Some junior coaching advice (please)

H

happy_tiger

Well-known member
Have taken over the main role coaching my son's under 9 football team We have 11 players , 7 have played for at least a season and we have 4 new youngsters

One of the other dads helps with training as due to my business i can't always guarantee being there

My quandry is this What I have suggested is that I take the new kids and teach them the basics of the game for say 2 months and the other Dad takes the rest of the squad in a more advanced training program and the at the end we join again and play half hour of touch

A few of the parents don't want the squads split as it makes there kids feel left out , and as I have tried to explain that their kids aren't going to want to play if they don't understand

The kids who have been playing for a while get bored when i try and dumb down there training ,whereas the new kids struggle and don't enjoy footy when they can't do

I know a few of you blokes probably coached their own sons and daughters so was wondering if anyone has any advice
 
'Train as you Play' has always been my basic agenda and while I do split them into groups (forwards/backs) for a short period, the majority of work is done as a unit… They should be shown that they are all equal!

They will never get enough time doing the basics, so I'd suggest you do the simple things with the whole group and it is here where you exert your discipline by ensuring if one bad seed plays up, the whole squad gets the push-ups etc...

FTR, ball work is a little over-rated for kids in Under 11 & below... 2/3rds of training kids should evolve around defence & tackling. If you have a problem scoring points, they need to improve there defence is always my advice to fellow coaches!!!
 
I coached the local team for a few years until work made it too hard

A little touch football for a warm up never hurts and it is informal enough to instruct during the warm up. In this situation when ever a player was being to dominant I subbed them out. It helped with team unity as well
 
Pair the new boys up with players that have played before, make it their job to help their team mates. If you split them into 2 different drills it can make it easier to give individual instruction but i would keep the new boys mixed in with the experienced ones as much as possible. A lot of what they learn they will pick up from each other.

http://coachrugbyleague.com.au/coachingcentre/minimod/

http://www.minimodcoach.com/middefence.html

There's some helpful stuff on these sites if you don't already have them.
 
@smeghead said:
I coached the local team for a few years until work made it too hard

A little touch football for a warm up never hurts and it is informal enough to instruct during the warm up. In this situation when ever a player was being to dominant I subbed them out. It helped with team unity as well
Click to expand...

I do it the other way around so the kids can try and put what they have learned into practice in semi games conditions
 
Been there done that as a player going from league to aussie rules at 13\. Had never even watched a game of AFL let alone kicked a ball. Had alot to learn. There were about 5 of us that turned to aussie rules that year.

Our trainers took a smaller group aside (4 or so at a time) whilst the rest trained under the other coach.

Make it a mix of new and more experienced (2 new and 2 experienced) players so nobody feels below the better players. Treat it as a basics improvement session rather then an introduction to the basics. Even the better players should be looking to improve on the basics.

Then rotate them so all are being included and everyone feels equal.

Get them to try and show or use their imorved basics in a training game at the end.
For example, in aussie rules, I had a habit of catching kicks in the bread basket (played fullback in league). In the basics improvement, I was shown how to catch above the head or with hands out in front of the body. They would then say they want to see 3 marks taken with the correct catching style in a muck about game at the end of training.

Took some weeks but we won the grandfinal that year and personally I think the league converts were the best players.
Finally, the best tip I ever got as a young league player was that the harder and faster you run the less it hurts when being tackled. Some kids, especially the smaller ones get smashed because they jog into the defense.
 
I would do an assessment on all of your players and work out what each kid is good at or needs work on regardless of experience. This information based on passing, catching and tackling can be gathered by an experienced parent or best by someone who doesn't have an association with the team. It is also important to re assess in a months time.
You can then set up your training drills to address what weaknesses you come up with. The most important thing to remember is to make training fun and ensure that "all team" members get inolved at training regardles of their abilities. Any kid can play League whether they are big, small, fat, skinny, slow or fast. It is all about confidence and without it they will be reluctant to get involved during a game.
 
Thanks everyone for your coaching advice , as I said just then to someone you would think that 15 plus years of running businesses that it should be a walk in the park

Its completely different and even from mentoring 1 on 1 with my young fella and has been a good challenge

To anyone who has kids give it a go , even if it just assisting with the subs ,handing out the jerseys ,anything

Your kids will appreciate it and you will appreciate it

Again Thanks all

Cheers Happy
 
Just like to again thank all that gave advice

We've had a tough season lost a lot and won a few

But today the young fellas knocked off the top side playing virtually perfect footy for their age Short on numbers due to the flu and they come and out and do that

Very proud coach and Dad today 😢
 
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