Structure of Practice

I was watching a little NFL Network tonight, and of course it's Training Camp season... The commentators were dissecting the practices of several teams, and they made a good point.

Practices are structured to move from the individual drills to the full-team drills and work. This allows the coach to stress individual skills (and fundamentals - imagine that), and the player to work and concentrate on the mechanics of particular skills. From there, the next set of drills might be small group drills, or offensive or defensive-specific work. Moving to the small group allows for more repetition, but in a more realistic setting.

Saving the full team drills or a scrimmage for the end makes sense - this is where everything can come together, whether it's offense against defense, full-court, full speed, etc. By this point, the players have had the maximum amount of time to work on their own - and it is now their time to shine. Usually, the full team drills are also what the kids look forward to most. If you started with them, you might see less effort as practice went on instead of more.

Good luck!

Dealing with Heat

It's the summer. I'm in Arizona. What's the first thing that comes to mind? ...at one point on the drive home today, my car said it was 114 degrees outside. That's pretty hot. Probably too hot to be a child practicing sports outdoors...

Our league does not have indoor practice times available (still not sure why not, but we don't), so the only option is to practice outside. How do you balance the need for work with the dangers of the summer heat? As a coach, there's several things you can consider.

First of all, remember who you're dealing with. If you're like me, you have 5 year olds, or 7 year olds. Not high schoolers, not collegians. It's ok if they do a little less running, and a little less "conditioning". Focus on strategy during practice, and basic skill drills instead. Don't go "all out" or run at full speed. Everyone will understand.

If it's 110+, it's time to consider canceling practice. Under that, take lots of breaks to rest -and make sure the kids drink plenty of water. If anyone feels faint, "funny", or light-headed, make them sit out. I always have parents stick around at practice, so they can watch - and constantly evaluate their child. Sometimes it's hard to make sure all 8 or 9 on a team are being closely watched - having the parents there helps.

The one thing to keep in mind is if there's ever any doubt - don't do it. I suppose that's a good "life rule" - but it definitely applies to practice, particularly in the heat.

Stay cool.

Repetition

Back from a nice and somewhat relaxing vacation back to Wisconsin...

One of the things I try to do during a season is to repeat things. I say the same things, I run the same drills, we run the same plays... This is not because I am unimaginative, but rather it reinforces ideas, concepts, and skills. For the same reason kids practice vowel sounds and math facts over and over again, so it is that they can benefit from the same in sport.

Routine is part of the process. All of the practices are pretty much the same - stretching/warm up, basic skills, advanced skills, strategy - always in that order. It doesn't make sense to talk strategy if the kids don't have the basic skills. Likewise, it is more important that the basic skills are mastered. Structuring practice properly allows for a continual building of skills, and successive use and practice of combinations of skills.

Don't be afraid to run the same drills, and say the same things all season long. This was the hallmark of Fred Kesley when he was running basketball camps where a young Chad learned his craft. I didn't give him much credit then, but it seems pretty logical now.

Kicking

Kicking the ball seems pretty simple - a basic part of soccer.

But have you noticed how it seems like some kids can kick the ball straight (or where they want to), and some struggle? I've taken to teaching the younger set (4-6) how to kick with the inside of their foot. Now, we don't spend lots of time working on drills for kicking mechanics, but I work it into the drills, and mention it constantly. Why is it easier to kick with the inside of the foot? It's flatter, and the surface area is greater. Simple physics? ...mostly, and that equals better control of the ball, and more consistent kicking.

Another key is to have the kids stop the ball before kicking it. When kicking a moving ball, it's very difficult to get it to go where you want it. Kicking a stationary ball (when possible) allows for proper kicking form, and a known starting point.

I guess the message here is that it's never a bad time to mention good fundamentals - even if they seem basic and simple...

To scrimmage or not to scrimmage...

I'm not a huge fan of scrimmaging during practice for the under-8 set.

Why? I feel like it takes away time we'd other wise spend on fundamentals. The basic skills are essential for young players. Not only do they learn to do things, and do them well early - it gives them the best chance to work on those skills later through their careers.

