Totally OT - need help with U6 girl soccer

[adventure_woman]

I'm sorry for this being so totally OT, I just need advice and this is where I always turn to! I volunteered to coach my daughters AYSO U6 soccer team (they needed people badly). I have done/currently doing training online at AYSO. I have never played soccer, so this is totally out of my comfort zone. First game is Saturday. Can someone who has any knowledge give me a list of things I should do on the 1st day? We have practice for 30 min then a 30 min game.

I have down to talk about just playing the game, work on throw-in, dribbling, etc. But any tips would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Southernmiss]

U6-teach them to have fun.

Show them which goal they are going to score into. Tell them to run to that goal.

Teach them to know what you mean when you say turn it around--meaning run the opposite direction.

Not a lot to under 6 soccer.

Remind the parents that it's a game for KIDS!

 

[naomi78155]

Yay for you! I was in the same boat a few years ago with DS, I had never coached before but it ended up being really fun. As pp posted, basically just make sure they run the right way! lol. Also, google for some practice lessons.
They are so cute at this age!

Number 1 rule: Have Fun!!

Good luck!

 

[momx2]

Have fun and don't stress out about it. Let them have fun and hope they run in the right direction Also, mine didn't do throw ins at U6. That didn't come for a few more years I believe.

 

[brymolmom]

Agree with above. I am in a VERY BIG SOCCER community and at that age, even here, there isn't a ton of teaching 'expected' of the coach.

I did coach at about that age and do think you should go in prepared with stuff to do. There are a ton of ideas online for 'games' to play (but refer to them as 'drills' in the practice).

First do a warm-up - jog around a bit and some simple stretches to get them in the habit that it's good to stretch.
Then maybe a drill - just kick back and forth to a buddy for a few minutes.
A drill where they dribble their own ball back and forth across the field.
You could try to teach basic good kick technique (ie: not kicking with your toe) - but don't worry too much about this.
Have everyone line up and take turns kicking into the goal.
Then maybe a little sit down where you speak about offense vs. defense (we will have 3 people play up near their goal and 2 stay back near ours). And maybe even show them where to stand.

And, I agree with others - HAVE FUN!

Toughest part might be keeping them interested for a full hour. Good luck!

 

[Hannathy]

If you teach them a few things their coaches down the line will love you.

Don't group up! you don't all go after the same ball at the same time, spread out.

Don't kick it down the middle or to the middle of the field,

Look at who you are kicking the ball to before you kick it, make sure someone from your team is there.

I never played soccer but I have learned those things above from watching my kids play rec soccer from 5 till 17. And have heard the coaches say those things to them hundreds of times.


And not everyone should be made to play goalie!, even if you rotate all the spots-please make this position optional. My DS's coach made everyone play it and I felt so bad for him. He was always one of the youngest on the team cause of birthday cut offs and he is extremely skinny! Some of the boys were a foot taller and 70 pounds heavier. He felt so bad because the other team could just over power him and he felt like he was letting his team down. Now on defense he did fine, but he just wasn't big enough for goalie.

 

[tmarquez]

The best thing to teach them is some kind of attention getter...cause they will be crazy!

The best one I ever saw was the coach would say "One, two, three, eyes on me"...and all the kids would reply "One, two, eyes on you". It worked great.

Good luck, you'll do great!

 

[ICF]

Kick it in the right goal
Spread out (this is a big problem as you have a large cluster of kids moving all over the place)
Don't use your hands
Have fun

The kids are young.....just enjoy and dont stress out too much about things.

 

[Deffenm]

I wish my DH was around as he coaches soccer for a living (he is on his way to coach his High School team). The main thing I remember him doing is making sure the kids don't stand in a line waiting to do a "drill". They will get bored real quick. So if you can make sure you have a helper so you run two "drills" at one time. If you don't have a helper do "drills" that everyone can be involved in. Now when I say drills I really mean games. Like they could play cars. They act like the ball is a car and you give them directions (go forward, stop, reverse, turn around). Play red light, green light while using a ball. Clear the garbage is another game where you have lots of balls in an area and the kids have to get the balls out within a certain amount of time, of course you are kicking the balls back into the area as soon as they kick them out - it helps them so they don't all chase one ball because if they did they would never clear the garbage. Then finish pracitice with 3V3 or 4V4 (not sure number of kids you have to team). As they are playing reinforce what they just learned. Don't dictate to them that they "can't" cross a certain line to keep them in position. You want them to think for themselves and learn to see where they should be not where you tell them to be. Set expectations with parents up front that you are the coach and postive cheering is accepted but no coaching from the sidelines. I have seen too many kids torn between listening to the coach vs their parents. I loved watching this age but also dreaded it due to parents. There are lots of on line resources that can help you come up with lesson plans as well that are fun but the kids learn. Oh and my husband always engages the kids by asking them questions like what did we learn today? What are some ways you can trap a ball? It reinforces what they learned plus you can gauge if they understood what you taught. Best of luck and if you have any specific questions I would be happy to ask DH. He loves talking about soccer.

