Events

Hello everyone,

Once again, thank you for participating in the Junior Level 1 coaching course.

Here is some information which will hopefully help you on your coaching journey. As usual, please feel free to holler out if you need any help!

Have a look at this link ( NZF JFW Co-ordinator training – Google Drive ) for some Junior Football activity ideas beyond what we did on the night and beyond the 2021 Game Cards.

As mentioned, ‘copy to create’ where applicable. Some of the activities need to be adjusted for the age you are coaching!

Some notes from the day:

(1) remember, we can make activities easier or harder by adjusting the:

S – Space (often bigger space = more time = easier)

T – Task (you can change the objective of the activity or how players operate within the activity. Sometimes ‘slowing’ down a defender can create opportunity for the attacker. Think of some ways we might give advantage to the attacker to give them extra time)

T – Time (sometimes adding time to things can quicken the speed of play through a challenge, eg. How many ‘x’ can you do in ‘y’ seconds?)

E – Equipment (eg. using an endzone to score by dribbling into and stopping the ball creates a different behaviour than placing a goal for a player to kick into; eg. having 2 wide goals to score into might create a different behaviour than one central goal)(also remember players like scoring goals, so come up with clever ways in which you can incorporate a goal(s) into the game; eg. when the defender wins it do they just kick it out, or can they dribble and try to score in a goal before the attacker wins it back?)

P – People (eg. Try creating activities where there are more attackers than defenders like 3v2 or 2v1. More defenders, the harder the activity becomes)

(2) remember, we want to make sure the players are achieving the objective of the activity (read ‘outcomes’!). This might mean when you are doing general movement, you start your activity without a ball to allow for them to move fluidly. Naturally, a progression is adding a ball.

(3) not all activities are perfect. Copy to create. Take what is good and make it your own. See what works.

(4) its ok to revisit activities multiple times, especially if the players enjoy them…and your delivery will improve each time!

(5) be comfortable with chaos. Not all activities will go as plan and not all activities will be ‘clean’ and ‘organised.’ Often this is where learning takes place (either for you or the players! or both!)

(6) smaller numbers is often better. If you can run parallel activities that is better. Get a parent to observe, or stand where you can see all the action (you don’t need to be IN the field of action). eg. with 8 players, you might play 2v2 x2 versus 4v4.

If you have any further questions around these activities, please let me know.

Keep a heads up for more coach education opportunities below!

Upcoming junior coach education courses where you can further progress along the coaching pathway:

http://www.waibopfootball.co.nz/COACHES/Junior-Pathway-1

Upcoming free on-field junior coach education courses where we learn and practice junior football activities from the Small Whites coaching packs and more:

http://www.waibopfootball.co.nz/COACHES/Further-Development-1

McDonalds-Junior-Football-Games-Activities

Flag Tag (General Movement)
Dribble Tag (General Movement)
Sharks and Islands (General Movement)
Fake & Sprint Race (General Movement)
Zoo Escape (General Movement)
Runaway Trucks (Football Coordination)
King of the Ring (Football Technique)
Lose Your Partner (Football Technique)
Robin Hood (Football Technique)
Truck & Trailers (Football Technique)
Hit the Target (Small Sided Games)
2 Goal Game (Small Sided Games)
In the Zone (Small Sided Games)