There is nothing inherently wrong with scrimmaging, especially for a few minutes at the end of practice. It does actually provide a little glimpse of how the game evolves - hopefully leading to the kids being more comfortable and less scared when it "counts". But at this age, scrimmages can get out of control, and if the kids aren't actually applying the skills they should, it could be worse than not practicing at all.

There are several drills in each sport which you could run to provide "game experience" in lieu of a full-on up-and-down scrimmage. But if you do try an actual scrimmage, consider stopping it at key points (turnovers, great plays, bad plays, etc) for a teaching moment. This is a great time to point out good things, bad things, and what the alternative might have looked like.

It may make sense to run some small scrimmages later in the season - especially if your players have gotten the drills and basics down. Still, don't just switch to scrimmages because you don't have any more drills to run. That would be a WRONG reason.

Good luck!

Bonus: Practice FIRST

We had our first basketball practice tonight for my son's team (3rd and 4th grade basketball).

Games start next Saturday, so we'll get 2 practices in before the first game. This is ideal. It's always a must to get in at least 1 practice before the first game - if nothing else, to discuss the absolute basics (and learn names)... But having 2 will be great.

Tonight, we got to see some of the raw skills - who can dribble, who can pass, who can shoot... We're not in bad shape! But next week, we'll work to refine those skills a bit, make sure we talk about what to do and when to do it, and get the basic schemes down.

I'm curious to see how things will work with the 8 and 9 year-olds. It's been a while since I've worked with this age group. It will be exciting.

Scheduling Practices

Why a post on scheduling practice?  I've talked about practice before, but scheduling practice is more involved than you think...

There's lots of things to consider.  First, there's the venue - where will you practice?  What constraints are there on time?  Daylight?  Second, how will the venue support what you'd like to do - are there enough nets?  Hoops?  Is the court, field, or diamond in good repair and maintained?  

Once all that is decided - what day and what time will you practice?  Is it the same each week?  How long will the practice last?  This must all be balanced with your availability, but also that of your assistants, and also all of the players (and parents).  Fun stuff.

Getting the practice thing right is the first step toward a good season.  Practice is important, for sure, and you need as many of the players attending as many of the sessions as possible.  It's also ideal to select a place that will suit your practices.

For the athletes under 8 years old, it's likely sufficient to have 1 practice per week, lasting between 30-60 minutes.  This is where planning, preparation, and execution come in to make your practice all it needs to be.

Good luck.

Be Prepared

Not like in the Boy Scouts or anything like that... well, on second thought - maybe like that. There will be some tangible, Earthly goods that will make your coaching gig significantly easier. Here's the breakdown, by sport...

Soccer: I always buy my own soccer ball to use at practices (and during games when necessary). This way, you can easily demonstrate a drill without constantly borrowing Little Sally's ball. You can also participate in the drills with the kids, which they enjoy. Another essential thing is a set of 4 or 8 small cones. These are the little orange or brightly-colored ones in any store for like $2. They are invaluable for setting up boundaries, obstacles, or marking spots on the field. I'd also suggest buying your own goal (or two). They have collapsible ones now, which are pretty nice. These are a little more money, but the advantage is you'll always have a goal to shoot at or defend wherever you practice.

Football: First thing here is also a ball - for both practice and the games. Get the right size, of course, and make sure it's made of good, durable material - preferably other than rubber. Do they still make those? I remember those from when I was a kid... Next thing you'll need is the cones (see above). If the league doesn't provide them, also buy yourself a set of flags - 1 set per player, probably 1-2 extra sets. Nothing worse than not being able to practice basic offense or flag pulling 'cuz you don't have any...

Basketball: Ball. For this, you can go with the youth size - especially if you're coaching your own kid. Otherwise, you could choose to get the full-sized ball for yourself in demonstrations... Cones are ok here, but not necessary - you can use court markings for drills and boundaries unless you're on a random hunk of asphalt... It doesn't really make sense to buy your own hoops here - use those in a gym, park, or school (or your own home, if you're so inclined) - but hoops are large, bulky, difficult to transport, and I consider the portable ones to be somewhat dangerous.