 

[ptcruisermom]

Most of all remind the kids to have fun-second of all and this has happened, make sure all the kids get in, I know it can't be exactly equal but for gosh sakes make sure their playing time is as close as it can be. Just because little Johnny or Susie aren't fast runners, don't make them sit out almost all of the game. Believe me this has happened or did happen years ago int he town I live in, and that 's right it was my kids, and I was told by the coach well they don't get to play as much because they aren't fast. My boys went on and played football when they were able, my daughter played soccer until 10 ,and in all fairness she did get faster, she gave it up because she wanted to take another dance class, and was playing co-ed yet,a nd got hit in the face and stomach with a ball. Now 8 years later, she decided to give up varsity foot ball cheer and play her senior year, does she play much varsity not really, do I care no, she plays all of the JV and about 10 minutes of varsity, and I know it is because she hasn't played, but then again we are talking a HS team and not an under 6 team. Is she having fun, YES,says she wishes she would have never given it up, and talks of being a walk on if she chooses a small college to attend or maybe just club or intramural. so you just never know at that age who will keep playing, who will pursue other interest or who will even come back.

 

[emma'smom]

If you have a keeper, teach them that they can pick up the ball, run to the edge of the box and throw it. When dd was that age, this was a hard concept as they wanted to stay stuck right inside the net.

Also, we used to yell "take it down the line"....and they thought we literally meant to put the ball on the line. Just remember how literal they are at that point (ie. Don't tell them to "crash the net"--another mistake we made).

But mostly have fun and run in the right direction.....and pass the ball!

 

[adventure_woman]

Thanks everyone for all your advice. DDs 1st game is tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[HamTown]

My DH coached t-ball for 4 years and since it's the same age group I'll tell you his best coaching tip.

Make sure everyone goes to the bathroom before the game starts!

If one player has to go, suddenly the whole team will need to go.

Lots of great tips in the thread. For the defensive players in front of the goal, make sure they know that they need to stand "near" the line, not on it. My DS wouldn't leave the line because that's where the coach put him. Also, the goalie doesn't need to stand inside the goal (for some reason we've had trouble with that too).

Most of all, Have Fun!

 

[adventure_woman]

DD had her game and it went good. (well - for me anyway! DD cried 1/2 the game - I think she was just tired from her first week in kindergarten! We had a talk after nap yesterday! - there was another little girl from the other team that cried the second half too - the other coaches daughter! At least I wasn't alone!).

Thanks again for all your advice! Next week I shouldn't be as nervous!

 

[Leajess99]

Thank you for stepping up. I'm sure you will do fine as a coach and the big thing to remember is to make sure the kids are having fun. Many times the kids care more about the snack at the end than the score. As long as they are having fun, you are doing awesome.

Spreading out and the fundamentals are great things to teach too. If you want to work on proper kicking (no toe kicking) than you could always place tape on the right kicking spots to show them to use the inside or outside or top of their foot.

I love watching the younger kids have fun although it is also fun to watch the bigger kids. My youngest now plays U12 (we moved her up a year early) and I have coached many age groups through the years.

There are may places on line to find drills and Challenger sports has given us some good drills for the kids. http://www.thechallengerway.com/

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

After our U8 practice this week, I can tell you that kids still love a fun game of "Monster" at practice!

We make a large circle with cones
Each child gets a ball except the "monster"(each child gets a turn at being monster)
The monster tries to kick the balls outside of the cones
The children are trying to protect their balls from the monster by dribbling around
The children get practice by dribbling and protecting the ball, and also by doing 6 toe taps if their ball does get kicked out(you may or may not incorporate toe taps with U6)

My dh has coached youth soccer for 8 years, and so far this is still the kids' favorite at practice! With our U8 kids, we usually do Monster last, just to end practice on a fun note! He is coaching our son's high school soccer team this year as well, but unfortunately they don't get to play Monster! LOL

 

[Leajess99]

Red Light, Green Light is a great game to teach the kids to listen to the whistle. Have them dribble the ball and when you want them to stop (red light) blow the whistle. It really helps them learn to listen for and stop for the whistle.

 

[pooh4evr]

At that age it is all about as many touches on the ball as they can get in a practice, avoid drills where they stand in line, do footwork, and scrimmage! Spread the positions around, everyone takes turns in goal, on defense and offense.