In a couple weeks I am "refing" a birthday party at a indoor soccer facility for some 5-6 year olds. While I have coached soccer for the last 4 years, I have not coached kids this young. Seeing as this party is for 1.5 hours, I don't think the kids will enjoy just playing soccer on an enormous field. So my question is for all those coaches of this age group: What are some fun "drills" I can do with these kids that will provide them some entertainment? I appreciate any and all responses. Thanks.
okay, the absolute favorite activity I ran for kids this age is: Have the kids dribble around the field, each with their own ball, except for those who are IT. One player is IT, and without a ball tags the players who are dribbling. If tagged, the players have to freeze while holding the ball over their head. The only way to be un-frozen is for one of the live dribblers to kick/dribble the ball between the frozen players' legs. Either set a time limit or the game is done when everyone is frozen. If the person who is IT is too good (or the dribblers too bad) you can have two kids be it, but they must lock arms (and keep them that way) and go everywhere in tandem (this can get funny). the kids LOVED this game
Actually I do remember that drill from a long, long time ago. Thanks. That one should be good one to start with.
Too late for your party.... But here's another drill. Sharks & Minnow's. Enclose an area with cones. Everyone except for two players gets a ball and they have to dribble in the enclosed area, they are the minnows. The two without the ball should wear pennies, and when you yell "shark attack" the two players in pennies go and try to kick the ball out of the enclosed area from the players with the balls. Once a player is out, they sit until there are only two minnows left. Then those last two get to be the sharks. It's a great game for U-6 & U-8. Good for dribbling, shielding, tackling, and keeping your head up. James
Soccer Chicken. This is a good warm up. Split the kids into two equal groups. Line the groups across the field from each other. Don't give them a lot of space. When you say "Go", both lines exchange places simultaneously. The object is to dribble through the other line without colliding with anybody or your ball hitting anything. The other old stand by is " steal the bacon " in all its permutations.
It makes for a good high school game too. Minus the clever coverup that makes it come off as not being serious of course.
guys a I need you help on the same age grp My son just joined a team In duncanville, TX the coach is very inexperienced and it shows, now he is often late or a No show, parents seem to be ok with that behavior (even smokes on the sidelines), so I have not gone to the league managers for help. What do you do in that case? second question: other dad and I took over couple of practices ( I had experience with 12 to 14 yrs old only), my common sense tells me that ball #4 is ok for practice, regardless that game ball is a #3 I think that if they exorcise the strenght of few grams more with the bigger ball, they will do much better with the game ball, It already shows in the throw-ins and goal kicks, but 2 parents seriously oppose my idea. who is wrong? am I doing something in detriment of their ability to play? wanabe coach!
Take tennis balls to practice and use them. They will help develop ball control. If anyone complains, tell them that Beckenbauer started in the streets with such a ball. I've used different sized balls at practice for years.
THANKS I was afraid I will do some damage on player development by using a bigger ball for practice... as far as Beckenbauer: I told couple of parents, they did not know who tha hell he was! (no pund intended) I love to use smallr ball for control skills during practice any other advice?
Do what ever you do with the older players, just scale it down so the children can understand it. Teach them to love the game. The ball will do the rest. I used to place 6/7 yr olds in formation and have them follow me while I ran around on the field. I would stop to adjust everyone and then throw the ball somewhere and ask " Who's going to play ( kick ) that ball? ". They'd all yell " Lynie! " or wharever. Then I'd ask someone else " Are you going to play that ball? ". When I heard " No, that's Lynnie's ball. ", I'd ask " then what are you going to do? ". I'd spend five to ten minutes of every practice doing this - moving and asking questions. I ended up with a very young team that didn't bunch up and players who could make their own decisions. You just have to be patient. They might not even learn something during your season of coaching, but will come back the next year and tell me that they finally figured out what I meant. Don't sell kids short and don't put shackles on their imaginations. We also used to play a game called " I got it ". I'd start with two lines about ten yards apart and twenty yards from me. There was a goal behind me. I would give the two front players service and someone would have to say " I got it! " and collect the ball. The other player would run in a good supporting position. After they scored, they would return the ball and re-enter the line. Use a number of balls and keep the game moving. If necessary, use an assistant and run two games at once in opposite directions. By varying service, I could put the players through almost any judgement situation and thus help them learn when to take charge of the ball. As they developed confidence, I would add a defender. Encourage passing and good decision making. A little imagination and a lot of repitition will show good results. Most of all, remember that your objective is to have kids who want to play NEXT year!! Hope that this helps. Roy
I use to love coaching this age, games we played: - red light/green light, except while dribbline, coach turns back on kids, yells green light, kids take off dribbing, coach yells "red light" and turns, any kid who's ball gets away has to go back to the begginning. - ducks and hunters. Sort of like "Shark attack" above, except two "hunters" have balls and all others are the "ducks" without balls, put em in a circle and they have to stay. "Hunters" will use a ball to "shoot" at the ducks, when a duck is hit, he's out. At this age, all shots will be low cause they can't kick hard or high anyway. - Forget the name, but put em in two sides of squares, Lots of balls, the object is to get all the balls in the other teams square. use parents/coaches to keep balls inside the two squares. - Dr. Dodge ball. This one is a bit harder to explain. Two teams, each team has a "safe area" for the "doctor" the area is about 3 yards square. The rest of both teams are out wandering around all with a ball. Dr. does not have a ball and starts in the safe area. The idea is each team tries to hit the other team to "kill them", when hit, they go down. The "Dr" can at any time come out of his safe area to "cure" a "down" player by touching him. However, once the Dr is out of the safe area, he is a fair target for the other team. If the Dr gets hit, he is down for the game and can never be saved. Object is to get the entire other team down. You'd be amazed at the "protection" strategies the kids come up with to get the Dr out to "cure" other people, they set up "protection" walls around him, its pretty funny. If the game goes on to long, I usually send in a "virus" that can't be killed off. I either go myself or draft a younger sibling of one of the players. The "virus" can get ANYBODY and he can't be stopped.