IF YOU COACH CHILDREN (OF ANY ABILITY) AGED 5-12 THIS IS AN EVENT NOT TO BE MISSED

Pete Sturgess, Foundation Phase Technical Lead for The FA will be delivering a workshop to highlight the importance of and key factors to coaching children age 5 -12 (The ‘Foundation Phase’ of player development). The workshop is part of a series of roadshows around the country and the 2^nd time Bedfordshire have had the pleasure of hosting Pete. Coaches that have seen Pete work before we are sure will be jumping at the chance to attend.

The content of the workshop will be both theory and practical. Coaches will be presented with information titled ‘HIDE, REVEAL, MANOEUVRE’, a concept used to support young children master the football individually. There will then be an opportunity to watch Pete coach a group of foundation phase players before completing the evening with a Q & Asession.

A Message to coaches from Pete:

 Foundation Phase DNA 

The "stay on the ball" debate – some clarification 

I have been taking the DNA roadshow around the country in an attempt to add more clarity and consistence to the key messages from the Foundation Phase DNA, particularly around the issue of staying on the ball. 

The term is used in conjunction with master the ball and represents one of the 3 in possession headline statements along with: "excite with the ball and seek creative solutions" and "combine creatively with others". 

In the Foundation Phase DNA resource you will find, both U5-8’s and U9-12’s Technical/Tactical sections and some additional information about what master the ball and stay on the ball headlines mean.. 

I want to take a reflective step back before I get into the detail and comment on what I believe our "default setting" is in danger of becoming (if it isn’t already too late) when coaching our young players in both training and games. I believe (because I have heard it on too many occasions) that the development of our Foundation Phase players is built upon phrases such as: 

 - Play the way you face 

 - Play the easy ball 

 - Play it early 

 - Get rid of it 

 - Kick it out and clear it 

There will be others, but if this becomes the "mantra" as our young players develop then it will be very difficult to address and improve upon later in their development. If this behaviour become so deeply ingrained it will be very difficult to consider any other options when stressed or under pressure. I don’t blame the players. Who wouldn’t behave this way if the adults and coaches they have been working with for years have reinforced it whenever the pressure is on? Now is the time for change. 

The Foundation Phase is the time to build capacity and capability. A time for releasing potential not strangling the lifeblood out of it in the name of development. I am questioning our previous approach as I believe it is not maximising the potential our young players might have and is setting the bar much too low. Development is when the coach empowers, inspires and provides opportunities for the players to improve to levels that they may not have thought possible. It is about igniting belief. 

So, back to: staying on the ball. I must state now that there will be times in the game when playing it the way you face and playing the easy ball etc. is exactly the right thing to do. But if that is all the player is encouraged to do then that is not good enough anymore. This does NOT build capacity or capability. It reduces the game to a very narrow and confining event instead of the game being the most exciting thing the young players could ever be involved in. Staying on the ball is advocated in order to reset and re-wire our current default setting. 

In these terms, staying on the ball is: 

 Knowing how to and when to "hide" the ball from an opponent if there is a danger that possession could be lost. There is a real purpose to staying on the ball. 

 Knowing how to hide the ball but still being able to manoeuvre it into a good position for your team. This might be when the ball is near a touchline or goal line and the opposition have done a good job. The ability to recognise that the other team is in a pretty good position and you are still able to retain the ball for your team is a major step forward. There is a real purpose to staying on the ball. 

 Knowing how to hide the ball from an opponent whilst you look for a space to travel into yourself or a gap through which to make a pass to a teammate. There is a real purpose to staying on the ball. 

Coaches resource for additional coaching ideas and support: ‘England DNAFoundation Phase’ sign up for free. It’s like a Facebook for coaches!! 

More Information on The Foundation Phase: http://www.thefa.com/get-involved/coach/the-foundation-phase-experience

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