Children should enjoy playing football. This is at the heart of how we coach. As well as developing technical and physical skills within children we believe it is equally important to develop their social and psychological understanding of how to play the game (the FA four corner model). Children are encouraged to understand mistakes as a part of the game and to see them as something to learn from and a way of further improving. We are keen to coach based on the approach promoted by the England DNA Foundation Phase, with a specific focus on children becoming confident on the ball. Sessions and games are organised so that all children can enjoy themselves, improve and learn to play the right way.
Training:
Games against other teams:
As mentioned earlier, our approach to training, matches and player development will link closely to the approach suggested by the England DNA Foundation Phase. I would encourage all of you to look at this if you can to understand what we are trying to achieve. We believe developing children to play the right way is worth doing to make better footballers in the future. For more details on the England DNA Foundation Phase approach please:
You can also download a Hive Learning app where you can access all of this information on your phone!
Training:
- Children are taught FUNdamental movement skills to develop agility, balance and co-ordination as well as having opportunities to develop social skills and establish healthy lifestyles
- Wherever possible children learn through playing games rather than skill specific drills
- Children are encouraged to be confident on the ball, maintaining possession first as an individual and then as part of a team
- Children are encouraged to begin to solve problems on the pitch themselves, with appropriate support from the coach
- Children begin to learn skills specific to football including an awareness and understanding of different playing positions
Games against other teams:
- The focus of playing games is to enjoy being part of a game and to further improve initially as an individual then as a team
- Children will learn to play in a variety of positions on the pitch rather than specialising in one particular position (where a child has made the decision they wish to be a GK they will be provided with more opportunities to play this position)
- Children will receive equal game time wherever possible and rotate who will start and who will be substitute
- Rather than focussing on the result, children will be given team or individual challenges to try and complete with these being the measure of how they have performed
As mentioned earlier, our approach to training, matches and player development will link closely to the approach suggested by the England DNA Foundation Phase. I would encourage all of you to look at this if you can to understand what we are trying to achieve. We believe developing children to play the right way is worth doing to make better footballers in the future. For more details on the England DNA Foundation Phase approach please:
- Go to www.hivelearning.com/thefa
- Create a free account
- Search 'England DNA Foundation Phase'
- Join this group
You can also download a Hive Learning app where you can access all of this information on your phone!