills. To me it's a matter of emphasising the point of skills learned to then be transferred into game situations which can be conditioned. I find that keeping team sizes fairly small (4-6 a size) is also a big help in allowing players to not only get ball time but also less chance of getting hurt as well as less bodies gather around a loose ball.
yeah, keep the teams small even if you've got plenty of space, 5 a side or whatever with a competitive element where the team that scores stays on and that sort of thing. Small sided games means all the youngsters will get an opportunity where in larger teams the lesser players may hang out in the periphery and not be involved much.
The stations idea is also good but make sure you're grouping the youngsters with a similar ability so that each station can be tapered to challenge them at the right level, for instance we'd set up a catching (hurling) station to work on hand to eye co-ordination, the younger ones will get a bean bag to throw up and catch whilst holding the hurley to make sure they're catching with their weaker hand, the next group will get one of the small balls to throw up and catch and the last group will throw the ball off the wall to catch on the rebound. I'd also get them to do 10 as fast as they can without dropping them to keep them interested, but you need to know the level of the youngsters you're working with and take it from there.
Great talk last night in Newport with Istvan Bayli who gave us great insight into LTAD. He also endorsed our approach in out club coaching and development plan. Fantastic for the club to have someone like that fly 21 hours to have a chat with us.
skills assessment and testing
do an informal skills assessment at training - have a parent/coach record the results of each child's efforts during drills - kicking with one foot/both feet, lifting ball, catching, solo or whatever
present the information informally to the kids - eg score out of 30.
set a skills test for 2/3 weeks time and show/tell them exactly what they will be tested on (can even give them a flyer showing the test). Three levels of cert for achievement - gold, silver, bronze.
tell them to practice
guaranteed that most of them will practice in order to well in the testing which they know is coming up. But make sure you DO THE TEST!
Kids like to know where they are, get a score and then try and beat it, then get a reward. (schools use this system to motivate kids)
******************
Another thing is the 'expectation effect'.
If you tell the children that eg you expect that they will be able to do something in 3 weeks time, after spending time coaching it and them practicing it, then it is far more likely to happen.
TELL THE KIDS WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO. (again good teachers use this to produce more positive outcomes in classes)
Just on that, I've come up with something that I want to try with the kids in our club and I was wondering if any of you have tried anything similar. Basically I got the idea from my young lad, and others, going mad collecting the Match Attax cards of the premiership.
I was thinking it would be a nice idea to create a set of cards which represent the skills of our games, and allow the kids to collect them (not through buying or swapping) by demonstrating the skills as they learn them. Basically I'll give each of the coaches in our club a set of cards, and give each kid a folder to collect them in. As the kid shows off the skill in training to the coach, the coach will be free to award the child the card, and each card has an 'Awarded To ' and 'Date' entry so the kid and coach can see when they became proficient at the skill.
It's not a coaching aid, doesn't really help with technique or anything, but I thought it might be a fun way for the kids to try and be the first to collect all the cards.. This should last them all the way up to 12 or 13 by the time they are proficient at all the skills. I was thinking of even doing an A2 chart where they could stick each card into a given slot as they collect them.
I was wondering if anyone has tried anything similar, and if so how did it go.
If anyone is wondering what they look like, I have a PDF I can share with ye. The images are from the GAA's training material on the web, so I think it should be ok, especially as I'm not selling them to the club :)
PM me if you'd like a look.
PM sent AZ. Strangely enough i was giving out to my son and nephew just last week about being obsessed by the soccer cards and asked them if they had Gaelic games cards would they be popular.
On a different note, maybe some of you can help.
There is no U12 championship in my County[maybe it's the same in all counties?], but are there tournaments like there were at U10?
I think most counties have U12 championships, though I seem to recall something about them being scrapped a few years ago. I don't think that has happened but I could be wrong. There are no championships at U8 or 10 but there should be plenty of tournaments and blitz type events played under the go games rules.
you may just have given me a business idea there - Official GAA player 'Cúl Cards'
Quote from: Sportacus on April 13, 2013, 09:23:52 AM
Plan each session.
