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How would you develop a programme of work for a group of U13 players?
Firstly, I think it’s important to identify and recognise the players you have in the group and then work with what you’ve got. This will mean any programme of work you put together will be flexible and adaptable to meet their needs. After all, no two U13s groups are the same.
Also, any age-group should be seen as a continuation of everything that has happened before, provided the philosophy has been consistent throughout. They’re still kids, it’s still football and in most cases they just need to do what they were doing before but better, so the programme should have subtle progressions rather than dramatic change.
The coach also has the opportunity to be a bit more specific in their work compared to what has gone on before.
What is different about the U13s age-group?
At U9-U12s most of the work should be generic and compulsory with the players exposed to a comprehensive coaching programme working on all aspects of the game (attacking/defending/transitions). They should also gain experience playing in as many positions as possible.
Ideally, the players will experience playing in all three units (defence, midfield and attack) and across left, middle and right areas. This helps the players move out of their comfort zone, aiding game and tactical understanding and supports development in all four corners.
When the players get to U13s and U14s you can narrow that down to two units, with the players continuing to play left, middle and right positions whenever possible. When the players get to U15 and U16 this can be narrowed further to two or three positions.
Observation is critical, as you can really start to identify individual player characteristics and strengths in the U13 age-group. It is crucial to observe more, which may mean using less direct instruction. This way you can more effectively identify individual needs and learn about the group in all four corners.
How does observation inform practice or syllabus design?
The best way of getting to know your players is by exposing them to many different learning environments which bring varied challenges and problems to solve. It is in these type of environments that players’ decision-making skills can improve.
It is crucial that you observe and learn about the group you have looking at all four corners of player development
Consider, for example, the benefits of varying the playing area and surface for your practice sessions and particularly matches. You may experiment with: big, little, wide, narrow, bobbly, flat, hard, soft, sloping, indoor, outdoor, grass or 3G surfaces.
Likewise, think about varying the opposition or the team mates of individuals within the group: older, younger, different abilities, more, less and same player numbers 1v1 to 11v11.
The thought process behind this is that when you put young players into new or different environments they are confronted with different problems to solve, but all the time they are still practising the game.
Another way to observe more is by using constraints-led environments. These can be highly effective when combined with appropriate and limited interventions from the coach. The use of a variety of individual, environmental and task-constraints can accelerate player learning and the ability to make more effective decisions. For example, if a player with clever combination play in their programme repeatedly turns down opportunities to do so and instead plays safe with simple passes then award a free kick to the opposition.
Effective observation skills allow you to tailor the programme to the players rather than simply following a script.
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