Any youth coaches..?

You cant just come on here when you want something

I havent seen you for ages but yeah, my mate coaches the same age group and there are loads of vids on youtube

In my team we do a defence v's attack which I find the most useful, this is just one of various exercises


Peace

All this flair stuff is okay but, get them taught on how to tackle and close some one on the ball down and narrowing the opponents options down as well

* Im 33 btw, played since was 6 and had lots of different age group coaches

The biggest issue you'll ever face is other parents who can't be arséd to lift a finger to help, but will want your balls in a vice if you dare not rate their little angel
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There are a load of mums like that at the team I help coach, honestly it's disgusting, the other week they were screeching "the ref's on the payroll". The worst thing is that the kids hate it, they just want to enjoy their football!

I coach under 8s and the best way - even if you're team doesn't benefit directly is to give them as much time with the ball as possible.

7 a- side maximum in games at the end of training

Traffic lights - set a perimeter, each kid has a ball... Red light (small come or similar) means change direction, amber is carry on dribbling around, green is go faster. After 5 minutes progress it into whoever kicks the ball out of the perimeter is out..

10 mins max.

Pair up into twos, with one ball, different coloured cones, 2-3 different ones for each of them call out a colour, players have to run to the different colour to receive the pass.

Set a perimeter with four different colour cones, call each one a super hero or something.. Aim is the kids will dribble around until you call out a super hero name, then they need to dribble quickly to that area/cone.

Simple drills, lots of work with the ball so it becomes second nature to them.

Attack v defence is good too.. kick the balls out of the area.. until there is a "winner"

Cheers Redinthehead!

Truetored... You will need a CRB check though!

Also some kids will be afraid to head the ball too. So have a "shoot 5" ball to get their courage up a notch.

I agree with RAP. Coaching kids is a massive pain in the derrière

I been coaching kids footy for 4 years and the best drills are passing, passing and more passing.
Also make sure the drills you choose involve a lot of work with the ball.
Don't just make them jog around the pitch as a warm up - laziness and unimaginative.

Simple drill
Get them in a circle and pass the ball across the circle making sure they call the name of the kid they are passing to and making sure they speed the passing up and 'snapping' that pass.

Another good one...make a grid about 20x20 yards. Each player dribbles a ball and has to get the other kids footballs out of the grid but protecting his own. Winner is the last one in. Make sure they are not standing around otherwise they are out.

I've got tons of them but you can google loads - type kids footy ball drills.

Good luck with the parents - nightmare