Get as much help as you can - the smaller the coach/players ratio the better.
No negative commentsto children
Good communication with parents.
Spot and fix.
Enjoy.
+1
Following on from some recent reading I have been doing...
On Belgium's rise as a soccer powerhouse...
Unveiled in 2004, was Belgium's master plan, called G-A-G — Global-Analytique-Global in French, or Globaal-Analytisch-Globaal in Dutch. The idea was to fuse the best of French soccer — its emphasis on physical power and tactical efficiency, hence "Analytique" — with the dreamy technique of the Dutch ("Global"), and invent a new kind of exciting, attacking soccer ("Global" again). "Our ultimate goal is deliberately utopian," Sablon's successor, Bob Browaeys, said recently. (Sablon retired from the FA in 2012.) "One hundred percent possession of the ball."
In practice, G-A-G means standardization. All over Belgium these days, boys and girls grow up playing soccer the same way. Every school, youth academy, and village team plays the same formation — 4-3-3, with classic, dribbling wingers — and follows the same progression up to the 11-on-a-side game. Kids under the age of 7 play 2-on-2; under-9s play 5-on-5; under-11s play 8-on-8. They never use more than half the field. It is only when they're 12 years old that boys and girls are finally introduced to a full-size pitch and the idea of a long pass.
More intricacy. More feints. More urban. More freestyle. Michel Sablon recognized this when he overhauled the country's approach to the game a decade ago. The phrase le football de rue (street soccer) is everywhere in Belgian FA documents. Browaeys, Sablon's successor, speaks of the "childlike pleasure" of the game played this way.
just a few points coaches might be interested in. Especially about the under 7s playing 2 on 2, under 9s 5 on 5... Sound familiar?
taken from...
http://grantland.com/features/world-cup-2014-belgian-national-team-vincent-kompany-eden-hazard-marouane-fellaini/ (http://grantland.com/features/world-cup-2014-belgian-national-team-vincent-kompany-eden-hazard-marouane-fellaini/)
Guys i'm looking a bit of advice on U16's. I'm manager of our U16 team and I was well warned before taking the job that they were a difficult bunch but was pleasantly surprised by them and their attitude pre-season. For the last 2-3 weeks things have turned a bit for the worse with numbers dropping at training and a few lads attitudes not what I want it. There are 4 playing for minors and seem to be more focused on playing for them rather than their own grade, four of them couldn't train with their U16 team last week but were fit to play with minors the next day.
I would love to have the squad to leave them out or even make an example of one of the ring leaders by dropping him off the squad but unfortunately I don't have the numbers to be doing this, I gave them a good talking too after training last week but i'm not sure if any good will come of it or not...Any positive advice from guys that have been in this situation or experience of it would be great...
Quote from: illdecide on April 15, 2015, 12:26:36 PM
Guys i'm looking a bit of advice on U16's. I'm manager of our U16 team and I was well warned before taking the job that they were a difficult bunch but was pleasantly surprised by them and their attitude pre-season. For the last 2-3 weeks things have turned a bit for the worse with numbers dropping at training and a few lads attitudes not what I want it. There are 4 playing for minors and seem to be more focused on playing for them rather than their own grade, four of them couldn't train with their U16 team last week but were fit to play with minors the next day.
I would love to have the squad to leave them out or even make an example of one of the ring leaders by dropping him off the squad but unfortunately I don't have the numbers to be doing this, I gave them a good talking too after training last week but i'm not sure if any good will come of it or not...Any positive advice from guys that have been in this situation or experience of it would be great...
That sounds like something you should be sorting out with your minor management rather than having a conflict with the lads themselves, this sort of thing shouldnt become an issue within your own club.
Surely if you knew they were to playa minor game the next day they shouldnt have been expected to train with the u16s :-\
Quote from: blewuporstuffed on April 15, 2015, 12:33:39 PM
Quote from: illdecide on April 15, 2015, 12:26:36 PM
Guys i'm looking a bit of advice on U16's. I'm manager of our U16 team and I was well warned before taking the job that they were a difficult bunch but was pleasantly surprised by them and their attitude pre-season. For the last 2-3 weeks things have turned a bit for the worse with numbers dropping at training and a few lads attitudes not what I want it. There are 4 playing for minors and seem to be more focused on playing for them rather than their own grade, four of them couldn't train with their U16 team last week but were fit to play with minors the next day.
