Coaching Kids.

[laoislad]

Looking for some advice.
There are a couple of us setting up a group for kids to coach them in football(soccer).
The kids are in the 5-6 year old age group. I should also mention each kid will have an intellectual disability of varying degrees.

I played soccer for 20+ years but never coached. I'm realistic enough to know this probably won't lead to the kids taking part in matches but I would like them to have as a realistic experience as possible as I believe they should be treated the same as any 5 year old.

What would be the norm when coaching kids of that age? If you take the disability out of the equation for the moment,what level of coaching can you do with a 5 year old? I don't want to just throw them a ball and say here kick that around for an hour. I don't think that would be fair to them,or maybe that is about the height of what you can do with a 5 year old anyway?

I suppose I'm looking for advice on what we can do with these kids and forgetting about their disability but at the same time remembering that they do have one so not everything might be possible if that makes sense.

Any suggestions welcome.

[Denn Forever]

Why just not them have a kick around?  Look up the trainers for the Paraplypcs?  Would Billys Boots have contacts in FAI that may be able to help?

[muppet]

Might be worth a read: http://media.specialolympics.org/soi/files/sports/Football+Quick+Start+Guide.pdf

[AZOffaly]

Coaching at 5 or 6 should be all about fun and games that involve their learning how to control their bodies. Bulldog, Tag, Pull the tail, Cups and Saucers, obstacle courses etc etc etc. Look up you tube for games for A(gility) B(alance) C(oordination), R(unning) J(umping) T(hrowing).

If you absolutely want them to be kicking a ball around at some stage, then have either a ball each, and make up little games for them to kick the ball through obstacles or whatever, or else have very small sided little conditioned games to make sure everyone gets a kick.

Here's just a quick sample. GAA's learning portal has some good stuff on ABCs as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbJ-GBufLNk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hw-dvhm6wK0

[laoislad]

Coaching at 5 or 6 should be all about fun and games that involve their learning how to control their bodies. Bulldog, Tag, Pull the tail, Cups and Saucers, obstacle courses etc etc etc. Look up you tube for games for A(gility) B(alance) C(oordination), R(unning) J(umping) T(hrowing).

If you absolutely want them to be kicking a ball around at some stage, then have either a ball each, and make up little games for them to kick the ball through obstacles or whatever, or else have very small sided little conditioned games to make sure everyone gets a kick.

Yeah it's something like this I'm looking for. As I said I didn't want to just give them a ball and they all run after it for an hour.
I want to have them doing little fun games mainly with a ball but without a ball also. Not having done anything like this before I wasn't sure of where to start.
There will be a few of us so it won't be just me,we were all asked for suggestions though.

[AZOffaly]

A few more. I put a few up on our repository we are building, check out this URL.

http://www.newportgaacoaching.com/pod_1_fundamental.html

And this might give you a couple of ideas on how to actually structure the session.

http://www.newportgaacoaching.com/pod_1_fms_session.html

[laoislad]

Looks good,thanks.

[bamboo]

Look at any SEN websites or Google a bit regarding 'inclusion in PE' .

Primary teacher's here in the UK need to.be clued up on it and there's a wealth of resources etc available online. I've done a few courses as part of my training and theres absolutely no need to be 'gentle' with them for want of a better word. You'll be amazed, surprised, delighted and no doubt proud of what the kids can do when given the chance and coached well.

[dec]

I have coached that age group here in the US with AYSO

Here is a link to some under 6 training activiies

http://www.ayso.org/For_Volunteers/coaches/coach_training_games/u6_training_games.htm

When I was coaching my sons team at that age the games had a 1 hour time slot.

30 mins practice with activities like in the link above
3v3 games, small nets no goalkeepers 4x5 minute quarters for the second 30 mins

[dec]

A piece of advice I got was to avoid the three Ls (lines, laps and lectures)

Let every kid have their own ball so they are not all lined up waiting to do what ever the activity is
Have them run dribbling a ball rather than just laps
If you have to spend more that 30 seconds to a minute explaining something then that is too much

[BenDover]

A piece of advice I got was to avoid the three Ls (lines, laps and lectures)

Let every kid have their own ball so they are not all lined up waiting to do what ever the activity is
Have them run dribbling a ball rather than just laps
If you have to spend more that 30 seconds to a minute explaining something then that is too much

This is very important - this past few years I've helped out with our U6s and nursery group, in the nursery group everyone has a ball (soft indoor balls) and at that then ye can do whatever you want. Instead of working around cones etc we setup a large space to do dribbling, bouncing, throwing and catching, rolling > chase and pick up. Finishing each session of with a couple of games: Dodgeball (coaches on either side must try to hit runners (going from point A - B) below the knee
Stuck in the mud
Cups and saucers
Any ABC orientated game
and for a bit of competition a relay race out round a cone and high 5 and crawl through the rest of the teams legs - this is really simple and great fun, kids love a bit of competition.

[Billys Boots]

Why just not them have a kick around?  Look up the trainers for the Paraplypcs?  Would Billys Boots have contacts in FAI that may be able to help?

Contact your local FAI regional development officer; you may be surprised about how much they will be keen to help.  Usually they will hook you up with a club or school that will facilitate training sessions, running a team, or integrating the kids within their structures.  For instance, our own club hosts the national vision impaired national Futsal squad. 

[Billys Boots]

Sorry, forgot the link for the FAI development officers contacts (don't know how up-to-date it is).

http://www.fai.ie/sites/default/files/atoms/files/FAI%20Contacts.pdf.

[stew]

5 and six year olds have little to no concept of team, the idea at this stage is to get them to do ballwork and You Can use cones, make a square grid with gates 6ft wide and have them dribble through All four gates.

Restrict the session to 35 minutes or so and keep them moving and hydrated, have fun and the best of luck.

 

[manfromdelmonte]

A ball per child is a must starting off

Some will need lighter and softer balls