Baseball: Buy several "tee-ball" or soft-core baseballs. At least 5-6. They'll get lost, too, but you'll always be using all you have. I'd suggest owning your own glove - especially in coached pitched leagues where you have good players. Those liners come back fast - "soft-core" or not... I'd suggest having at least 1 good aluminum bat for you (practice) and the team. It's also not a bad idea to carry around your own rubber or plastic bases. This makes your practice more portable. Baseball hat and sunglasses help in sunny weather, too. You'll be surprised how small that ball is when you're looking for it in the air...

General things you should have include a stopwatch, whistle, and marker-board. The marker-board is usually in the form of a clipboard, but it's great for diagramming plays or for drawing out a drill.

With all of your gear, you may look like a pack mule, but you'll be ready - and eliminate some of your needless hassles.

Size Matters

Something that you may not really consider in coaching young kids is the size of the ball used in practice or the game.  Of course, this is a pretty big deal, and should be taken care of before the season so it's a non-issue.

For baseball, it's pretty standard - there's one size for baseballs.  But use the softer "tee balls" for tee ball and coach pitch leagues.  These still have an authentic baseball feel, but hurt way less when they hit legs, arms, and bodies.  The kids should use gloves that are proportional to their body and hand size.  For the 4 through 6-year-old set, a 9" or 9 1/2" glove is probably the best choice.  This will cover tee ball and perhaps the first coach pitched experience.  Ages 6-7 should probably move up to a 10" glove - and from there, the size should move up as the child continues to grow.  Batting helmets should also be sized appropriately - snug, but not too tight.  I would recommend spending the $20-$30 to buy your child their own helmet.  This saves a lot of trouble for kids with larger or smaller heads, and also alleviates the need to use the often-nasty helmets provided by the league.

In soccer, a Size 3 ball is pretty standard for PK through the first or second grade.  This will make a lot of sense the first time you walk on the field and compare the larger, competition balls with the smaller Size 3's.  The Size 5 ball will feel like a boulder compared to the 3.  Unlike baseball, where equipment can be expensive, a soccer ball is usually around $10-$15, and it's best for each kid to have their own.

For football, the under 8 set will be most comfortable with a "peewee" size ball.  This is pretty much the smallest legitimate-looking ball sold at most sporting good stores.  Keep in mind, though, that discount stores like Target and Wal-Mart also carry a decent selection of gear.  If you're child is playing tackle football under age 8 - first of all, be careful, and secondly consult the league and make sure your child has all of the proper equipment in the correct size.  Not much on that here - I'm a fan of flag football for the younger kids.  In either case, make sure you buy a properly-sized mouthguard.  These range in cost from $2-$30 (seriously).  I have always personally worn and used the $2 ones, but do your research and decide for yourself.  Keep in mind that you can usually trim the mouth guards to size, but it's difficult to add material back once you've made it too small...

If your child is playing basketball, be sure to check the rules for ball size, as different leagues will have different guidelines.  Through second grade, you'll probably use a "Youth" sized ball, which is smaller than a women's ball.  It is best to use the recommended size, as it will be easier for the kids to dribble and shoot - they'll also develop better technique that will stay with them as they grow (and move on to use larger balls.  

Understanding the equipment is another subtle key to success in youth sports.  Although there may be added cost, it's offset by performance on the field in practice and for games.

Good luck.

Anatomy of a Practice: Basketball

I've used a few different formats for basketball practice, and it certainly varies with age.  For the very young (kindergarten) set, I typically focus on fundamentals for the first half to 2/3 of practice, and then talk a little about offense and defense.  The offense and defense portion literally is stuff like "here's our basket" and "stand between the person you're guarding and the basket" on defense.  There is very little strategy involved.

Practices for the kids as they get older are much the same, although the offensive and defensive portions get more sophisticated.  I always teach defense first - the kids work harder when they have offense to look forward to at the end of practice.  That, and if the other team can't score, they can't win...

So, what does a typical practice look like?