I would love to have the squad to leave them out or even make an example of one of the ring leaders by dropping him off the squad but unfortunately I don't have the numbers to be doing this, I gave them a good talking too after training last week but i'm not sure if any good will come of it or not...Any positive advice from guys that have been in this situation or experience of it would be great...
That sounds like something you should be sorting out with your minor management rather than having a conflict with the lads themselves, this sort of thing shouldnt become an issue within your own club.
Surely if you knew they were to playa minor game the next day they shouldnt have been expected to train with the u16s :-\
Exactly, take the minor mgt to task or get them involved. If they can't train with U16's one day, they can't play minor the next.
You should also use some foresight. If they are playing with minors, balance out what they are doing in the U16 session, let them do part of it but they could step out of the harder stuff so they are fresh for the minor game. Before an U16 game they don't train with the minors.
In our club, the players age group always takes precendent. Can be hard at times as each manager will be plugging for their own team and some may see their own age group as been better or better chance of success than the other, so feel they should have first call on players.
Communication is the key. At the end of the day the goal should be to make senior players and letting underage players dictate who or when they train/play with, doesn't help this.
A bit of advice required here, my eldest lad turned four in February and is football mad and appears to have a bit of talent. He can regularly kick points in our 5ft goals out the back with a light ball. Would it be appropriate to get him involved in the local club's (Loughmacrory) u-6s or would he be a bit young yet? Also, out of interest, what type of ball do u-6s play with an undersized O'Neills?
I would take him up if he likes it never too young to learn. My lad is 6 and will be ready from early morning for training if nothing else it's good exercise. Get him a first touch to start with it will do to he is ten
Quote from: omagh_gael on April 15, 2015, 12:53:23 PM
A bit of advice required here, my eldest lad turned four in February and is football mad and appears to have a bit of talent. He can regularly kick points in our 5ft goals out the back with a light ball. Would it be appropriate to get him involved in the local club's (Loughmacrory) u-6s or would he be a bit young yet? Also, out of interest, what type of ball do u-6s play with an undersized O'Neills?
Every young lad is different. Some have older brothers that carry them along at a younger age. It can depend also on if his friends are already involved. There is no rush, but if he likes it don't discourage it. Just don't be too pushy either.
We have recently started a nursery (hurling) in our club. I am currently running it with the help of 5-6 parents.
We generally work on skills such as throwing, catching, beanbag solo, dribbling and ground striking (in stations of 10 minutes)as it is in a hall.
Can people suggest some good resources to vary the drills? Also we currently get between 25-30 from 3-4 national schools.
Do we need to be working from a bigger pool as players may drop away as the years go by?
Lads, I'm over our U6's and we have the group split into 2 nursery and then P1s/P2s. Over the winter we've been indoors doing the fundamentals, now I'm trying to focus on the basic skills with the kids, we're still indoors so space is limited. How can I attach a session plan that I have for some feedback?
Quote from: BenDover on April 16, 2015, 04:02:19 PM
Lads, I'm over our U6's and we have the group split into 2 nursery and then P1s/P2s. Over the winter we've been indoors doing the fundamentals, now I'm trying to focus on the basic skills with the kids, we're still indoors so space is limited. How can I attach a session plan that I have for some feedback?
If you use some of the fundamentas stuff from the uslter council website as teh absis for what youa re doing you cant really go wrong.
Yea that would be the basis for most of the stuff with some changes added to the games/drills to make it harder/easier. I've been involved with this group for 2 years now and they're mad keen to play matches against other teams - apart from just letting them loose is there any good ways to help control matches? The last few weeks of last year I setup 4 different pitches between 21 and 45 divided with cones and played 5 v 5.
