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Vacaville
Ladybugs
CHARACTERISTICS OF U - 9 PLAYERS:
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Gross and small motor
skills becoming more refined and reliable. Boys
and girls begin to develop separately.
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Ability to stay on
task is lengthened. They have the ability to
sequence thought and actions.
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Greater diversity in
playing ability and physical maturity.
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Skills are emerging.
Becoming more predictable and recognizable.
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Some children begin
moving from concrete thinking to abstract thinking.
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Able to pace
themselves, to plan ahead.
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Increased
self-responsibility. They remember to bring their
own equipment.
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Starting to recognize
basic tactical concepts, but not exactly sure why
certain decisions are better.
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Repetition of
technique is very important, but it must be dynamic,
not static.
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Continued positive
reinforcement needed.
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Explanations must be
brief, concise, and mention "why".
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Becoming more
"serious". Openly, intensively competitive, without
intention of fouling.
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Still mostly
intrinsically motivated. ¨ Peer pressure starting to
be a factor.
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Adult outside of the
family may take on added significance.
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Prefer identification
with a team. Like to have good uniforms, equipment,
balls.
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More inclined towards
wanting to play instead of being told to play. Will
initiate play more.
INVOLVING THE PARENTS
It is imperative that
coaches get the parents involved. Not only are they are
a major resource for your team, but the U-10 player
still views their parents as the most significant people
in their lives. A pre-season meeting should be held with
the parents so that objectives and team policies can be
addressed. Some topics that you may want to address at
this meeting are:
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A means of contacting
everyone without one person doing all of the
calling. (Phone chains)
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Choosing a team
administrator, someone to handle all of the details.
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Complete all
paperwork required by your league or club.
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Discuss the laws of
the game.
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Carpool needs.
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Training and game
schedules. How you feel about starting and ending on
time, what your attendance expectations are, what
you think is a good excuse to miss training.
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What each player
should bring to training: inflated ball, filled
water bottle, soccer attire, shin guards cleats or
sneakers.
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Most importantly,
your philosophy about coaching U-9 players. Let them
know that everyone plays; that the game does not
look like the older player's games; that you are
there to ensure that their player is safe and has a
good time, as well as learn about soccer.
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What your
expectations for them is during game time. How do
you want them to cheer? Do they know that they
should not coach from the sidelines?
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Above all, try to
enjoy yourself. If you do they probably will too.
THINGS YOU CAN EXPECT
Some coaches say that the
9 and 10 year-old players are beginning to "turn the
corner" and starting to look like real soccer players.
However, games are still frantically paced and
unpredictable for the most part. These players are
starting to find out how much fun it is to play the game
skillfully, but they will still stop and laugh if the
referee gets hit in the backside with the ball during a
game. Some other things that we can expect when working
with this aged player are:
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They start to
understand offsides, but still forget themselves
when the goal is in front of them.
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They will really beat
up on each other during practice... especially boy's
teams.
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During a game, the
parents will scream out "HAND BALL" or "COME ON REF,
CALL IT BOTH WAYS" at least fifteen times.
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They might cry after
the game if they loose, but will forget it if you
ask them if you want to go out for burgers and
fries.
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You might actually
catch them practicing on their own without you
telling them to do so.
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Their parents are
telling them to do one thing during the game, you
are telling them another thing, but what they end up
doing might be what their friend is telling them to
do.
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You will see a pass
that is deliberate. You might even see a "back
pass".
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You will see your
first $100 pair of cleats during practice. They will
call the other team bad names... really bad names.
COACHING RATIONAL
Some of the players that
are playing as U - 9's are seasoned veterans of the
youth soccer scene. Some of them may have already been
involved in traveling to play in tournaments. As a
result, some of them might be very nervous about the
whole process. It is our job to keep things in
perspective for these young, developing players. True,
some of them are becoming quite skillful and are seeing
how fun it is to play the game when they can really
control the ball. However, many of them are still
learning the ropes. Even the more experienced players
need to have the game be fun!!!
Emphasis is still placed
on having players learn how to control the ball with
his/her body, but now, they need to find themselves in
more game-like situations. Training is more dynamic and
starting to have players make simple, basic decisions
such as "Which way is there more space?" or "Who should
I pass to?".
Following are some more
items that a coach of U-9 players should consider:
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Use small sided games
as the main teaching vehicle. Not only will they get
more touches on the ball, but the full 11-a-side
game is still too complicated for them to
understand.
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How we group players
during training takes on even added significance
because of the wide margins of ability levels. We
need to mix players up often.
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Stretching is
becoming more important, along with a good warm-up.
Since the game is faster, make sure that they also
have good shinguards. Safety and preventive measures
take on added significance.
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Training twice a week
is plenty. Sessions need not go longer than one
hour, fifteen minutes.
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They should all come
with their own size #4 ball. In fact, they still
need to be encouraged to play with it by themselves.
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Put them into
competitive environments as much as possible. This
will not only keep them focused, but, it will allow
the game itself to teach them. It also will keep
things fun for them, and allow you to deal with
issues such as 'winning' and 'loosing' which is now
a very big concern for them.