After stretching, the first 10-15 minutes is always ball fundamentals.  Speed dribble drills, crossover dribble drills, Butch Lee, etc.  For the older kids, you can begin to introduce behind-the-back and between-the-legs switches.  To do this before 8 or so though is kinda silly...

Next is either defensive work (agility drills or rebounding drills), and/or passing drills.  Passing drills always involve a partner, and sometimes involve a third person for defense.  Of course, Monkey in the Middle is also a possibility - even for the older kids.  

Now that the kids are getting a little tired, it's time for defense - defensive techniques and strategy.  Always teach man-to-man before zone defense.  More about defensive strategy details in a future post...  Unlike football, I think zone defense in basketball is a more difficult concept to master.  

Finally, it's time for offensive strategy and techniques.  I prefer to implement a "base" offense first, and then introduce set plays later - along with perhaps another base offense if you see a lot of different defenses (older kids).  You'll need at least 1 inbounds play to start the year, so keep that in mind (for older kids).  Offensive strategy - like defensive strategy, involves a lot of walking through first, then live action afterwards.  Obviously as the season goes along, there's less walking and more doing...

Practices shouldn't probably go more than 1/2 hour for the 5-6 set, and 45 minutes to an hour for the 7-8 year olds.  Good luck organizing your practice!

Practice Facilities

Hopefully you are lucky, and you're associated with a program that has adequate practice facilities for you and your team to use at a reasonable hour, and at a cheap price (or free). If so, go ahead and spend some time looking over some of the outstanding prior blog posts :)

Assuming you're among the majority of coaches leading the younger kids, you do not have a practice facility provided, and must seek one out. This can be more difficult than it seems, what with our litigious society, and many people looking only to their own liability exposure.

What do you need in a place to practice? This depends on the sport, of course. For football, just about any open space will do, provided there's some room to run. Parks, schoolyards, open lots likely all do fine - watch out for rocks and large divots and holes. Pretty much the same is true for soccer, although if the grass is to tall it may impact soccer more than football. For tee ball and coach-pitch baseball, a diamond is a luxury - but again, most any space will do (unless you have big sluggers). When you get into Little League, and into the 6-7 year-old range, it's getting to the point where a diamond with an appropriate backstop is the only option.

Basketball can be a little tricky - especially for the very young kids (up through 7). At these ages, it is typical to use a 6-foot or 8-foot hoop. Some schoolyards, and even some parks have these lower hoops in place, but many do not because of vandalism or mis-use. There are special attachments that can be made to standard hoops, but these typically require a ladder and some tools. When hoops aren't readily available, I have run practice without shooting. Surprisingly, many kids who play basketball understand very clearly that the goal is to shoot the ball in the basket... Let this work to your advantage, and focus on dribbling, passing, and defense instead. If you go the basket-less approach - be sure to get some shooting in before the game if you can.

All practice facilities should be in good repair, and yes, you should ask permission first. At a park, you're likely hassle-free unless something else is scheduled... schools are typically accommodating (especially outdoors), but can be a bit trickier at times.

Once you've found a good place - stick with it. You might even see what you can do to keep the fields or courts in order, or volunteer to help when funds are needed for repairs or rebuilding. Above all - treat practice as an important part of the sporting experience. It surely is.

Right Hand, Left Hand?

It took me by surprise the first time I had a left-handed child on my team.  Not that this was shocking, and it wasn't that I'd never seen anyone who was left-handed...  I just wasn't ready for that.  If you're coaching soccer, this is largely a non-issue, because the kids will kick how they kick...  but for the other sports, clearly it's a different story.

Throwing a baseball or football left-handed is largely the same as throwing right handed.  The mechanics are all the same, just on the other side.  Point, step (with the proper foot), then throw...  But - for me at least - teaching kids to shoot a basketball left-handed has always brought me a special challenge.  In a future post, I'm sure I'll get to the "L" and proper basketball shooting form...  regardless "how" you shoot a basketball - I challenge you to try it with your off-hand.  

