TRAINING SESSIONS

Coming up with innovative and new training ideas relies on good discipline and commitment of our FA Qualified Coaches. Below is the values we ask as part of the Larkhall Way:

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• Create a structured plan for each session, each week.

• Make each week build on the previous week.

• Make the session’s fun.

• Practice motivational psychology – i.e. praise ‘effort’ not ‘ability’.

• Create a disciplined approach to your sessions so the youngsters know exactly what to expect from you and your team of coaches.

• If possible – give them some ‘homework’ e.g. practice a turn or a technique you’ve just introduced.  Then start the following week with that - after the warm up match (below).

UNDER 9S AND BELOW

The children need to have as much fun as possible whilst touching the football as many times as possible, so introduce fun games.  The only coaching necessary would be the technical abilities of kicking and controlling the ball – and that is it.  Key topics are:

• Kicking Techniques

• Ball control with feet

• Fun games and dribbling with ball

• Try to improve agility, balance and co-ordination as 95% of neural pathways are developed by age 11

UNDER 10S TO UNDER 12S

The ages 10-14 are the most important time of a football player’s development.  So from age 10-12, it is important to introduce small sided games i.e. 3v3 or 4v4, as this accelerates the development of technical ability and game intelligence.  Key topics are:

• Decision making

• How to mark properly – touch tight etc. 

• Dribbling and running with the ball

• Finishing/shooting – where and how to shoot

• Passing and moving

• Small sided games

• Control with other parts of body (thigh, chest, volley control)

• Heading

• Keep ups to improve control of ball

• Basic understanding of formations

• Flexibility

• Volleying

• Communication

UNDER 13S AND ABOVE

​To continue the important 10-14 learning phase physical, mentally and tactically we add the following aspects:

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• Fitness

• Speed and agility

• Core stability

• Defending as a unit from the front

• Set Piece plans - basic to in-depth

• In depth understanding of formations

• Phases of play, going from defence to attack and attack to defence

• How to counter attack