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Coaching Youth Soccer
With
Koach Karl Dewazien
United States Soccer Federation 'A' Licensed Coach
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Youth Soccer Coaching
'Some Thoughts about Warming Up, Stretching and Cooling Down
for 7 to 13 Year Olds'
By Dean Conway
Massachusetts State Director of Coaching
For seven year olds:
- Warm-up should be fun; light activities like tag or knockout.
- Get a ball to each player as soon as possible.
- Stretching is not important at this age, and there is no need to introduce it as 'something for the future.' Perhaps some 'Body part' for balance and coordination, but no formal stretching.
- Cooling down is important: this brings the kids down from their 'heightened state' and gives everyone a chance to help collect gear, review, and talk; players are more willing to listen now. The cooling down period is also a time to give homework.
For ten year olds:
With slightly older kids, the warm-up sets the tone and pace of the practice; mental challenges can be introduced, too.
Starting in pairs is a good idea for kids at this age: for balance and team work and communication. The players 'start as a team'.
Coaches can bring brief, simple coaching points into warm-up; the implicit message is that his is an environment, an instructional activity - as well as pure fun.
Playing various forms of keep away in the beginning of practice is a good consistent way to begin; it puts together the four elements of soccer right away.
Cooling down is short: review, look ahead, praise them, and give homework.
For thirteen year olds:
Warm-up is very important now to set tone, rhythm, and climate at practice.
Coaches should pay close attention to body language, attitude, alertness, posture, and getting the heads up.
Fun is still really important - but coaches can adopt an instructional approach from the beginning: Easy tactical ideas (like body shape, footwork, changes of direction), isolated technical activities, or keep away. As an example of a way to put together the technical and tactical early on, her in warm-up - play keep away with the constant reminder: don't stop the ball.
This is now physical and mental preparation.
These are adolescents, growing fast, with changing bodies, so stretching is important. Rhythmic, integrated stretching is good - interjected into warm up activities - individually or in pairs, as opposed to bringing everyone together or getting into a circle, etc. Stretching is quiet time: no group chants or anything like that.
Cooling down for these players is easy movements and light running, some talk, and more stretching. At the very end, it could be lying down, breathing deeply, relaxing - that's also a time for the coach, with a lowered voice, to ask about injuries, talk tactics, give homework, reflect on the practice.
This cooling down period is also a time to reinforce habits such as drinking plenty of water. The players should be encouraged to drink water, before, during and after practice. So, while they are cooling down, they should be replenishing water.
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