Coaching Footy Training Ideas for under 9's

[MP_]

Hi Everyone,

I've started to help my local club with training the under 9's and was just wondering if anyone had some training drills I could use to keep the kids enthusiasm up. we do the standard kick and handball drills , plus marking but the kids tire of these quickly and would be interested if anyone had some other things I could do that will help them with their skills and keep them interested?

Cheers

 

[cptkirk]

don't have anything specific but you'll want to do games whatever you do

 

[HSSB]

The main thing to do at this age is actually teach the kids the basics of football. You need to teach them how to kick, probably on both feet, how to handball with both hands, the correct way to mark and the rules and positions of football. Of course this can actually be made fun, but that is what is NEEDED, while growing up I moved to a club where kids had been with the same coach for 3 years playing marks up and british bulldog for the whole hour, of course this can also be done sometimes, but only for 10 or so minutes.

 

[pacemaker]

From Under 12s and below it can be difficult as a coach at training as not only do you have to teach them the basic skills, but the drills need to be fun and you need to be sure you give out plenty of positive feedback to all players particularly the players who are in the first stages of developing their skills. Always finishing off with a competitive skills based game like baseball-football or something along those lines. If you haven't done your AFL coach certificate 1 I reccommend it as you come away with a booklet and CD to teach each skills properly and fun drills for each age group.

as you need to be sure you give out plenty of

 

[thedaz47]

A few that i use:

*Up and down the river: kinda a tag based game like red rover, but the people who are 'it' stand outside the area the others run down. They then handpass balls through the area and try to hit those who are still 'in'.

*Footy Baseball: I am the pitcher and each kid gets three strikes to catch a kick I send to them. If they don't strike out they then get to kick into the outfield and take bases. If they're caught or run out then they lose out. I play until everyone gets a go instead of 3 outs to keep it fair.

*Footy Tennis: Basically dodgeball with kicking instead. Ball has to be kicked over shoulder height, if it's caught or goes out you are out and if it lands in then whoever was closest is out. A mark taken in the hands instead of on the chest lets one of the eliminated people from your team back in, in the same order they were eliminated.

*Keepies off: Don't let the coach get the ball. They like this one.

I normally go buy one of those bags of mini chocolates for ~$3 as little prizes that won't spoil their dinner.

 

[Pistolero]

Circle work. Encourage the kids to share the ball around with everybody. Teach them when they should start leading and about running into space. People will say that they're too young, but I disagree.

 

[HSSB]

Circle work. Encourage the kids to share the ball around with everybody. Teach them when they should start leading and about running into space. People will say that they're too young, but I disagree.

I think an under 9 team might be a little young to do that mate, but a modified version of circle work would work.

 

[Dan Moody]

A few that i use:

*Up and down the river: kinda a tag based game like red rover, but the people who are 'it' stand outside the area the others run down. They then handpass balls through the area and try to hit those who are still 'in'.

*Footy Baseball: I am the pitcher and each kid gets three strikes to catch a kick I send to them. If they don't strike out they then get to kick into the outfield and take bases. If they're caught or run out then they lose out. I play until everyone gets a go instead of 3 outs to keep it fair.

*Footy Tennis: Basically dodgeball with kicking instead. Ball has to be kicked over shoulder height, if it's caught or goes out you are out and if it lands in then whoever was closest is out. A mark taken in the hands instead of on the chest lets one of the eliminated people from your team back in, in the same order they were eliminated.

*Keepies off: Don't let the coach get the ball. They like this one.

I normally go buy one of those bags of mini chocolates for ~$3 as little prizes that won't spoil their dinner.

we do footy baseball a fair bit and also kick tennis which is similar to footy tennis

Circle work. Encourage the kids to share the ball around with everybody. Teach them when they should start leading and about running into space. People will say that they're too young, but I disagree.

sorry you are wrong, under 9's are too young for circle work, under 10's are even too young.
basic skills and gamesense drills are vital for junior players (u12's down)

 

[Pistolero]

I'm wrong? I've seen under 9's do circle work.

 

[Dan Moody]

I'm wrong? I've seen under 9's do circle work.

well they have a lazy coach then, similar to a coach that thinks practice matches at training every week are the go.
junior's need skils and gamesense, circlework shouldn't be introduced until under 12's at the least when they can begin to play free-flowing football.

 

[HSSB]

well they have a lazy coach then, similar to a coach that thinks practice matches at training every week are the go.
junior's need skils and gamesense, circlework shouldn't be introduced until under 12's at the least when they can begin to play free-flowing football.

U/12's?
In the league I played in finals and premiership points started in U/11's, so it needed to be taught then.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Unrestricted circle work should never be taught or instructed , trying to train players not to kick to the boundary line every time they get the football is one the hardest thing to get out of a players mind, especially if they have a history of doing unrestricted circle work . yes it's game like but is for lazy coaches, structured full ground drills can be game like whilst avoiding teaching kids bad habits !!

 

[thedaz47]

Unrestricted circle work should never be taught or instructed , trying to train players not to kick to the boundary line every time they get the football is one the hardest thing to get out of a players mind, especially if they have a history of doing unrestricted circle work . yes it's game like but is for lazy coaches, structured full ground drills can be game like whilst avoiding teaching kids bad habits !!

+1

/char

 

[onlinecoach]

Without giving specific drills, the link below is research that talks about the importance of using games when coaching young players.

http://www.ausport.gov.au/sportscoachmag/coaching_processes/making_first_coaching_impressions_count_through_a_teaching_games_for_understanding_approach

It is really important to understand the principles and reasoning behind this games approach. With this understanding it is then about your creativity as a coach to design the drills and games.

cheers

Mark
teamsportcoaching.com

 

[Jimmbo]

also remember goal kicking drills (u see these days even on afl players missing 25m in front). You can even try drills done with older players and simplyfy it too.