the coach ENVIROnMENT football Variation. Coach open to trial & error age 4-6 FUN is number one priority Coach to player ratio 1:6 Well organised/planned sessions Every child has their own ball. Kicking t Maximise all coaching resources ac to increase knowledge LS Ground, Dribble, Stop, t Discovery/Exploration adult IL ic K Bounce Kick, Kick from al 18+ YRS S Decision Making Trial & Error Guide children. Don’t tell them l two hands. pr a 2v1 Piggy in the middle o ic w Be a role model n Handling 3v1 Piggy in the middle (roll ball to pass only) Variation in Equipment using h e LATE teenage c Two hand catch, one hand catch, s colours & different sizes e body catch, different sized balls, s t Target Games 16-17 YRS Set Fun GAA activities Two hand bounce, one hand bounce, Aim into or at a target to improve technique to be played between e.g. Knock the tower. sessions involving Pick Up mid teenage adults Hands Only, Hand & Toe in a stationary position. Striking, Rolling, Bowling, ological 14-15 yrs ch fo Throwing. y cu ps Coachability s Movement of Players early teenage Use four steps, knee tap solo. 12-13 yrs Develop listening skills – Simon Says Game Running Marching, running forwards, Zones backwards & sideways shuffle. LATE GO GAMES Used in games for early develop- 10-11 yrs Jumping/Landing ment of positional sense. 1 leg/both legs/variety of directions Stops bunching Agility Chasing games, evasion games. EARLY GO GAMES Encourage sidestep & evasion. Small sided games only. 2v2, 4v4 the game 7-9 yrs the player Balance Exercise – Stand on 1 leg, rope Max. Only goes flat out – p walks, 1 on 1 balance games. Premium on all players getting Small sided games h 2v2, 3v3, 4v4 MAX NURSERY no sense of pace ys Coordination touches. player development – y ic Max 7v7 la 4-6 yrs Is self-centred – a Hand Eye- cups and saucers p First touch soft football l Eye Foot-Dribble will want their own ball fit am ne Eye Foot-Bean Bag Solo te Each child has their own Has little concern for team activities ss Water Bottle & Gum Shield Physical & Physiological state of boys & PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK Have a ball per child at all sessions. girls is very similar Develop basic awareness of performance Child brings their own ball Has limited sense of time & space through outcomes e.g. Targets, scores, Has a short attention span 1 Skill: Empty the Yard nursery Football Stations Model Set up as diagram Football split between both teams On whistle players kick balls continuously into other team’s yard On 2nd Whistle – team with the least balls in the yard wins warm up activity Reset Footballs and play again All players warm up together. 2 Game 3v3 End Zone (Team Play) Any pulse raiser can be used here – Bulldog, Stuck in The Mud, Chasing Outline pitch clearly with cones and clear end zone Games. Players run with ball & pass to each other by throwing/kicking the ball Encourage players to run at speed in Players score by getting the ball into end zone warm up. Key Principles Restart game with different player after each score Total coaching time to be one hour Players to spend 8 minutes at each station 3 Fun Game – Chase Tails (Speed) Outline playing area clearly with cones A coach is assigned to manage time spent at each station. Each player creates their tail by tucking bib at back On his/her whistle all groups move on. On coaches whistle players run around area for 45 seconds Players try to take as many bibs of others as possible Each station has 1/2 coaches. At end of game, check for how many bibs players have got and any players who were not caught. Coach stays at station for whole session. Only players move between stations. 4 Skill: Piggy in The middle (Catching) Set up three cones in a triangle shape Max number of players per station is 6. More players = More stations Player stands at each cone with one ball between 3. 