Keeping football fun is tremendously important. The number one reason why kids quit organised sport is because they stop having FUN. Everyone involved must do everything they can to make sure that the kids are happy, motivated, and have the required self-esteem during training and games.
Have Structured Practice with Lots of Different Activities
For some kids, the least fun part of playing organized football is the team training sessions. Practice sessions are very important so that the kids can learn to play together, develop FUNdamental skills, and get regular exercise, but sometimes students can get bogged down by drills or unorganised practice. If parents, teachers, and coaches are training teams, they need to make sure that they have structured practice so that the kids are constantly moving and participating in fun activities. Running the same old drill for long periods of 30 minutes or more will make them not want to go to practice. Coaches can use a variety of strategies to motivate players of different ages and abilities. These strategies might include:
Making the benefits of the session clear
Individual and team goal setting
Providing positive feedback
Using rewards, including simple things such as making the players the focus of attention
Rewarding effort and improvement, not just outcomes
Making practice challenging, varied, and enjoyable
Encouraging the kids to take responsibility for their own development
Asking open questions and using words like who, how, when, where, what, and why
Being prepared to share a joke and be silly at times and having a sense of humour
Mixing up training drills and breaking up training with icebreakers, games, and fun challenges
Setting aside 10 minutes every session for playing field antics – this being chaos, fun, and lots of play!
Help Kids Learn at Their Own Pace
In football and other sports, you will find athletes on the same team who are at different technical, tactical, social, and physical levels. Sometimes those who are less experienced in playing football or are less skilled will feel nervous or unwilling to participate in practice and during a game. It is the job of the teachers, coaches, and parents to help each kid at his or her own pace so that he or she can have fun and improve. Putting too much pressure on young kids to play may actually cause them harm and stop them from playing in the long run completely.
Provide Positive Support and Build Confidence
Supporting children and their individual learning needs is a must. Coaches who are training their kids or teams can make football more fun by providing consistent support to all of the students who are participating. The best players on a team will always receive a lot of compliments on account of their excellence. But we must not forget the other kids as well. These kids are learning slowly, but a little individual attention can go a long way for them. The best football academies will always promote every single student, no matter what stage they are at in the game.
Never Put a Kid Down to Lift Another Up
This is an important point to remember as it can be very easy to compare players, and it becomes more prominent in games between opposing teams. Whether we are helping players feel better in practice or after a loss, or even while getting them excited for a big game, remember that it is inappropriate to disparage the other team or their players. Both teams can play hard and have fun as long as the adults and coaches keep things positive.
Team Bonding
For some kids, their favourite part of practice is not the exercise or the competition – it is the camaraderie. Sport, in general, is a great opportunity for kids to make new friends and build connections that can extend to school and adulthood.
In conclusion, if you can implement even some of the above tips, your kids will instantly start to have more fun and feel comfortable within the footballing environment and, in turn, reap the benefits of football training for a long time!
So, if you are looking for football training in Bangalore, and more specifically, the best football club for youth development, do visit us at our facility in Ulsoor or call us on +91 8296170556.
Address: South United Football Club, RBANM’s Ground, Gate No. 3, Gangadhar Chetty Road, Near Ulsoor Lake, Bengaluru – 560042.
