Amateur Coaching, Playing and Amateur Football

rcoobc

Not as crap as eferyone thinks
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I'm putting this here, but appreciate it could go in the general so move if need be. However I think it stays here, because all the videos that get posted will probably be of professional teams.

Does anyone here coach (or play I guess) at an amateur level, and what tips and tricks can you give us.

I coach U9s and U12s and play for the vets/reserves/first team of my local club depending on what's required each week.

Think I'm going to do this type of Drill this week with the U12s;



Generally each week, get 90 mins with them. In that we do;


Passing drill whilst players arrive - 10 mins
Warm up and stretching - 10 mins
Fitness - 10 mins
10 mins - A passing drill (half team) A shooting drill (half team)
10 mins - A passing drill (other half team) A shooting drill (other half team)
Team drill - playing out from the back or something else - 10 mins
Match - remainder.

Technically we only have an hour on the 3G so the first 30 mins of that is off the field.

We're still 9 aside at U12s at the moment. Doing well, biggest problem I have is 1) Defence are terrified to go into opponents half. Ask the full-backs week in, week out to offer over-lapping runs if we're attacking on their side, and to transition from a 3 to a 2 at the back if they leave only one up front... but defence are terrified of being out of position and having to sprint back. Other problem is with the target man striker, if we get him the ball when we're defending and he's got 3 or 4 defenders behind him, instead of holding the ball up and bringing others into play, he'll try to turn and take on 5 players every single time.

U9s are a bit different. It's 7 aside with no off-side. Generally they're doing really well, but just lack concentration to last the full match. Yesterday we were dominating the opposition, 2-1 but could have been 4-1 in the first half. So over confident though that in the second half the DM decided to go upfront, and the defender decided to play in midfield. 2-2. then 3-2 then 4-2 down in moments. Still, not exactly worried about U9s, concentrating on individual and team development rather than worrying about mistakes. Mistakes will happen when you are 9.

Tips tricks etc please
 
I coach multiple u12 groups. These things are dependent on variety of factors.

How many times do you week daily ? What's the skill level of players ? Do they understand the game enough ? Or is it just a recreation league ?

Unless they are professionals, kids won't understand this full back overlapping concepts. They are just there to play.
 
Rules I live by:

1) Never blame the kids for anything. They are kids, they're going to make mistakes.
2) Find out about the kids lives. Talk to them. Ask them about their day, and what's going on at school. The best time to do that is during stretches. Aside from their teacher and their family, you will probably end up being the adult human that they are closest to. That puts you in a scary position, and you have a lot of responsibility that goes with that.
3) Make time for the parents too. I'm terrible at this, but I try to occasionally let other coaches take the session and have a sit down with the parents.
4) Watch loads of youtube videos to get ideas.
5) Training is more important that matches. Worst thing you can do is miss training, and start playing 2, 3, 4 matches in a row. Mistakes get embedded.
 
bond19821982 said:
I coach multiple u12 groups. These things are dependent on variety of factors.

How many times do you week daily ? What's the skill level of players ? Do they understand the game enough ? Or is it just a recreation league ?

Unless they are professionals, kids won't understand this full back overlapping concepts. They are just there to play.
Click to expand...

Just once a week. Occasionally twice a week, once in a blue moon.

Recreational league 100%. None of them will turn pro.

To be fair, I don't need them to over-lap, I just need them to offer a backwards pass when we're stuck at the corner flag, or stuck on the wing.
 
rcoobc said:
I'm putting this here, but appreciate it could go in the general so move if need be. However I think it stays here, because all the videos that get posted will probably be of professional teams.

Does anyone here coach (or play I guess) at an amateur level, and what tips and tricks can you give us.

I coach U9s and U12s and play for the vets/reserves/first team of my local club depending on what's required each week.

Think I'm going to do this type of Drill this week with the U12s;



Generally each week, get 90 mins with them. In that we do;


Passing drill whilst players arrive - 10 mins
Warm up and stretching - 10 mins
Fitness - 10 mins
10 mins - A passing drill (half team) A shooting drill (half team)
10 mins - A passing drill (other half team) A shooting drill (other half team)
Team drill - playing out from the back or something else - 10 mins
Match - remainder.

Technically we only have an hour on the 3G so the first 30 mins of that is off the field.

We're still 9 aside at U12s at the moment. Doing well, biggest problem I have is 1) Defence are terrified to go into opponents half. Ask the full-backs week in, week out to offer over-lapping runs if we're attacking on their side, and to transition from a 3 to a 2 at the back if they leave only one up front... but defence are terrified of being out of position and having to sprint back. Other problem is with the target man striker, if we get him the ball when we're defending and he's got 3 or 4 defenders behind him, instead of holding the ball up and bringing others into play, he'll try to turn and take on 5 players every single time.

U9s are a bit different. It's 7 aside with no off-side. Generally they're doing really well, but just lack concentration to last the full match. Yesterday we were dominating the opposition, 2-1 but could have been 4-1 in the first half. So over confident though that in the second half the DM decided to go upfront, and the defender decided to play in midfield. 2-2. then 3-2 then 4-2 down in moments. Still, not exactly worried about U9s, concentrating on individual and team development rather than worrying about mistakes. Mistakes will happen when you are 9.

Tips tricks etc please
Click to expand...