Quote from: BenDover on April 16, 2015, 04:24:51 PM
Yea that would be the basis for most of the stuff with some changes added to the games/drills to make it harder/easier. I've been involved with this group for 2 years now and they're mad keen to play matches against other teams - apart from just letting them loose is there any good ways to help control matches? The last few weeks of last year I setup 4 different pitches between 21 and 45 divided with cones and played 5 v 5.
Yeah, rather than one big game, you are better spliting it into smaller sided games,(something like 5 or 7 aside if you can) If you have the manpower to do this its much better as the kids get involved far more and get more time on the ball.
I would usually mix teh abilities in teh teams rather than having A & B teams etc, it can be discouraging for kids to know that they are on the weaker team, even at that age!
The way I did work it was I had our more capable players in 2 teams that played each other and then the next groups were on the same level and we tried conditioning the games so that everyone was involved. Thankfully there's 6 coaches who are there every week and some of the parents are not afraid to lend a hand when asked. At U6 level do other clubs operate 'child plays parents stay' policy?
Informally we do that Ben. We actively encourage our coaches and assistant coaches to involve parents in games etc, even standing in goals or whatever. We bring extra adult hurleys to the sessions for that express purpose.
On the sessions, I've sort of evolved my thinking on the sessions for these kids to be more in the line of games, with one or two teaching drills at max per session. Then have your games conditioned to work on whatever you have practiced, and to reward kids who execute the skill.
At nursery level hurling, you have an extra component you need to focus on in every session which is the grip and swing. Make sure you do that for 5-8 minutes in every session. Ready Position, Lock Position, Swing. Just to try to reinforce good habits and eliminate bad habits.
I'd do the warmup, based on FMS movements etc, followed by splitting the kids into groups of 8 max if you have the numbers in terms of coaches. Any more than 8 at that age is a nightmare, and doesn't allow you to really look at the kids as they play or practice.
Then do the grip/swing exercise in each group, and move onto a game straight away between the players in that group (i.e. 4 v 4). If you don't have 8 in a group you can combine groups for the games, but never go more than 7 v7 absolute max at that age.
Play the game for 10 minutes or so, and then move into an exercise to teach or practice 1 or 2 skills max. Whether that is ground stroke, belly catch, dribbling, ground block, whatever. Just don't try and do too much in one session, and make sure your coaches are actually looking at the skill, and teaching the technique, rather than running the drill. I've seen coaches who are more interested in making sure the drill is moving smoothly than whether the kids are actually doing the exercise correctly.
After the skills interlude, go back to another game but this time concentrate on the skill you've just done, and if possible award points or goals to kids who execute the skill correctly. If it's a ground stroke or whatever, reward kids who execute a good, strong ground stroke that travels a good distance. Things like that.
Just something you might think about this is the play station era so any young lad this is his life.Now i found more so in hurling obviously, the go home could be living in a estate or what ever go out to puck around the sliothers gone after 5 mins.this is what i came up with to try and get ball time on their own. get them in a ring together and tell them this is a new play station game with 6 levels. level 1 can be roll the ball in front of you and rise it as quick as you can for 2 mins. level 2 run with the ball on the hurl for 2 mins, with out dropping it, level 3 throw the ball up and try to catch it for 2 mins that kinda thing. every training session then you do this at the start to check there progress. as the get better add harder levels.i found the can do this at home maybe there parents can watch lose no balls and can do it any time the have time to themselves,ideal for a young lad who lives in a area without lads around him.sorry for any probs reading this doing it on a bad phone best of luck :)
Had an U16 Championship game last night...one of our players text me 2 hours before game to say he wasn't playing in goals (he's the only keeper we have but he fancies himself as an out field player), one of our key players turned up with no gear saying he got hurt playing for minors on Monday night (named the team without him but he sent his mum home during the warm up for his stuff saying "well maybe I could play 20 mins or so). A lad of 15 who is 6'4" didn't bring his gear either as he said "I've a cold" WTF. The rest of the lads seen and heard what was going on and no matter what I said or done they were deflated. I knew in the warm up we were going to be beaten by their body language...