It is vital to recognize who is left-handed, and aside from setting up drills accordingly - pay special attention to shooting form.  This is the best age to start stressing "proper form" - even though many younger kids have no option other than the push-shot to get the ball anywhere near a 10-foot hoop.  Even if they need to improvise during the game, there's a lot of value in stressing the right form during practices.  As the kids grow, they will develop a more consistent shot, and therefore be more successful over the long-term when playing basketball.

After you've set your mind to shooting with your off-hand for the sake of teaching, I'm sure you'll find that you're in excellent position to adjust to all of the kids - regardless of which hand they prefer.  

Moms and sports

Happy Mother's Day.

I'd like to divert a little bit from the general theme of the blog and focus a few sentences on the importance of mothers as it relates to youth sports.  Although there are far fewer women coaches (in the leagues we've played in) compared to men, I know that the moms have sought out the right program and sport, gotten recommendations, done research, signed the kid up, ordered the shirt, emailed the coach, gotten the kid to practice, rounded up the family to make the game, and then probably organized the end-of-year party for the team.  Without all of that, the kids wouldn't be playing at all...

And after doing all of that, who has time to coach?  Some dad swoops in, makes the kids run around with a ball for a half-hour during practice and 45 minutes during a game and he gets all the credit!  From the coach's side, I know my wife (and mother of my kids) is heavily involved - not only doing all the things I mentioned, but also creating much of the communication our team parents see, and dealing with all of the questions and issues that arise.  I make an effort to be as good as I can be, but without her "reminding" me of my obligations, I'd be completely ineffective. 

I see a lot of moms providing a lot of support for their kids - and other kids - whether through coaching or any of the supporting activities.   It matters.  And through those efforts, our kids will grow up to be more active, and be better people.  It's not always about the coach, or the coaching...  Kids need moms.  Ha... that's either really profound or just stupid.

So - moms - thanks for doing all you do in supporting your kids and their sports.  It's not always easy, it's not always convenient, and sometimes there's not much glory.  But it all matters, and your kids are better for it.

FUNdamentals!

One of the things I've noticed is that some coaches try really hard to be fancy. Fancy is not a bad thing, but it's not as effective when you haven't covered what's essential.

My first experience with this was a few years ago when my son was playing soccer. He was probably 5... The kids on the other team had the most amazing choreography on kickoff plays - making all kinds of bizarre moves, but not really accomplishing anything. As it turns out, they had plenty of time to do what they did on kickoffs, because they couldn't score or defend at all! Frankly, the kids really seemed to enjoy the little kickoff dance (as I named it in my head) - which is great, but was that really the best thing for the kids?

Since my first experience with coaching 15 years ago, I've seen the value in stressing the basics of the game. If you can't hit the ball, catch the ball, and make accurate throws, you will struggle with baseball - regardless of your knowledge of the infield fly rule. If you can't dribble a basketball, forget about a full court zone-trap press.

Coaching younger kids gives you a tremendous opportunity to make a huge difference. Not only is teaching fundamentals fairly easy, there is huge benefit. The kids will get frustrated running plays if they aren't able to perform the skills that are assumed in creating the strategy. The basics are different per sport, but here's my suggested foci (focuses? focus? ...I mentioned I really wasn't a writer - you were warned).

Basketball: Dribbling (with head up, with one hand, while moving), Passing (bounce, chest pass), "Triple Threat Position" - more on that in another post, Shooting (w/ proper form), Defensive position (man-to-man).

Soccer: Dribbling (both feet), Ball control (stopping, starting, changing speed), Defensive position (including goalie play, if applicable)

Baseball: Contact hitting, ground-ball fielding, basic throwing and catching. For baseball, I'd throw in a quick discussion about baserunning, if applicable.

Football: This one depends a lot on how you're playing the kids - fixed position vs. playing all positions. I focus on throwing with proper form, catching (with hands), and defensive positioning. For flag football - focus on flag pulling, which you'll find to be vitally important. For tackle, obviously tackling technique would be important.

Don't out-fox yourself with the youngsters. Focus on the basic skills first. If they've mastered that, you're ahead of the game and have free reign to do whatever else you'd like.

