Criteria For Age Group

Training
 Key Stage 1
Fundamental Stage
(Kinder to Grade 3)
6 – 9 Years Old
Age: 6 - 9 years
Training stage : Basic/Fun
Phase of learning in relation to the age -
- Discovery, learn through playing
- Fun Football
MAIN TRAINING OBJECTIVES:
Technical
- Technique
- Ball feeling
- Quick footwork on the ball

Tactical
- Awareness

Physical
- Coordination

Mental
- Pleasure and experience
Age typical characteristics
Age Psychological Motor functions
6-9 years Desire for movement Not much power
Less concentration Weak ball-feeling
Not social Weak coordination
Game is an adventure

9-10 years Sensitive Better ball-feeling

Easily distracted
More social
Assertive
ORGANISATION:
Training session
• simple
• each player with a ball
• in triangles
• in squares
• in circles
•1v1
Small sided games – 3 v 3, 4 v 4, 5 v 5……
Focused Movements
or Skills in the Sport
Types of Locomotor Skills
Roughly in order of how children learn
them, the locomotor skills that follow
walking are:
Galloping: Traveling with one foot always in
the lead
Hopping: Moving up and down on one foot
Jumping: Going up and down, with both
feet in the air at once; can also
mean jumping off a height or
jumping forward
TYPES OF LOCOMOTOR SKILLS
Leaping: Jumping forward or back with one
leg outstretched; taking off on
one foot and landing on the other
Running: Sometimes both feet are in the air
while traveling
Skipping: Alternating steps and hops
Walking: Moving with one foot on the
ground at all times
 Instructions:

•In the first relay, the ball goes over

and behind one player, then under
and behind the next player

• The second relay should have

15 m
players rotate alternate sideways
and pass the ball to the player
behind them

Once the ball is with the last player

in line, that player should carry the
ball to the front of the line and the
10 m team repeats the sequence
Set Up
Teams will move slowly towards the
1. Players should form teams and stand in
halfway line and the first team to
line to pass the ball with their hands in
reach the end wins!
sequence
 Instructions:

Players should dribble the ball

freely and practice basic moves
according to age.

10 m
• On the coach’s command,
players must react to the call and
perform the requested task (eg.
stop, turn, etc.)

• Focus on dribbling and

movement with the ball as well
as observation while in
10 m possession

Set Up
1.Allocate each player a ball to dribble within
a square (size of area should be appropriate
to the number of players and their ability)
 Instructions:

• On the coach’s command,

players have to chase their
teammates and ‘snatch’ the
other player’s pinnies, whilst
avoiding having their pinnie
snatched

•The focus is on fun (physical

literacy) and introduces the
concept of ttracking and
marking players

Set Up
1.Session should take place within a marked
area
2. All players start the game with a pinnie
tucked into the back of their shorts
(donkey tail)
Developing Non-locomotor Skills
- Swinging
- Twisting
- Turning
Developing Manipulative Skills
- Throwing
- Kicking
Focused Fitness
Components
Developing:
• Agility
• Balance
• Coordination
Load
• without opponent
• small area and short distances
• short period (volume)

Coaching
• Encourage and instruct them by doing
• Let them enjoy the practice and games
What players want from their coaches.
• Care
• Patience and understanding
• Activity
• Knowledge
• Fun/humor
• Equal and fair treatment
• Support and encouragement
• ??
6 - 8 yrs 9 - 10 yrs
20-30 min sessions 30-45 min sessions
5 min specific exercises 8 min specific exercises
(2 -3 session per week) (? session per week)

11 - 12 yrs 13 yrs onwards

45-60 min sessions 60-80 min sessions
10 min specific exercises 15 min specific exercises

(? sessions per week) (? sessions per week)

THANK YOU …
 Key Stage 2
FUNdamental Stage
(Grade 4 to Grade 6)
10 - 12 Years Old
Age 10 – 12 years
Training stage: Basic + build up (Fundamental)
Phase of learning in relation to the age:
• sharpening and refining
• learn through playing and doing
Main training objectives:
• Dominate 1 v 1 situations
• Intensify basic training to a higher level
(sharpen and refine techniques)
Training objectives:
Technical
• basic technique to skills how?
• decision making when, where, who?
• moves to go past opponents and dominate 1 v 1
situation
• individual and group actions (attack & defend)
• passing, receiving, shooting and heading
techniques
Training objectives:
Tactical
• tactical awareness of why, when and where to
use the moves (functional/positional)
• which solution/moves to use in situations
• decision making under pressure
General tactics
• individual - group
Physical
• ABC, SAQ and flexibility
• Endurance, strength and speed through
practice and playing
Mental
• Excellent period of learning
• Develop creativity and initiative on the ball
• Develop self-confidence, personality,
responsibility, independence
• Develop good training mentality and habits
Age typical characteristics:
characteristics
Age Psychological Motor functions
10 - 12 Easy learning and eager to
Harmonious build
yrs learn
Social consciousness Body in proportion
Mimic idols Good coordination