My course of action was not to play the guy who text me saying he wasn't playing in goals nor did I play the guy who said he was hurt, some of the players asked me to put those two on during the course of the game but I refused (they would have made a difference though). Some of them stormed off before game was over to get changed, I for one believe these are the ones who will fade away and not make senior football as their attitude is rotten and I think the 10 or so guys that are putting in a huge effort (some of them or way short of our best players) should be ones to concentrate on...
Would you have reacted any different in this situation...?
I don't know that you could have done much different last night, but it sounds like you've got a problem that's probably been brewing for a while. What's training been like? This all can't have come out of the blue last night surely.
Maybe you should have a meeting, rather than training, one evening. Sit them down and ask them to say what they want to achieve from this team. You'll have to guide them to make it a useful session, but if they say they want to win the championship, or qualify for a semi final, or whatever they say and it is a viable, valuable aim, then you have to discuss what they need to do in order to achieve it.
You need attendance at training. You need them to understand why they need to fill roles, on or off the field, for the good of the team. Promise them you will do your best to make each of them better players individually, and as a team. You cannot promise them a championship (don't do that) but you can promise that if they agree to work with you, and do what is required of them, you will do your best to make it a productive experience for them.
You need to do something to get them all pulling together and playing for each other and the team. And at this stage it sounds like you need a bit of a come to Jesus meeting.
The guy who does goals wants to play out but he's 10 times more valuable in goals, he does goals for his school/college and has no problem with that. Any other keeper we've tried has let in about 6 goals a game. our first two games of the season we played him out the field and lost both games heavily, I then put him in goals and we won 3 games in a row (last night was meant to be 4) why he waited to the Championship to do this I don't know but he has said he doesn't want to do goals but we don't have anyone else.
Training in fairness has been good with almost everyone attending and working hard so I have no complaints there, I have spoken with them at times asking the views on things and their aims for the season but they go all quiet and no-one speaks up...
The goalie, do you do any specific goalie work? Is he bored in there? Make the sessions challenging and enjoying for him, and make sure he knows how valuable he is to you.
That said, at 16, I think you should allow him play out the field sometimes, maybe in league or challenge matches? It's a bit early to be pigeon holed as any position, and you shouldn't be afraid to let him play out the field sometimes, and that will also let you work with the other goalies to make them a bit better.
Tell him to sort his life out, tell him he'll be like all the rest of the Francis Street Drop outs living off other peoples legacies, tell him he'l play where he's told to play or else he'll get a sharp kick in the hole!!! Wouldn't happen in Cross I tell ye!! :P
Quote from: brokencrossbar1 on May 15, 2015, 04:57:19 PM
Tell him to sort his life out, tell him he'll be like all the rest of the Francis Street Drop outs living off other peoples legacies, tell him he'l play where he's told to play or else he'll get a sharp kick in the hole!!! Wouldn't happen in Cross I tell ye!! :P
Or you could do this 😀
I was wondering what coaches thoughts are on playing outside club blitzes at u6 & u8. I wouldn't be in favour of it because; 1.I don't believe in asking children that are only learning the skills of the game to perform them under pressure. 2; You are asking them to play a game that they have no concept of (Positions etc). 3. Most of them might not get a kick of the ball for the duration of the game. I think that at this level only the more advanced players on the team will thrive while the rest will be turned off playing. I think fun games and internal conditioned games would be of more benefit to them. Any thoughts ??.
Quote from: Faugheen on May 18, 2015, 06:27:02 PM
I was wondering what coaches thoughts are on playing outside club blitzes at u6 & u8. I wouldn't be in favour of it because; 1.I don't believe in asking children that are only learning the skills of the game to perform them under pressure. 2; You are asking them to play a game that they have no concept of (Positions etc). 3. Most of them might not get a kick of the ball for the duration of the game. I think that at this level only the more advanced players on the team will thrive while the rest will be turned off playing. I think fun games and internal conditioned games would be of more benefit to them. Any thoughts ??.
