I hope by now that most people involved in Youth Football,
at least, are aware of the changes to formats of youth football that are being
phased in from 2013-14 season.
These changes were ratified by The FA in May 2012 following
extensive research, consultation and listening to what the children said over a
period of over two years, led by National Development Manager for Youth &
Mini Soccer, Nick Levett (link to Nick's
blog http://youthfootballdevelopment.blogspot.co.uk/
)
If you aren’t sure about the details, have a look here where
you will see links to documents, videos and booklets with all the information
you need.
NEW FORMATS FOR YOUTH
FOOTBALL.
Some of the main changes to kids’ football and possibly the
most obvious are the changes to pitch and goal sizes but especially to the
numbers of players on the field of play.
Contrary to some initial beliefs that the FA was trying to
make soccer ‘non-competitive’, I think, in the main, it is now widely accepted
that the FA is actually trying to make youth football and competition within
it, child centred.
Whilst the smaller team sizes have well researched positive
outcomes in terms of touches on the ball, shots, saves and simpler decision
making and will help the development of players, I personally believe there are
even more important considerations in the development of our young players.
The new formats will not, in isolation, allow our young
players to develop apace and become world beating players as they reach
maturity.
I strongly believe that the key to the development of a new
breed of exciting player (at ALL levels of the game) are the coaches and, additionally,
the parents of young players.
HOW COACHES AND
PARENTS CAN HELP PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
The format changes to youth football will provide the
platform to a change in the way we develop young players but the approach,
attitude and mindset of those people with a significant influence over young
players are the ones who will really facilitate the change towards more
competent and exciting players.
FOOTBALL IS A SIMPLE
GAME ?
The view that football is a simple game is, to my mind, a
tad over simplistic in itself.
It is true that it is played to relatively few and simple
rules and, consequently, is therefore relatively easy to understand, even for
young or novice players.
Conversely though, it is extremely complex to play the game
well and to any level of consistency.
I think it is recognised that football is what is described
as a late developing sport, where male players are at their peak at around 27
years of age and female players perhaps a bit younger.
PATIENCE
That being the case, significant adults (parents and
coaches, generally) have a key role to play in displaying extreme patience as
young players develop and learn the game.
Consider a player in possession of the ball in the midst of
a game (whether in practice or a game against another team) and the complexity
of their role.
They are, simultaneously, trying to:
·
Keep control of the ball
·
Advance the ball up or around the pitch whilst
running or dribbling
·
Screen / keep the ball away from an immediate
opponent
·
Look for a shot or pass
·
Deciding on the correct technique / skill to
execute
·
Looking for a team mate to whom to pass
·
Deciding which team mate is free / the right
person to whom to play the pass
·
Avoid opponents when shooting or passing
·
Execute the skill decided upon
All of this whilst the football ‘picture’ is dynamically changing.
Each passing second of the game sees players, team mates and
opponents, continually moving and therefore, the player’s activities and
decision making mentioned above take on an additional level of complexity.
So, then, considering the degree of difficulty of a single
player’s activity in a single action of the game it starts to become apparent
that, especially at young ages, we must expect players to make mistakes as they
learn to understand the game and to develop the skills to play it well.
MISTAKES
During practices and games players must be allowed to make
mistakes without fear of criticism.
If players are not allowed to make mistakes they will play
within their current ‘comfort zone’ and will not learn how to find new ways to
solve football problems.
If players are taught to ‘get rid of it’ or ‘kick it out’
for fear of conceding a goal, they will never learn how to manipulate the ball
under pressure, how to trick and dribble around an opponent when under pressure
or how to combine with team mates in tight areas to retain possession and play
around opponents to extricate themselves from difficult situations. All of
which are skills I believe we recognise in continental teams, yet seem
reluctant to praise in teams in which we have an interest
PLAYER DEVELOPMENT
The game, against an opponent, though, is only one part of a
player’s development.
Practices should be designed to provide a learning outcome
related to the Principles of Play (Principles of Attack and Principles of
Defence) in a dynamic format.
I am an advocate of the Teaching Games for Understanding
approach (see previous post here ) where adapted small sided games allow
players to ‘play’ whilst learning tactical skills related to the Principles of
Play.
Line Drills (or ‘Constant’ practices) do not transfer to the
game well, are quickly boring for young players and are soon accompanied by the
plea “When can we have a GAME coach?”
Coaches should try to design part practices which allow
small group practices where everyone is ‘playing’ with targets/goals or
challenges for both attackers AND defenders (try not to have defenders just
give the ball back when they win it – what do you want defenders to do when
they win the ball in a game against an opponent? Keep it and become an
attacker!).
Part practices can quickly be transferred to a larger small
sided game with two teams without having to relay cones/discs.
Alternatively, from perhaps initially playing ‘the game’
after warm up, it can be broken down into a practice to teach the theme before
moving back to a small sided game again (Whole-Part-Whole practice).
Small sided practices that are adaptations of the ‘big’ game
are great for giving players lots of goes at something.
Having said all of that, of course, players must be given
the chance to test their skills in ‘games’ too. If less well developed players
are not given the opportunity to improve their game craft, their development
will be restricted.
For examples of game related practices, try to get or read a
copy of the FA’s Future Game document which provides many templates for small
games involving attack and defence.
DEVELOPMENT/GROWTH MINDSET
So coaches and parents of young players should try to
develop a relaxed approach to games and practices involving young players.
Try to observe, recognise and celebrate (“Well done...”)
improvements in game understanding and skills without concentrating on the
score at the end of the game.
Goals are relatively infrequent occurrences in the game
anyway compared to the number and type of passes, controlling touches,
decisions, throws, saves, tackles, headers and so on.
If practice has been designed over a period to develop players
understanding of how, where, when and with whom to make a challenge or tackle,
for example, when defending, try to set individual players targets to achieve
regarding defending in a game.
Try to provide challenges for all players too, not just ‘the
defenders’ by game position that week. How will midfield and attacking players
defend when the team doesn’t have the ball? Do they actually have to win the
ball to have defended appropriately?
Then, during the game itself, observe, record and praise
successes where elements of defending that have been taught in practices have
occurred in the game.
Players will gradually become more confident and competent
as they are, appropriately, challenged based upon their age and ability.
If coaches and parents can view practice and games as
learning opportunities where young players develop their understanding of the
game and the skills to play it well, without overt pressure, we can all make a
major contribution to player and game development.
It is the process of learning the game that is of utmost
importance foryoung players rather than the game outcome.
Player development is a long term process and takes years,
not weeks or months. Good coaches and positive parents can help accelerate and
enhance that development by providing the right environment and encouragement
to be exciting, problem solving and independently thinking players in an
expansive game style.
There will be plenty of time when players reach maturity
(past 21) where the winning will become the priority.
So, Kids’ Football IS Changing – but what is most important;
the formats or the mind-sets? Or do they go hand in hand?
For a thought provoking view of growth or fixed
mind sets, try to read a copy of “Mindset” by Dr.
Carol Dweck
Please feel free to leave a comment
