L’training of young footballers it is a topic of great importance in the world of football.
The following advice could be useful for both experienced and novice coaches, but also for parents trying to figure out how to guarantee their children a complete and satisfying football experience.
Our tips for a productive and enjoyable workout
Tip #1: Perform tasks quickly.
Kids are known to love a quick workout and can’t stand waiting or downtime. In fact, waiting and moving slowly can cause them to lose concentration.
Therefore, it is important to keep children always on the move, avoiding keeping them still for too long and having too long breaks. The best thing would be to switch from one proposal to another very quickly.
Tip n.2: Prepare proposals that lead to the success of the students.
It is important to allow children to experience success; otherwise, they may become discouraged and lose enthusiasm.
Therefore, it is important to choose the exercises according to the level of difficulty of the children and, when possible, adapt them to their abilities to make them always feel capable of doing well.
Tip #3: Ensure discipline.
A fair amount of discipline gives children the opportunity to have fun, carrying out a regular and organized activity, giving everyone the opportunity to learn while having fun.
In fact, discipline is a fundamental element to ensure order and safety in the field, as well as to keep children’s attention on the activities in progress.
Tip #4: Get the attention of your students.
Babies have very short attention spans, so it may be difficult to get their attention and keep it to yourself. However, this aspect is essential in order to obtain effective and productive training.
Therefore, it is important to try to involve the kids through the variety of proposals, the use of interesting teaching tools and the direct involvement of the coaches.
Tip #5: Structure your training properly.
This can be a challenging task for new coaches. The ability to choose the right exercises and establish their duration, together with the necessary breaks, is an important quality that develops with experience in the field.
A good organization, able to avoid monotony, will allow you to save time and to conduct a more effective and safe training.
Tip #6: Maintain a positive and optimistic attitude.
This is a fundamental quality for a coach. The coach’s mood can affect the players: if you’re down or worried about personal problems, the kids will notice it and your training will suffer.
On the other hand, the positive attitude of the coach can inspire the team and improve the atmosphere on the pitch.
Tip #7: Create a fun and engaging workout.
The last but perhaps the most important of the tips; it is essential that training involves and creates the right amount of fun to keep players motivated.
If the proposed activities are boring, the training will inevitably become boring.
More tips for creating a fast and engaging workout
Here are some more specific tips for creating a fun and engaging workout:
● Plan ahead: Planning is key. A well-structured and well-prepared workout allows you to maximize the time available and avoid dead moments.
● Quickly move to the next activity: having a precise “plan” and knowing exactly what to do is important to avoid confusion and waste of time.
● Choose fast, high-intensity exercises: Children prefer activities that get them running and moving, so choose exercises that encourage physical activity.
● Use multipurpose exercises: exercises that combine different skills are more fun and allow you to maximize the time available.
● Use multiple stations: The use of multiple playing fields allows you to perform multiple activities at the same time, reducing the waiting time.
● Have an assistant: having help in the field can help you organize your activities better and save time.
● Involve all children: Avoid keeping children inactive and out of activity. Every child should feel involved and engaged during training.
If you want to practice your skills as a good coach, start exploring the world of IdeaCalcio (also offers a wide range of insights e training for soccer schools): you can find free articles, video courses, ebooks and much more to improve as a coach and help your team and the kids you coach.