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Now it is possible to
teach them positional play with the expectation that
they will get it some of the time. However, it is
absolutely necessary that you do not allow players
to specialize in any one position. They need to
learn basic principles of the game, first. Having
them play all of the positions is best for their
individual development. Remember, our first
responsibility is to develop players and let them
have fun.
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Whenever possible,
allow them to solve their own puzzles. Don't
immediately give them solutions on how they can play
better.
TYPICAL TRAINING SESSION
Here are some items that
should be included in a U-9 training session:
WARM-UP: A brief warm-up is
appropriate in order to get the players thinking about
soccer and to prepare them physically for the time
ahead. This should involve individual body activities
that involve the ball. Since there can be one theme to
the session, hopefully, the warm-up will lead into the
theme of the day. Static stretching is also appropriate
at this time after the players have broken a sweat,
again, hopefully done with the ball. Again, the warm-up
should get the players ready to play. It should be
lively, fun, and engaging as well as instructional.
There is nothing like a good, fast paced activity to
grab the player's attention and make them glad that they
came to practice.
INDIVIDUAL OR SMALL GROUP ACTIVITIES:
Follow the warm-up with some kind of
individual activity, not necessarily a real 1v.1 game,
but some kind of activity where players act as
individuals or cooperate in small groups in a game
environment. An example would be a kind of tag game, or
a keep-away game. Keep players in motion at all times.
Avoid having them wait on lines. Play games of
"inclusion" instead of games where the "looser sits". Be
creative. These players like "crazy" games with a lot of
action.
PLAY
THE GAME: Small sided soccer
can be used to heighten intensity and create some good
competition. Play 4 v.4 up to 8 v.8. Be creative. Play
with 4 goals, or 2 balls. Play with or without
boundaries. Perhaps play to emphasize a particular skill
(can only dribble the ball over a goal line in order to
get a point). Use cones if you don't have real goals.
Keep players involved. Have more than one game going on
at a time if necessary. Switch teams often, give
everyone a chance to win. Also, it is important that
every player has a chance to shoot on goal as often as
possible.
WARM-DOWN & HOMEWORK: Finish
the session with a warm down. Give them some more
stretches to do with the ball. You may want to review
what you started the session with. Also, give them some
homework so that they practice on their own. Think of
some ball trick that you would like to see them try to
do, like, bounce it off their head, then thigh, then
foot, and then catch it. Can one player kick a ball to a
partner and then back without it hitting the ground? Can
they do that with their heads? It is important to finish
on time. This is especially essential if the players are
really into it. Stop at this point and you will get an
enthusiastic return.
U-9
TRAINING IDEA -
'TEAM KNOCK OUT'
Here is a game to use in
the 'Small Group Activity' phase of the practice. It is
an engaging game that is fun to play and challenges
players in almost all aspects of the game.
THE
GAME:
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Divide the squad up
into two teams.
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To start, each player
on the team that is inside the field will need a
ball. Those on the outside of the field do not need
a ball.
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When ready, players
on the outside run into the grid, attempt to steal
any ball they can and put it through any one of the
goals that are marked by the cones.
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Players with the ball
attempt to keep the ball away from the defenders by
dribbling or passing to a teammate that has lost
their ball.
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If an attacking
player looses a ball, they immediately try to
'steal' it back.
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The game stops when
all of the balls have been kicked through the goals.
Then the two teams switch roles.
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Keep track of how
long it takes each team to steal all of the balls.
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If a ball is kicked
out of bounds it goes over to the other team for a
throw-in.
This game is good for
teaching dribbling skills as players find themselves in
situations where they have to dribble to keep possession
as well as dribble to beat an opponent. Also, they find
themselves in situations where they may have to pass to
a teammate as well as find themselves playing defense as
well. becasue there are so many balls, and so many
goals, it is just a crazy enough game to be appreciated
and enjoyed by a typical nine- year-old.
U-9
TRAINING IDEA -
"END ZONE GAME"
Here is a 4 v.4 game that
is free flowing and gives players a lot of problems to
solve. It is a good game to use towards the end of the
session as it is very close to the 'real' thing.
One particularly good
thing about this game is that since teams end up
attacking in two, different directions, it forces
players to play in different positions. They are at the
back of the team when their team attacks one end-zone,
while they will find themselves at the top of the team
when they attack in the other direction. This is great
for their development.
THE
GAME:
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Set up the field as
shown with a seven yard 'End-Zone' at each
end.
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Score a goal by
getting the ball from one 'End-Zone' to the
other by passing or dribbling.
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Once a goal is
scored, immediately attack going in the other
direction. Do not give the ball to the other team.
The 'End-Zones' are free, only the attacking
team can enter these areas.
This game also encourages
players to "SPREAD OUT" and work together, which,
players are starting to be able to do at this age. At
first, players will be tempted to just kick the ball up
the field instead of passing. With patience, and
demonstration of what is possible, this game could have
a dramatic impact on their ability to play attractive,
skillful soccer.
Written by
Jeff Pill, NHSA Director of Coaching. Special
thanks to Dr. Thomas Fleck
and the National Youth Coaching Staff,
Bill Buren,
Dr. David Carr,
Dr. Ronald Quinn,
Virgil Stringfield.
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