12 - 14
Pre-puberty Growth spurt
yrs
Doesn’t want to cope with Sensitive to
authority injuries
Conflicts and over-rate
themselves
Organization:
Training sessions
• in circles, triangles, squares
• without opponent (high intensity)
• with opponents
• in different formations
Games
• small sided games 3 v 3….
• with 2 to 4 goals (different sizes)
• with neutral players
• 7 a side games with 2 goals
Load:
• increase load
• More difficult situations and increased pressure
(opponents, time, space, etc)

Coaching:
• demand players to refine moves during practice
encourage them in 1 v 1 and small sided games
 Key Stage 3
FUNdamental Stage
(Grades 7 to 10)
13 - 16 Years Old
Age: 14 - 18 yrs
Training stage : Build up program and
competition (Formative)
Phase of learning in relation to the age:
• Refine and automate (unconsciously competent)
• Optimum performance in the game

Training objectives:
Technical
• Go past opponents individually, applying skill and
speed, or a combination of these 2 qualities
• Highest level of technical performance under pressure
Tactical
• General tactics and specific tactics

• Individual tactics
• Team tactics
• Defensive play
• Attacking play
• Transition play
• Transition from defense to attack
Go past opponents individually – skills and
decision (how, where, when?)
Go past opponents with team mates -
combinations
Forward runs, diagonal runs, checking runs
Forward passes
Decision making - When to go alone and when to
pass the ball
Technique under high pressure
 Physical
Endurance - aerobic
- anaerobic
Interval training
- extensive
- intensive
- speed training
- strength training (body weight)
- 16 yrs onwards (weights)
- special training for running, sprinting,
turning technique
 Mental
Increase development of this aspect when
players are 12 - 14 yrs.
Develop a winning mentality….Results!
AGE TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Age Psychological Motor functions
14-16yrs Puberty-conflicts with authority Disharmony in body proportion
Loss of coordination &
Undecided
decrease in flexibility
Physical changes affects the mind
Other interests/distractions
Less social, own friends
Less responsibility
Critical of their own performance
Critical of team-mates’ performance
16-18yrs Become more mature Normal body proportions
More social eager to win, result
Body reaching full growth
orientated
More responsible Physically strong
Desire to be independent Good coordination
ORGANISATION
Training session
- Organization and formation at optimal level for competition
- Transfer technical, tactical, physical and mental aspects in
positional games
Games
- 11 v 11
- Small sided games – full squad practice
- Transfer technical, tactical, physical and mental aspects
- All under competition conditions
- Results, winning!
Load:
- Balance between load and rest
Coaching:
- Demand 100% concentration and effort
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF TEACHING FOOTBALL

Why do young children participate in sport?

• have fun
• be with friends
• improve their skills
• have a sense of belonging and acceptance
• achieve success
• keep fit
• feel good about themselves
• participate in activities
Physical
6 – 8 yrs
Energetic and require many
rest period
Football skills develop
Slight differences in growth spurt
9 – 12 yrs
Endurance improves
Growth spurts more frequent
Increasing body weight
Energetic but still require rest
period
Social/Emotional
usually self centered
self confidence improving
developing friendship
peer approval very important
easily embarrassed
may take criticism badly
needs guidance in decision
making
Coach’s role
• Allow ‘play time’
• Rotate players through different positions
• Ensure elements of the practice are relevant
• More small-sided games and practices involving
fewer players
• Teach fewer skills (specific)
• Provide many opportunities for repetition (drills)
Why do adolescents (13-18) participate in sport?
• have fun
• be with their friends
• improve their skills
• be active
• help them handle stress
• challenge themselves
Why do many teenagers avoid participation in
sport?
• never asked what they would like from their sporting
experience
• Dislike ‘win at all costs’ attitude
• Coaches fail to realize winning may not be the most
important reason for participating
• When they do not receive recognition for their efforts
• Unachievable expectations
• Training programs lack variety
• ??
What athletes want from their coaches.
• Care
• Patience and understanding
• Activity
• Knowledge
• Fun/humor
• Equal and fair treatment
• Support and encouragement
• ??
Other considerations a coach needs to be
aware of.
Characteristics of adolescents (12-16 yrs)
Physical Social/Emotional
Rapid gains in height and strength Peer approval
Achieving physical maturation Role confusion
Transient clumsiness Independence
More intense fitness activities Acceptance
Short concentration spans.
Some reasons for this include:
• Player is not yet ready to participate
• Boredom through inactivity
• The exercise is too difficult for the level
• The exercise is too easy
• A lack of coaching personality
6 - 8 yrs 8 - 9 yrs
20-30 min sessions 30-45 min sessions
5 min specific exercises 8 min specific exercises
(? session per week) (? session per week)

9 - 11 yrs 11 yrs onwards

45-60 min sessions 60-80 min sessions
10 min specific exercises 15 min specific exercises

(? sessions per week) (? sessions per week)