Drill of the Day: 3 on 2, 2 on 1

I am still wrapping up the current football/soccer seasons, however I couldn't help but think ahead to one of my favorite drills (for basketball).

3 on 2, 2 on 1 is a fast break drill which teaches decision making, and stresses quickness.

Setup: You'll need a full-court with hoops on both ends. Line up at least 3 kids on one end across the baseline - they start out with the ball. Two kids will start out on the far end of the court playing defense. Line extra players up behind the 3 along the baseline - they will make up the next group.

Drill: The three players head down the court on a fast break. The defenders attempt to stop the break. After a basket is scored or the defenders get the rebound (or the coach calls time), the defenders take the ball down the court the other way for a 2-on-1 break. The defender is the middle player from the original 3. The two remaining players from the 3 stay on the far end of the court to play defense as the drill continues.

In thinking about this post, it could work for soccer, too - maybe kids 7 or 8 and up. For the basketball version of the drill, I'd recommend it for 7 and 8 year olds, but it might be a little rough for younger kids. An alternative for the younger kids may be to remove the defenders.

Encourage your offensive players to make quick decisions and take the best shot available to them. On defense, you can stress how you'd like players to react to fast breaks. The most common reaction would be to have one defender commit to stopping the ball, and have the other pick a passing lane and/or choose an offensive player to guard. On a missed shot - stress to both sides the importance of getting the rebound.

Good luck with this one. It's fun to see it in action when it keeps rolling...

Anatomy of a Practice: Flag Football

The 6-8 year olds are 6 games and 7 practices into the 8-game season, and we've established a pretty regular routine. Here's a brief overview of how we spend 45 minutes once a week.

Stretching and Running - Each practice starts up with a brief warm up period, followed by some sprints. Keep in mind, these are little kids, not high schoolers. I'll usually have them do 2 sets of sprints, and then we'll get started with the rest of practice.

Next up is route running practice. I have installed a basic route tree, with 9 patterns. We spent much more time on this for the first few weeks as the kids were learning the routes. Now, we go over them as a review, and to try to run them more precisely. I'll talk more about the routes and plays later on.

Now that we're probably 15 minutes into practice, it's time for a break. I like to stop every 10-15 minutes so that the kids aren't distracted by needing a quick rest of being thirsty. There's plenty of other distractions for them.

For the next 10-15 minutes, it's usually a drill or two. In earlier practices, we did basic throwing and catching. At this age, it's important to stress the mechanics of throwing, and watching the ball all the way in on a catch. I also try to stress catching with hands (if they can), versus catching against the body. This will help them later on, but may lead to a lot of dropped passes in the present. In practices later in the season, I've also run center-quarterback snapping drills, as well as some flag-pulling drills. As you can imagine, pulling flags is vitally important...

After another quick break, the last 15-20 minutes is on offensive and/or defensive strategy. We've installed a zone defense scheme (more on that later), because the kids struggled with 1-on-1 responsibilities. We've also had some difficulty running plays correctly, so it was important to me to get 2-3 plays down. I'm not sure we did, but it was worth a shot.

Running through all of this can easily consume an hour. If the kids seem distracted, move on to the next activity - or - if they are acting up, you can always have them run more.

Football is a strategy-based sport. There's a lot of teamwork involved... be sure to use practice time wisely to give yourself and the team the best shot at success during the games.

Communicate Effectively - With Parents

One of the reasons I have been so involved in coaching my kids' teams is an experience we had with a "bad" coach. "Larry" was assigned to be the coach of my son's soccer team many years ago. His son was also on the team, and he seemed like a nice enough guy. However, throughout the season, Larry would routinely send out cryptic emails, cancel practice at the last minute, and sometimes not show up for games. Larry was a decent enough coach on the field, but he was a poor communicator.

This irritates and frustrates parents, and it can impact the kids and their performance.

No one expects a coach to do everything perfectly. Jobs, illness, and life sometimes get in the way of making every practice and game on time - or at all. That said, it is important to build repoire with parents. Find out how to communicate with them (email works great for me, but some prefer phone). In addition to coaching, you are obligated to either be or find a "team coordinator". I am lucky - my kind and loving wife has helped me during he past several seasons - organizing email lists, sending reminders, keeping the snack schedule... this may seem like "little stuff" - or even stuff that doesn't matter. But it does.

