GEORGIA SOCCER COACHING SCHOOL

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GEORGIA SOCCERCOACHING SCHOOL

• G COURSE
• For U-6 and U-8 Recreational Coaches
• October 2009

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OUR CHALLENGE CHANGE THE CULTURE

• Change from a Coach-centered approach to a
  Player-centered approach
• Change from a Drills mentality to Game-like
  activities approach
• Change from a result-oriented philosophy to a
  process-oriented one
• Adults need to learn to view the game through the
  childs eyes

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THE PLAYER-CENTERED APPROACH

• The Player is the central focus
• Understand players characteristics
• Allow players to take ownership
• Allow players to make own decisions
• Allow players to solve problems
• Avoid over-coaching. Let go!!
• Avoid coaching in absolutes
• Avoid coach-controlled choreography
• Avoid imposing adult agenda/expectations on kids

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THE PLAYER AND HIS/HER BALL

• First introduction to soccer
• Egocentric stage
• Fascination with new toy
• Dont want to share their new toy
• Learning to control their body and the ball
• Cannot handle opponents yet

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OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE

• Understand characteristics of U-6/U-8
• Understand their needs and capabilities
• Able to organize appropriate practice sessions
• Understand the importance of dribbling
• KINS Program
• Understand rationale of Small-Sided Soccer
• Become a comfortable and confident coach

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UNDERSTAND PLAYERS CHARACTERISTICS

• U-6 Players Motor Skills
• Differences between Boys and girls minimal
• Motor skills start with the head and move
  downward and outward
• No sense of pace
• Easy fatigue, rapid recovery
• Catching skills not developed
• Eye-hand and eye-foot coordination primitive
• Need to explore quality of rolling/bouncing balls
• Movement education, locomotor/nonlocomotor

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UNDERSTAND PLAYERS CHARACTERISTICS

• U-6 Players Cognitive Skills
• Short attention span
• Play consists of high degree of
  imagination/pretend
• Illogical thinking
• Constantly in motion. No sense of pace
• Can tend to only one task at a time
• No understanding of time/space relationships
• Can only handle simple, one-step instructions
• Focus only on ball. Cannot handle tactics
• Dont really play soccer but play at soccer

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UNDERSTAND PLAYERS CHARACTERISTICS

• U-6 Players Psycho-Social Skills
• Developing self-concept through movement
• Egocentric. Do not play with but play in
  parallel
• No concept of TEAM or group dynamics
• See world only from their perspective (physically
  and emotionally)
• Need generous praise and opportunity to play
  without pressure
• Fragile psychologically

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UNDERSTAND PLAYERS CHARACTERISTICS

• U-8 Players Motor Skills
• Motor skills continuing to improve but still
  primitive
• Catching and bouncing skills beginning to improve
• Constantly in motion. Hyper with energy to burn
• Still lack adult like stamina and tires quickly
• Prone to heat injuries
• Lack visual acuity to deal with air balls
• throw ins, goal kicks, corner kicks issues
• Movement education still the key (locomotor,
  non-locomotor and manipulative)

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UNDERSTAND PLAYERS CHARACTERISTICS

• U-8 Players Cognitive Skills
• Fantasy age disappearing. Some start to think
  and solve problems but do the first thing that
  comes to mind
• Attention span still short. Players are fidgety
• Controlling the ball still main focus. Cannot
  think ahead
• Concept of time and space still forming
• Limited self evaluation effort equal success
• Doesnt recognize some relationships and assumes
  some that do not really exist

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UNDERSTAND PLAYERS CHARACTERISTICS

• U-8 Players Psycho-Social Skills
• Becoming self-conscious. Act less goofy.
• Looking for approval from adults. Like to show
  off.
• Negative comments carry great weight.
• They want everyone to like them.
• Like to imitate the big guys (sport heroes,
  adults)
• Likes soccer because its fun. Intrinsically
  motivated
• Playmates emerge. Universe expanded.
• Limited Team identity.
• Father becomes more influential

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UNDERSTAND PLAYERS CHARACTERISTICS

• U-6/U-8 Rec Soccer Skills
• They dont pass they kick
• The swarm
• Cannot handle throw-ins
• Cannot handle goal kicks
• Cannot handle corner kicks
• Implications for Field size
• No such thing as a wrong technique
• Randomness of play

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PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY

• Must focus on dribbling KINS approach
• Max ball touches (every player with the ball)
• Must be fun. Motivate to participate.
• No tactics. No positions.
• Rules modified to accommodate players level
• Activities vs drills, to promote thinking
• De-emphasize winning/losing. No scores.
• Criticism not appropriate. Develop rapport.

