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1. THE NEED
FOR SECURITY
During training children need a familiar and intimate atmosphere which
gives them security and confidence. It's not recommended to change
either the training site or the coach/educator frequently. Returning
to games which they already know (but presenting variations) is welcomed
by children so long as the contents of the training sessions link with
something that they already know. Children demand stable relations like in
their family. Besides, the coaching should take place in a safe
environment (for instance on playing fields without stones or holes),
applying specific rules which assure safety and avoiding any dangerous
situations.
2. THE
NEED TO GAIN NEW EXPERIENCES
Nothing can be understood completely if it isn't experienced.
Instead of telling children, the teacher should allow them to experiment
with the task. Children need to discover on their own everything which
surrounds them. This applies also to the world of sports and for soccer in
particular. Instead of being instructed, children should get stimulated
with simplified games and multilateral activities which are within their
physical and mental capacities. Taught this way, children will develop
their intelligence step by step through discovering.
3. THE
NEED FOR THEIR EFFORTS TO BE RECOGNISED BY OTHERS
Children get highly motivated when they are praised for heir efforts
to master a skill or a problem. Through praise they are
encouraged to try even harder. For the under 12 years old children, the
teacher, coach or parent is like a mirror in which they see their capacity
or incapacity. That is why educators and parents have to learn to be
positive, praise the children frequently and keep critical comments to a
minimum.
4. THE
NEED TO SHOW RESPONSIBILITY
Children prefer to do things on their own without depending too much on
the adults. They like to reach as quickly as possible independence. The
coaching methods and the behaviour of the educator should consider this
need, making sure that the children find frequently on their own the
solutions to the problems which they present. The educator only should
interfere when the problems can't be solved by the pupils.
Putting down or collecting cones, modifying the rules of a practise game
or choosing players for demonstrations or certain tasks should become also
a task of the children. Their need to demonstrate responsibility can be
stimulated by allowing children to choose freely
for 10 minutes what to practise, how to do it, where and with whom to
execute a determined skill or game.
5. THE
NEED TO PLAY
Playing games is as vital for children as sleep: necessary for the health of
their body and their mind. As children learn by playing, the central part
of each training session is the practise and understanding of a simplified
game. The art of coaching is to always adapt it to the children's ability
and capacity level and not vice-versa. Playing games, communicating with
others and decision making are stimulating. Playing without thinking is
like shooting without aiming.
6. THE
NEED TO SOCIALIZE WITH OTHERS
Instinctively children look for communication with others. The older they
are, the more they need company of a similar age. They love to be
associated to a group and to identify themselves with a group or team with
the aim to achieve common objectives.
7. THE
NEED TO MOVE
Nature wants the child to be active. He is no patience to wait in queues
until his turn arrives. Standing isn't child-like. Rules of the adult
games have to be modified to allow the children to play the ball more
often. Games with few players assure active participation.
8. THE
NEED TO LIVE IN THE PRESENT
Generally speaking, neither the past nor the future interests the children
very much. Their sense of time is completely different to that of the
adults. A child lives the present moment with intensity without worrying about tomorrow or yesterday.
9. THE
NEED FOR VARIETY
More variety, less boredom and fatigue. Without
varying the method of presentation and the contents of soccer
coaching sessions, the
attention of the children usually wanders. It's also necessary to vary
the intensity of the exercises and games. Variation can also be
assured through mixing the specific with the general or multilateral
preparation, through switching from the global to the analytic method or
from individualised training to group practise.
10. THE
NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY ADULTS
Children seem to live in a different world to adults. They have different
problems to adults, learn in a different way and don't think as logically as
adults do. Their ideas, thoughts or reasoning are lacking coherence. Their
emotional constancy depends in a high degree on their speed of biological
growth. Generally they don't know to manage their energy and therefore
get tired very easily. They behave in the way they feel.
For all
these reasons, adults who live and work with children, should be
well-prepared in order to be able to stimulate and guide them well
in their search for personality and identity.
Horst Wein has worked for many top clubs such
as Real Sociedad, Leeds Utd, Sunderland, Inter Milan and is currently at
the
Centre of Research and Development of the Royal Spanish Football
Federation. He has also written numerous books on soccer, offers regular
coaching courses and recently ran a session for the English Football
Association.
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