1 players stands in the middle – Piggy in the middle Players on cones pass the ball trying to maintain possession Regression: Player in the middle is on his/her knees 5 ABC Activity: Rob The Nest (Balance) Set up three even teams as in diagram Place bibs in centre of the grid Players hop to centre on one leg and bring 1 bib back to their team. Continue until all bibs are gone from the middle Ask players to change leg each time. Regression: Hop on both legs or skip Key Principals the coach ENVIROnMENT Variation. Coach open to trial & error age 7-9 FUN is number one priority Coach to player ratio 1:8 Well organised/planned sessions Be sensitive to each players Kicking t Maximise all coaching resources ac development needs to increase knowledge LS Punt kick t adult IL Ic K Right Hand Left Foot al Discovery/Exploration 18+ YRS S Guide children. Don’t tell them l Left Hand Right Foot pr a Decision Making o Actual game results are Ic w Be a role model n Handling secondary h Players encouraged to move into e LATE teenage c Stationary Catch – Body/Low/High s e space s 16-17 YRS Convey Enthuasiasm t Movement Devise gamesthat require Use Four Steps, players to look up One Handed Bounce mid teenage Solo ologIcal 14-15 yrs ch fo y cu ps Coachability s Tackle of Players early teenage Near Hand Tackle Ask players imagine 12-13 yrs themselves as role models to improve skills Running Speed Developed through Zones LATE GO GAMES Fun Games – i.e. Chasing Games Use trigger words to develop Use zones for basic positional 10-11 yrs Jumping concentration understanding Jump for distance & in all directions Players play all positions to EARLY GO GAMES Agility experience attack & defence the player Jump for distance & in all directions the game 7-9 yrs Small sided games crucial for Only goes flat out – p Body Resistance Exercises individual learning Small sided games, 3v3, h 4v4, 6v6, 7v7 MAX NURSERY no sense of pace ys Fun Squat preformed through Basic Communication y Ic “laying an Egg” game Balance & la 4-6 yrs Need approval from coach/parents al Call for the ball p Zones can be used to stop f Strength improved through Fun m bunching of players. It Tug of War Games a Like to show off individual skills n te ess Player fouled takes Free Small group activities are vital for improvement PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK Players sample all positions. Develop basic awareness of perfor- Imagine themselves as inter county Every child has their own ball at home. players to improve skills mance through outcomes e.g. Target Play against a wall, with a friend, with scores in a minute group of friends. age 7-9 football sample session warm up ACTIVITY Organisation TURAS principles 2 Players are chosen as chasers All other players line up side by side with a ball. Make a tail for each Ensure the warm up is fun player using a bib or tag. Ensure there are plenty of ball contacts On whistle players with ball try to run from one side to the other with Ensure all players are active all of the time. chasers trying to grab their tails . Make it a game PRINCIPLES When caught, players become chasers. Game continues until all The key principles underpinning coaching players are caught. on the Leinster GAA Player Pathway are GAMES BASED ACTIVITY Organisation presented using the acronym TURAS. TURAS principles Mark out a circle and divide players into three teams After warm up maintain the fun emphasis through One team in side circle, two teams outside circle working together. game based activity esting and Challenging; all players should Players inside the circle try to keep the circle clear of footballs by Ensure skill is practised on left and right be challenged to improve at their level punt kicking balls out. Design the activity for multiple possessions for each player Outside players must return the balls to circle Stop activity when needed to reset and maintain Rotate the teams to ensure all teams have a turn inside the circle. organisation nderstands the player is at the centre of the game and provides individualised Intervention (Fix the Skill) Organisation TURAS principles development (player centred) After the Games Based Activity select a skill that needs Mark out 4 cones approx 20M apart improvement One player at each cone Set up activity so that players get high volume of ball esembles the game (games based) Ball is punt kicked along the line of players contacts After a set time change players positions at cones. Use trigger words to help the players focus on a key Challenge the players through 1/relay race 2/left & right foot 3/ball aspect of the skill can’t touch the ground relay race. Use basic scoring systems to set targets for the players e.g. Relay race ll players involved, all the time; lots of Game Organisation TURAS principles touches, lots of decisions Complete the main part of session with a Go Game Organise the players into two even teams. Max 7v7 Coach to move around the pitch in order to Restrict players to one play of the ball before playing it communicate with all players away hould always be an enjoyable, Use skill points to focus on development of certain developmentally appropriate & holistic The player who is fouled takes the free skills e.g.