Introduce peer coaching
Want to try coaching your players by using the players' own expertise? One way of learning a skill is for your players to teach it to each other. Here are two practical ways you can introduce peer coaching into your football training sessions even with players as young as six years old.
Triangle coaching drill
Organise players into groups of three. You want two of the players to be working at any one time, while the third player coaches. The players work on a skill, such as long passing, while the coaching player observes and gives feedback.
If you have a full-on passing and tackling football drill, stand by the side, ready to step in if necessary.
Before starting the coaching drill, get the players to talk about the soccer skills and techniques they are looking for. For example, keeping the head and knee over the ball for a crisp, accurate pass.
I have used triangle coaching with children as young as six and they love giving each other feedback. Their feedback also tends to be a bit more blunt and honest than you would give.
Expert coaching drill
Nominate a player as the “expert” and let them take a five-minute section of your soccer training session. Tell them in advance what soccer (football) skills you want them to focus on and, if necessary, help them prepare a game or drill to use.
Ask the players if they want to do this, never force them. Start with some of your more confident players so the others can see how it works. I use the expert coaching drill with slightly older players (nine-year-olds and above). After a few weeks there is usually a queue of players wanting to have a turn.
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