I don't agree. There is nothing wrong with kids starting to play opposition teams at that age on 8-9 a side small sided pitches with appropriately sized goals in my view. There should be no pressure involved- results are absolutely irrelevant at that age. On a pitch that small they'll get plenty of touches.
You need to condition the games.We've played 5 to 6 a side with rules that every player has to touch the ball before you can score for example. You can make up your own rules for GO GAMES.
I'd inform the parents beforehand of the plan and for them not to be shouting at anybody from the sideline. If they can't manage that tell them to drop the kids off and stay at home. I've done the same with a few parents.
Quote from: Faugheen on May 18, 2015, 06:27:02 PM
I was wondering what coaches thoughts are on playing outside club blitzes at u6 & u8. I wouldn't be in favour of it because; 1.I don't believe in asking children that are only learning the skills of the game to perform them under pressure. 2; You are asking them to play a game that they have no concept of (Positions etc). 3. Most of them might not get a kick of the ball for the duration of the game. I think that at this level only the more advanced players on the team will thrive while the rest will be turned off playing. I think fun games and internal conditioned games would be of more benefit to them. Any thoughts ??.
Not a fan of a load of them, but a few games every year is fine. Most of the kids really enjoy them, just make sure you play with the correct equipment, small sided games and emphasise fun.
Indiana,the problem is that the rules of the go games are laid down by the county GDA before the blitz's start, one hop one solo, nearest player takes the free etc, there is no facility where by you can ensure that every player gets a touch of the ball. This is what i have the biggest problem with.
Quote from: Faugheen on May 18, 2015, 08:51:28 PM
Indiana,the problem is that the rules of the go games are laid down by the county GDA before the blitz's start, one hop one solo, nearest player takes the free etc, there is no facility where by you can ensure that every player gets a touch of the ball. This is what i have the biggest problem with.
On that basis I'd agree with your initial post. We usually agree the rules ourselves before-hand between the two clubs.
Big time, he's way to young to be worrying about involvement. As BC1 says throw him a ball and let him tear on himself, he may not look at the ball but let him run about. The problem with this is parents see other kids so well developed compared to their own kids and then sh1t themselves when they compare them to their own kids. Every child is different and some just pick it up so quick and others take a bit of time to adjust.
My we boy is 6 coming 7 and he's only starting to show an interest now and i'm down in the club 5 nights a week either coaching/training, committee meetings or looking after our pitch. but I never forced him down and let him make his own mind up now he's looking to come down every night im there...lol
Quote from: illdecide on May 19, 2015, 08:26:57 AM
Big time, he's way to young to be worrying about involvement. As BC1 says throw him a ball and let him tear on himself, he may not look at the ball but let him run about. The problem with this is parents see other kids so well developed compared to their own kids and then sh1t themselves when they compare them to their own kids. Every child is different and some just pick it up so quick and others take a bit of time to adjust.
My we boy is 6 coming 7 and he's only starting to show an interest now and i'm down in the club 5 nights a week either coaching/training, committee meetings or looking after our pitch. but I never forced him down and let him make his own mind up now he's looking to come down every night im there...lol
Well I was thinking more along the lines of making daisy chains but yeah I agree with you as well!!!!
Lol...Jasus and there's me thinking you men from Cross didn't do that sort of thing, I thought it was only Lurgan wans who made daisy chains ;)
Quote from: AZOffaly on May 18, 2015, 07:23:36 PM
Quote from: Faugheen on May 18, 2015, 06:27:02 PM
I was wondering what coaches thoughts are on playing outside club blitzes at u6 & u8. I wouldn't be in favour of it because; 1.I don't believe in asking children that are only learning the skills of the game to perform them under pressure. 2; You are asking them to play a game that they have no concept of (Positions etc). 3. Most of them might not get a kick of the ball for the duration of the game. I think that at this level only the more advanced players on the team will thrive while the rest will be turned off playing. I think fun games and internal conditioned games would be of more benefit to them. Any thoughts ??.
