3 Tips For New Grassroots Coaches

Arrival matches

As the players arrive put them into mini-matches. Start 1v1 then build up to 4v4 before splitting off to make another small game.

This keeps the kids active, engaged and gives you a chance to spend a few mins adjusting your session plan if you have different numbers to what you had planned for.

Keep it simple

You’re new to this and may not have ever coached a football session before. The last thing you need to do is overcomplicate it with complex drills.

Start with some simple 1v1’s, 2v2’s and 3v3’s as well as over and underload games like 2v3, 4v2 etc.

Let them play and just feel your way into those first few weeks.

Don’t fear repeating your activities

One that took us a while to learn.

If what you’re doing is:

A) Still helping your players improve, and

B) They enjoy it

Don’t worry about repeating those activties.

We used to think that we had to have completely new ideas for each session but we realised that if you tick those 2 boxes above you’re onto a winner.

That’s not to say NEVER change your activties.

But if you’re new to it, spend your first few months testing to see what works and what your players enjoy.

Focus on those as your ‘core’ activities for a while and you’ll generate new ideas by progressing/adapting those games.

It’s certainly not easy but you can make it much simpler for yourself with ideas like the above.

Follow for bite-size ideas that make coaching kids easier and more enjoyable.