90 mins per weeks? thats way to little for both you and them.
Im doing U10 and i dont do any fitness at that age, also warm ups are done through some games(stick a marker on the back of their shorts and make them protect it while trying to steal someone elses, add ball to each player afterwards).
Also, doing very little passing drills or team drills and have way more time on grass. They need to learn the basics and ball mastery first, once they move up to full pitch then they start more with passing drills and team shape. At least thats how we work.
 
Do what Moyes did and show them videos of Phil Jagielka whilst you flirt with the yummy mummies.
 
Šjor Bepo said:
90 mins per weeks? thats way to little for both you and them.
Im doing U10 and i dont do any fitness at that age, also warm ups are done through some games(stick a marker on the back of their shorts and make them protect it while trying to steal someone elses, add ball to each player afterwards).
Also, doing very little passing drills or team drills and have way more time on grass. They need to learn the basics and ball mastery first, once they move up to full pitch then they start more with passing drills and team shape. At least thats how we work.
Click to expand...

U12s: 90 mins per week training in one session. (meant to be 60, but I get them there 30 mins early and we get what space we can).

U9s: 75 mins per week training (meant to be 60, but I get them there 15 mins early and we use what space we can).

At U10s we did a lot more ball mastery, but as we've gotten older we have to spend more time on things like playing out from the back now.

I try not to kill the creativity out of them though.
 
Šjor Bepo said:
Im doing U10 and i dont do any fitness at that age, also warm ups are done through some games(stick a marker on the back of their shorts and make them protect it while trying to steal someone elses, add ball to each player afterwards).
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good warm up game :+1:

Stick a (edit: bib) out of their shorts like a tail would work?
 
Last edited:
rcoobc said:
That sounds like a good warm up game :+1:

Stick a big out of their shorts like a tail would work?
Click to expand...

yeah as a tail! its great and kids love it, both with ball and without.
 
Stack said:
You are quite probably already doing this but if not look for info about Guided discovery football coaching, it changed everything for me although it took me a while to become effective at it. It takes practice as does most things.
https://www.howardfc.com/uploads/4/6/6/2/46627067/guideddiscoveryasacoachingmethod_groves.pdf
Click to expand...
No, never heard of it. I like those though. Very similar to all the FA videos;



(0:49 - why do you place the ball that side, 3:46 - "stop there, apologies yellows, when you're in this position, rather than passing to feet, what could you do differently?)

I try and pause sessions and ask these types of questions. Don't give them the answers but let them think.

Yon can pause too much though. Got to make a point to each stop.

Is there more to it? Is it part of a larger coaching scheme.
 
rcoobc said:
No, never heard of it. I like those though. Very similar to all the FA videos;



(0:49 - why do you place the ball that side, 3:46 - "stop there, apologies yellows, when you're in this position, rather than passing to feet, what could you do differently?)

I try and pause sessions and ask these types of questions. Don't give them the answers but let them think.

Yon can pause too much though. Got to make a point to each stop.

Is there more to it? Is it part of a larger coaching scheme.
Click to expand...

I think you have the idea. Its part of the whole Player centered coaching system. We know that people retain knowledge faster and for longer if they find the answers themselves which is basically the essence of it all.
It takes time to get good at it, the same way that it takes time for kids to learn new ideas and skills. Its not the be all and end all, its just one tool you can use. Sometimes you just have to let the kids play because they can get sick of questions.
Also Teaching games for understanding (TGIF) is part of the whole system. Creating a training game where the training game does most of the teaching within its own rules and confines.
Im not sure what coaching courses are available where you are but I found those to be hugely valuable, the content on the coaching courses but also getting to spend time with other coaches and learning from them too.
 
Here in wales when doing coaching badges the whole training session is with the ball, no fitness or anything without the ball.
 
I coach u10s, 1 hr a week at the minute.

Up to u12 my focus will mainly be on skills development, ball mastery and 1v1 up to 3v3 duels and games. After that we'll start looking at building possession from the back and controlling the game. No point doing it if the players don't actually have the required skills to do it. I've found this out at u16, coaching players who never really played or were coached properly before, it's a nightmare.

I find a great game to get defenders to push up with the ball is to put a line of cones across the middle of the pitch. For a goal to count every player must be over the line, including the goalkeeper.

I also play games like tag rugby and olympic handballs as warmup games, gets them thinking about where to be and how to move in relation to the ball.

Anyway I follow the guidelines in Larry Mahony's big picture coaching books. It's basically about letting the players figure it out for themselves, not exactly telling them what to do, but guiding them by asking questions that allow them to work out the answers themselves.

I usually have about 20 and split my group into 4, so that two sets will play a small sided game, while 2 will do some drills, we'll swap over every 10 mins or so. So in an hour or so they'll all play about 30mins of games and 30 mins of drills.
 
Šjor Bepo said:
90 mins per weeks? thats way to little for both you and them.
Im doing U10 and i dont do any fitness at that age, also warm ups are done through some games(stick a marker on the back of their shorts and make them protect it while trying to steal someone elses, add ball to each player afterwards).
Also, doing very little passing drills or team drills and have way more time on grass. They need to learn the basics and ball mastery first, once they move up to full pitch then they start more with passing drills and team shape. At least thats how we work.
Click to expand...

Throw out a rugby ball and play tail/tag rugby.

I've been doing this and the kids absolutely love it.
 
I've been asked to become a coach, three times - can't be arsed

I've been training my 7 year old in three months he's coach says its insane the amount of progress.

I started with footwork speed ladders, stop and start ball control.. etc. Right now he's playing two on two as i type this against two 10 year old.

Him and this mate should win, if he doesn't he'll be running home while I call him crap out of the car window next to him.
 
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