Not a fan of a load of them, but a few games every year is fine. Most of the kids really enjoy them, just make sure you play with the correct equipment, small sided games and emphasise fun.
yeah, small sided games is the way to go with the P2's and even P4's. 5 a side or whatever and let them at it, they'll all get a go at it at some point or another. We'd a wee lad, a bit indifferent to hurling, dad brought him along, then he managed to score a goal and the lights went on so to speak, it was all he could talk about and was keen as mustard thereafter.
It takes time and patience and even then its not for everybody no matter how hard you try, and you may even be trying too hard.
Organised our 1st match yesterday, setup 3 pitches 21-45m and each pitch had 3 zones for DF, MF and F. The teams were 6 a side which worked very well and another thing I have started with our kids is to count out loud 1-2-3-4 and then they must pass the ball on, both sets of kids picked this up no bother and everyone got on the ball plenty of times. Great mornings craic and good too see the coaching tips being put into practice.
It's great to see them doing stuff in matches that you practiced or encouraged at training.
Quick question here regarding hurling skills. My eldest lad (5 years old in March past) loves football and hurling. He goes down to the local football club for coaching twice a week but we don't have time to send him to a neighbouring hurling club (their training sessions tend to clash most of the time as well).
I have zero experience playing hurling or even witnessing hurling coaching (u-6 level). My wee lad can (using a soft training ball):
- Throw up and strike using two hands and score points over a six foot set of nets from approx 25 feet from goal. He'd usually score on one out of four attempts.
- Pull ground strokes with pretty good coordination
- Can catch (one handed) the odd time if I throw to him from 6 ft away
- He struggles with the roll back and pick up (probably the wrong terminology!)
Basically what I am looking, from those more informed than myself, is what sort of skills would be taught at that level and what could I be doing out in the garden to help him along in case he wanted to devote more time to the small ball game when he gets older. I don't want to be 'teaching' him skills that would ordinarily be too far advanced for an under 6 player in case it'd put him off.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Firstly, fair play to you. I wish we had more parents that would devote a half an hour to play with their kids and help them. At 6, it should be all about fun and basics. Don't try and do too much, and don't over think it. I wouldn't be emphasising the strike from the hand or anything like that, but if he likes doing it, then fair enough.
A couple of things you could do.
The Grip, make sure he is holding the hurl correctly, ready position, dominant hand on top, locking the hands together to strike the ball.
Ground Stroke, try get him to strike off both sides, and get him to really drive the ball, no tippy tappy stuff. Whip it.
The strike itself, he should be bending both arms, and cocking the wrists at the top of the swing. Watch for straight arms, golf style. Also watch his feet, they should be apart, and striding into the ball. His balance will be affected if the foot nearest the ball is not close to it.
After that it's just play. Let him see how far he can hit it, can he score goals on you, how many pucks to hit it the length of the garden etc. If you have an old tyre, let him pretend that is a ball, and swing on it as hard as he can, and watch for things like the balance, and the grip and swing.
You can do other stuff, but make sure the basics are in order and it'll get very easy for him. The GAA Learning Portal has good little games and exercises for most of this stuff, but really I'd say keep it simple, and just play. If he enjoys hitting the ball and beating his daddy in goals, he'll be well on the way.
This link will get you started.
http://learning.gaa.ie/Hurling_StrikeontheGround (http://learning.gaa.ie/Hurling_StrikeontheGround)
That's mighty stuff, AZ. Will tip away at that over the coming months. Although on Ulster final day he's in football mode all the way. So that means I better get back to teaching him the aul cynical fouling and sledging ;)
What's the best drill / training technique for youngsters in getting them to recognise the importance of space in gaelic football?
It's instinctive to them to all crowd around the ball and then even when they pass they tend to admire their work and think that's their task done. Of course you want them to move into free space to try to be an option to receive the ball again. That's the theory, and was wondering what work in practice for anyone here?
Quote from: Smokin Joe on November 26, 2016, 08:16:20 PM
What's the best drill / training technique for youngsters in getting them to recognise the importance of space in gaelic football?
It's instinctive to them to all crowd around the ball and then even when they pass they tend to admire their work and think that's their task done. Of course you want them to move into free space to try to be an option to receive the ball again. That's the theory, and was wondering what work in practice for anyone here?
