'JUST FOR KICKS!'
by Ryan Baker, Former Director of Coaching for Little Kickers
http://www.londonmums.org.uk/mumtips/mumtips.html#ryan September 2009

In the last half decade, preschool sports activity programs have grown exponentially giving London mums a plethora of choice when it comes to finding the right program for their children. A quick Google search will give you an idea of the options in your area which may include swimming, gymnastics, rugby and football. All of these programs can offer a great start in sport and children can reap the long term rewards of regular physical activity but it is football that will be the focus of this piece.

There is a certain passion about football supporters in England that is rarely seen in other sports. Hang out around any football stadium on a match day and you will see the joy that football can bring to grown men and women. Look no further than the sidelines of your local pre-school soccer class to see the purest of joy that it also brings to tots as they navigate their football through a set of cones to score their weekly goals much to the delight of a raucous crowd of mums and dads.

The most important thing that coaches and parents must always remember is that, at this age, the focus must always be on having fun. If children are smiling and enjoying themselves they will almost certainly develop at a greater rate and learn the game effortlessly. In a well run weekly football program, children will develop their balance, coordination, speed, agility, and touch. Children at this age should be given the opportunity to engage in self-initiated play and should be able to 'play' at their own pace. Only in these circumstances will children get the utmost benefit.

Quite simply, the more touches a child gets on a football, the more comfortable (and better!) they will become. Repetition is paramount at this age as children will benefit from every single touch of the ball. The trick is giving the children a purpose and firing their imaginations so that they want to play! If you tell a group of 2-3 year olds to simply kick a ball for 45 minutes, you will be surrounded by a group of bored and inactive toddlers within minutes. If you tell them that you are going on an Easter Egg hunt and that they need to get all of the eggs (footballs) into the baskets (goals) they are far more likely to participate and enjoy themselves.

In a broad sense, coaching pre-school aged children to play football should involve striking a football (power and accuracy), dribbling a football (direction and touch), and stopping a football (control). With these basic skills learnt, and plenty of time to practice (play!) these fleet footed rising stars will be a step ahead of the game when it comes time to play competitive or club football.

Having coached Little Kickers for a number of years, I can say that the program embodies the above and would recommend it highly. For more information about classes in your area you can check out www.littlekickers.co.uk.

 

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