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PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY

• Philosophy of Equal Opportunities
• Increase number of potential growth experiences
  at each practice and game
• Each participant challenged and grow at their own
  ability level
• Better players contribute to growth of players
  who are a level below
• More turns, more ball contacts, less down-time
• Choose activities that allow everyone to play and
  accomplish above stated goals/philosophy

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PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY

• Slanty Line Theory
• Replace traditional rope game of high water-low
  water where everyone jumps over straight line
  rope
• The traditional straight line rope eliminates the
  weakest players early (those who need the
  activity the most)
• Use slanty line rope so each player can engage at
  his/her level and experience success
• When players feel comfortable, secure they seek
  out new challenges.
• Choose activities that allow everyone to stay
  engaged without getting eliminated early

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PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PHILOSOPHY

• Flow State Model
• Flow is the period of time in which the activity
  or task matches your ability
• If too easy it becomes boring. If too hard
  it becomes frustrating.
• When in a state of flow, players lose track of
  time and experience happiness and success
• When not in a state of flow, other behavioral
  states may occur (misbehave, inattentive, bored,
  anxious, etc).
• Choose activities that allow everyone to reach a
  state of flow quickly, with action, opportunities
  challenges

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KINS PROGRAM

• KINS Kicking Is Not Soccer
• Emphasize the skill of DRIBBLING
• Foundation/preparation skill for every other
  skill
• Must start early and develop feel/composure on
  ball
• Best time to learn from Trial and error
• Discourage aimless booting of the ball
• Emphasis on Booting stunts development
• Players conditioned to get rid of the ball
• Promote decision making by players
• Warm up emphasize dribbling

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BENEFITS OF KINS PROGRAM

• Improves skill and enjoyment of players
• Provides built-in on-going coaching assistance
• Easier to enlist parents to volunteer as coach
• Develop club identity and loyalty
• Raises the skill level of the recreational level
• Raises the skill level of the select level
• KINS Program Manual in www.gasoccer.org

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TEAM MANAGEMENTSAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT

• Coach has responsibility for safety of players
• Safe environment (field, goals, equipment)
• Free of physical, sexual, or verbal abuse
• Coach proper technique
• Safe activities and proper warm up
• Supervision of players, size mismatch
• Quick and sufficient medical response
• Common sense with weather/lightning

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TEAM MANAGEMENTSAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT

• Calmness during games keep cool head
• Frequent water breaks
• Get certified with Coaching License
• Get certified with First Aid course
• Know the laws of the game
• Coaches Connection membership
• www.usyouthsoccer.org

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TEAM MANAGEMENTETHICAL ASPECTS

• Standards of behavior (moral ethical)
• In the best interest of the individual player
• Respect all participants (opponents, ref, etc)
• Respect others confidentiality/privacy
• Provide feedback in caring/sensitive manner
• Developing players character, values, positive
  self-image, self confidence more important than
  soccer skills and team results.

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TEAM MANAGEMENTCARE AND PREVENTION

• Always ERR on the side of caution
• First Aid kit
• Prevention is key
• Player Safety Information Card
• Rule of Thumb when handling injury
• Avoid panic. Inspire confidence and reassure
  player.
• Check for history of injury (how it happened)
• Check for Breathing, bleeding, deformity,
  discoloration
• Avoid moving the player if potential injury to
  back/neck
• Use common sense and seek professional help

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TEAM MANAGEMENTCARE AND PREVENTION

• Coaches need to know
• Rest Ice Compression Elevation
• Strains and Sprains
• Blisters
• Broken bones and recognition of them
• Cramp
• Heat exhaustion
• Concussions and head injuries

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TEAM MANAGEMENTTEAM ORGANIZATION

• Training sessions 45 min to 1 hr
• Comprise of many short activities
• No Laps, Lines, or lectures
• Maximize ball touches
• Movement education
• Equipment needs (cones, extra balls, air pump,
  bibs, First aid kit, Ice, goals)

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TEAM MANAGEMENTTEAM ORGANIZATION

• Principles of Teaching
• Players learn from doing, not from listening
• Dont over coach
• Create games that promote thinking
• Wean them out of dependence on adults
• Parents should not coach the players
• Parents should not tell players to kick or boot
  ball
• Coaches should also keep instructions to a
  minimum
• Parent pre-season Meeting

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COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• Why 3v3/4v4?
• What about Passing at U-6/U-8?
• How to handle player who refuses to participate?
• How do we handle a timid player?
• How to handle a dominating player?
• How to handle a disruptive player?
• How to handle dangerous physical play?

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Georgia SoccerCoaching Education Program

• Practice Planning
• SoccerROM

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Practice Planning SoccerROM

• SoccerROM is an online application, not just a
  web site
• Designed to work for coaches of all levels
• Makes it easy for coaches to plan practices and
  bring new ideas to their players
• Extends education beyond the clinic (before the
  course and after)
• Georgia Soccer is providing FREE SoccerROM
  subscriptions to coaches who attend a coaching
  course
• It is very important that you have a WRITTEN
  practice plan with you every time you step on the
  field
• Having a plan in your head isnt enough!
• Your sessions dont have to come from SoccerROM,
  but this makes it easy!

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When you have finished your plan, simply print it
out using the Print feature of your web
browser, and youll get a one- to two-page plan
that you can take with you to your session.

• To get started
• Go to www.SoccerROM.com
• Click on Subscribe Now!
• Go through the registration process, and enter
  the following Program ID Code when prompted
• GA09CED716
• When asked for payment, pick Check
• Your account will be activated within a few hours!

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GEORGIA SOCCERCOACHING SCHOOL

• G COURSE
• October 2009