Set the expectation - what can they expect from you? What do you expect from them? This likely changes a LOT as the kids get older...

Players whose parents know when they practice, where they practice, and when the games are will usually pay you back by being on-time and supportive of your efforts. They will be more apt to communicate with you - or even volunteer to help you out. Your communication style can create harmony on your team, which will lead to a much more rewarding experience. ...and the mood impacts the kids, and their enthusiasm (or not) for the game.

Communicating effectively with parents takes a little work, but the benefits far outweigh the costs. These skills also transfer directly into the actual coaching work - but that's for another time.

Anatomy of a Practice - 4/5 Soccer

I've gotten a bunch of questions about practice over the years. Practice. Practice?! For those of you who follow the NBA, it's inevitable that Iverson's "Practice" rant just entered your skull. For those who'd like a recap -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUYjD7A75HQ Sorry. Several of the questions involved what is done during a practice, and why. I figured I'd take a few paragraphs to explain my philosophy on preschool and kindergarten soccer practices, which are never dull.

These kids can handle about 20-30 minutes, and that's it. Occasionally you'll get a kid who is really (really) into soccer, and he or she can keep going, but everyone else is pretty much spent - maybe even way sooner than 20 minutes. At this age, they can also handle about 2 or 3 instructions - so your drills must be simple, and direct.

Before practice, be sure to inform your parents to bring their kid AND a properly-sized ball. For this age, it's usually size 3 (this will not be confusing to someone who works at a sporting goods store). My practices for this age change very little week to week. The kids fall into the routine, and the session is much more productive, and less time is wasted.

I like to start with some basic speed dribbling after warmups (which are brief, if at all - more on that some other time). This will involve lining the team up along one line (or between cones, etc), and having them dribble the ball to another landmark and back. Doing this a couple times will take about 5 minutes. An interesting twist on this drill is to have a whistle and get the kids to stop and start on the whistle. This allows them to get practice controlling the ball and stopping the ball at different speeds.

Next is usually dribbling around cones. A series of 4 cones is set up in a line - each about 5 yards apart. One group of kids starts on one side, and one on the other. Having kids going each way makes them look up, and not at the ball all the time. Sometimes I'll "race them" around the cones if things seem to be slow. This also takes about 5 minutes, and then it's time for a water break. When it's hot, I may decide to take water breaks more often - both for health, and so it's not an issue during the next drill.

In the middle of practice, it's time for a partner-passing drill. Here, two kids pair up using one ball, and pass to each other about 10 feet apart. I let them sort of wander around the field here, because it's inevitable a few passes will not be that accurate. The focus, though, it on good passes right to the partner (which the partner can stop and send back).

Next is usually a "fun" activity. One thing we do is a "race the coach" dribbling drill to a landmark that's 50 or more yards away. This gives the kids a chance to continuously dribble for a longer distance (and they love it). They always win. Another idea is to set up a 10 foot - by - 10 foot box with cones and play "Takeaway". This is a drill where you try to kick away your teammate's ball while keeping control of your own. Chaotic, but also a favorite.

After a quick drink, the final 5-10 minutes are spent on either offense or defense. If we're focusing on offense, I'll do anything from just plain kicking at the net to dribbling and kicking, or passing, dribbling, then kicking. Adjust to your kids. If it 's defense, we usually focus on guarding the goal, turning the ball around (to go our way) or goalie work. Some leagues in this age group don't have goalies, so read your rulebook! As a note, I do always work on defense at practices during the year before offense. Most kids are already wired to score goals... but read your team.

In summary (about 5 minutes each)...
- Speed or straight-line Dribbling
- Dribbling Agility
- Passing
- Something Fun
- Offense or Defense

A few parting notes. Remember, you're the coach - set whatever rules you want. For me, everyone wears shin guards, no one talks or fiddles while I am talking, and everyone is expected to do their best.