U6-U8 Module

 Kate Samsot – Brief Soccer Resume ◦ Recreational coach for many years ◦ USSF “A” License ◦ National Youth License ◦ Current Technical Director for DC Stoddert Soccer’s Recreational Program ◦ Former Director of DC Stoddert Travel Program ◦ VYSA Coaching Education Staff ◦ Former VYSA ODP Staff ◦ Former player at UNC-Chapel Hill  Participants

 Classroom  12:00-2:00 – Orientation & Age Characteristics of U6s and U8s  Field  2:00-2:45 – Model Practice for U6s (Pre-K kids)  2:45 – 3:00 – Break/Snack, take notes  3:00 – 3:45 – U8 Activities (course participants)  3:45 – 4:00 – Course Summary, Q & A

How did we enter the coaching realm? What are the various levels of coaching experience within this course? Why do kids play?

 Get in groups of 4 – discussion  X

 Facilitator ◦ Creates safe practice environment ◦ Teaches with enthusiasm & gives good feedback ◦ Sets up practices so players can achieve success if they work hard  Positive Role Model ◦ Behaves with class on and off the field ◦ Respects players on both teams and referees ◦ Displays good sideline etiquette and demands the same from team parents and players  Conducts Age-Appropriate Activities ◦ Understands the differences among individual players & teaches to specific audience

 TECHNIQUE  TACTICS  PHYSICAL  PSYCHO-SOCIAL All are part of the Long Term Athlete Development Model. The four components must be connected and be relative to the developmental stage of the athlete.

 INITIAL (FUNdamentals) – U6-U8  BASIC (Learning to Train) – U9-U12  INTERMEDIATE (Training to Train) – U13-U14  ADVANCED (Training to Compete) – U15-U18  SPECIFIC (Training to Win) – U19-U20  PERFORMANCE (Active for Life) - Senior

 Cognitive – short attention span, use their imagination, focus on only one task at a time  Psychomotor – constantly moving, do not pace themselves, can balance on good foot, catching skills are not well-developed, about inches tall & weigh pounds  Psychosocial – love to show off (spotlight), parallel play, influential person in life is a parent (usually mom), like to mimic goofy actions

 Techniques - Dribbling, Kicking, Catching  Concepts – Sharing, fair play, emotional management  Movements – Balance, running, jumping, rolling, hopping, skipping  Tactics – where is the field, which direction is the team is going, dealing with the ball rolling away or toward

 Attention span is greater than that of U6 but individual is still more important than team  Can work in pairs (2 players:1 ball)  Staying in motion at all times is second- nature (twitching, jumping, etc.)  Emotionally sensitive (get embarrassed in front of peers)  Boys & girls still similar  Imitate heroes  Lack sense of pace (run until they drop)

 Most players cry immediately when something is hurt. Some cry even when something is not hurt.  No matter how much we shout or practice, they will NOT pass the ball.  Someone will come off the field in need of a toilet. Someone will stay on the field in need of a toilet.  Twenty seconds after the start of the game, every player will be within 5 yards of the ball.

 Several players will slap at the ball with their hands or pick it up. Several parents will yell at them not to do that.  A loud bird or a butterfly will get 99% of the players’ attention. Be flexible – stop what you are doing and go see it for a few minutes!  During a season, you will tie at least shoelaces.  Players will do things that make you laugh. LAUGH!! Enjoy yourself while you coach!

 Techniques – Dribbling, Passing, Receiving, Shooting, Tackling, Catching  Concepts – Working in pairs, sportsmanship, dealing with parental involvement, social cooperation (how to play), emotional management  Movements – introduce warm-up, agility, leaping, tumbling, eye/foot and eye/hand coordination  Tactics – being exposed to all positions, 1 v 1 attacking & defending, 2 v 1 attacking, introduce positional names, shapes (triangle, diamond)

 Key differences, small-sided vs.11 v 11 ◦ Set pieces ◦ Off-side rule ◦ Substitutions ◦ Use of referees  Spirit of the Law vs. Letter of the Law  Role of parents on sidelines

 COACHES: ◦ Coaches who are more focused on winning games than developing players ◦ Too much yelling from the sidelines ◦ Coaches walking on the playing field ◦ Coaches giving their teams unfair advantages when putting ball back into play ◦ No positional rotation  PLAYERS: ◦ Goaltending by players ◦ Slide-tackling misused

◦ Team meeting – review plans & expectations  Practice schedule & policies  Parent sideline behavior  Delegation - assistant coaches, snacks, etc.  Communication on game and practice days  Task delegation ◦ Age-specific “Laws of the Game” ◦ Recreational players and playing time  How to manage varying abilities of players  Split-game format  Rotating player positions

 usyouthsoccer.org  ussoccer.com     soccerspecific.com 

Kate Samsot