Coaching Footy Over complicating junior footy coaching

Surfnbaz

Draftee
Apr 15, 2018
1
0
AFL Club
Collingwood
Gday guys, id love some feedback please.
Im in my second year of coaching juniors, currently u13's, this pre season we worked alot on forwards / backs pushing up the ground, switching, having a spare running half back flanker.
We played our first game of the season today and we leaked goals, once the ball got over the top, work rate or am i over complicating things.
Should i just say, 18 on 18, backs man on man and set up standard?
I want to teach them new things but maybe confusing them
Thanks guys
 
May 24, 2006
76,785
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Adelaide
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Possibly a bit complex for U13s but stick with what you've been practising. The team doing it in a coordinated fashion under match conditions will take some time to bed down.

If you chop and change to new plans and ideas that's worse.
 

Aeglos

Cancelled
Sep 27, 2016
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Definitely teach them new things, but try to implement them one at a time so you don’t confuse them too much. Once they’ve starting to get comfortable with what you’re trying to teach now think about bringing in something new.
And DEFINITELY be consistent with your messages. You’ll be surprised how quickly kids will pick up when you contradict yourself and you’ll start to lose them if you do it enough.
 

GEEitLONG

Debutant
Feb 27, 2018
134
154
AFL Club
Geelong
3 things; (its all about team)

Individual skills. Identify those that need kicking skills/ handball, tackling etc practice. Take them aside and teach them. (A parent)

Team work. Teach them to look for handballs and short passes under pressure, instead of snaps over their shoulder..

Tactics... how to play the game. Eg; Kick outs towards the boundaries, not down the middle. Etc., etc, etc..
 
Mar 25, 2008
12,144
14,496
Victoria's Secret HQ
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I reckon you simply work on their skills by hand and foot etc., teach them how to be accountable when they don't have the ball and teach them where to run when they do. Even with adults I reckon they are being over coached. Keep it simple and only have them focus on one or two things at a time otherwise they'll get confused, lose interest and end up like robots. You want kids, at that age in particular, to start to develop a bit of initiative and awareness and reading of the game.
 
Basics first. Kick. Mark. Handball (both sides)

Dont be afraid to swap players around to give them a challenge or change.

Importance of playing as a team.

How to read a pack (front and square) and make sure only one person goes up the rest are crumbers.

Unselfishness. Get your team mates involved when you can.
 

Dan Moody

That, was liquid football
Apr 3, 2007
7,858
4,671
AFL Club
Collingwood
I was a level 2 coach, coached junior footy from auskick to under 17's for 12 years.
up until under 13's, you should still be coaching them on the skills of the game, but extending them a bit e.g kicking on the run and landing on your kicking foot, ensuring you have loose players behind the ball etc etc.
i didn't bother a lot with tactics per se until under 15's when the TAC talent identification scouts come hovering. i wanted to give those players who were intent on giving it a red hot go at getting into the system the best chance at being spotted.
i kept it very simple for my players, juniors like simple and direct communication.
man up in defence, never kick or pass to a static player, always kick for goal when inside 50, play on immediately from a free kick and always have a crumber front and centre of a contest.
we went undefeated in under 17's and won the flag with 18 players on the day and no bench. that was my easiest year of coaching as the hard yards of development and understanding how to win were already in place.
 

GEEitLONG

Debutant
Feb 27, 2018
134
154
AFL Club
Geelong
i kept it very simple for my players, juniors like simple and direct communication.
man up in defence, never kick or pass to a static player, always kick for goal when inside 50, play on immediately from a free kick and always have a crumber front and centre of a contest.
we went undefeated in under 17's and won the flag with 18 players on the day and no bench. that was my easiest year of coaching as the hard yards of development and understanding how to win were already in place.

I like it!
 
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