I'd be interested in answers to this as well.
We are trying small games (4 or 5 aside), handpass only for passing, no shooting until your team has 3/4/5 passes. The good ones instinctively move away into space, when their team gets the ball (as long as the one with the ball is a competent passer). Others can be told and get it after a while. Some lads though.........
Quote from: muppet on November 26, 2016, 08:25:14 PM
Quote from: Smokin Joe on November 26, 2016, 08:16:20 PM
What's the best drill / training technique for youngsters in getting them to recognise the importance of space in gaelic football?
It's instinctive to them to all crowd around the ball and then even when they pass they tend to admire their work and think that's their task done. Of course you want them to move into free space to try to be an option to receive the ball again. That's the theory, and was wondering what work in practice for anyone here?
I'd be interested in answers to this as well.
We are trying small games (4 or 5 aside), handpass only for passing, no shooting until your team has 3/4/5 passes. The good ones instinctively move away into space, when their team gets the ball (as long as the one with the ball is a competent passer). Others can be told and get it after a while. Some lads though.........
Yeah, the weaker ones end up getting bottled up as they don't currently have what it takes to scan the options and make a pass before two or three of the opposition have hands round the ball; which is what they are supposed to do.
At U10 level even 3 or 4 aside can see that there is no room to get much out of the drill. Hence this question
I play games with 4 goals (but the goals are 6 pointy cones that have to knocked over with the ball rather than actual goals) in each corner and teams are allowed to score into all four goals but not into the same goal twice in a row. Players are not allowed to move with the ball so no steps, hops or solos. Depending on age group I progress from throwing the ball to hand passing and kicking. I start with no tackling only blocking or intercepting. As the player with the ball can't move his/her teammates must do so and as you have to knock cones over you have to get pretty close to score. Therefore players have to pass and move to be successful. If the kids are not getting it or some of them aren't I play the game with just me and one player to demonstrate. I start by getting him to pass the ball to me in the middle and then asking the kids what he should do if we want to score. They say move and I ask where and they'll usually say close to the goals. He does that and we score and then I ask what I should do and they (usually) tell me to move towards another goal as we can't score into the same goal twice. I give bonus points if a team scores into all four goals as this encourages them to move the ball to all four corners. I suggest playing this 4 v 1 to start or even without defenders but against the clock to see how many are passing and moving towards the next goal.
Cheers Zulu. That's a great practical drill.
Anyone one else?
Yerra, I'm not doing anything else -
4 zones 3 player, warm up -
Make a box divided into four smaller squares with 3 players. Each player must be in one of the smaller squares on their own, which means you always have one square empty. You have to pass the ball to a teammate and then move into the free square so players are passing and then moving into the empty square. You can develop into they must hop and/or solo before moving, roll for low catch, throw high for high catch etc. to work on skills but the key is they must always move into the free square after they've passed.
3 v 1 -
Same idea as above but now a defender tries to stop passes and attacking players are not allowed to be in same square as each other so while they don't have to move to the free square they usually will and you can encourage them to do so.
Same grid as the others but this time you have an attacker and defender in each of the four squares (make big enough for two players so do that at the start rather than changing box sizes for each game) and one floating attacking player. To score the floater must play a give and go in each square with the other four attackers so basically there's a give and go in each of the four squares with one guy moving between all the squares (the floater).
Rebounders -
Make a square with four different coloured sides, i.e a yellow, red, blue and white side marked out with cones of those colours. Inside the square you can have a 3 v 3 or 4 v 2 (whatever suits your players ability) and one player outside on each side of the square. The players on the outside can move along their line but not move to another line. To score the attacking team must pass to and get back from, each of the four players on the outside. This gets the players inside to think about getting the ball to the periphery of the pitch and not standing after a pass. You can make a rule that the player who passes to the player on the outside can't be the player who gets it back thus getting players off the ball to think about supporting off someone else's pass. The reason I would have four different coloured sides is you can coach by saying must get to blue side still or switch to white etc. Just makes it easier for kids to understand what you mean.