In their first season as our b team, they drew one and lost all other games.  They loved every minute of it though.

I had 13 players and have recruited 7 more to create a c team.

I now have a very good b team and a not so good c team.  I have arranged a couple of mini tournaments over the past month which the b team in particular have done extremely well.

I have one last training session this Wednesday with them and want to know what you all consider to be the best preperation in the hour and a half that I have with them this week?

I know winning isn't everything and I do put emphasis on envolvement and fun at this age but I also want them to compete as best as they can. 

Any ideas/suggestions very welcome.

Woolston Rovers Warrington

My current plan is to split each session into two halves. First half I'll concentrate on ball manipulation/familiarity - just getting them to control the ball and feel comfortable - lots of touches and ball each work. Then I'll move on to 3v3 passing and small-sided games.

I would appreciate any further advice. The players aren't exactly gifted. Having said that, if we get hammered in every game it really doesn't matter. Like Noel, I just want them to be as good as they can.

Dwyer

ball familiarity must focus in most of the training session..can use warm up with the ball and a lot of foot work drills as ball mastery..

preparation before match.. concentrate more on match related situation.. small sided game, roles. throw-in or kick-in, set pieces.. familiarity with game play..

regards,

steven

Phuabh

Anyone who is dead set on its the taking part thats important not the winning will hate this!!

At the end of the 2005 - 2006 season we went to a 6 - a - side tournament for under 16's with 10 players and were supposed to have two teams entering. Only 8 were allowed in each squad so i decided and put it to the vote with the players and parents that we should forget putting two teams in and put one strong team in to try and achieve something.

It did mean two players would miss out.

It is quite disheartening when you ask for volunteers if anyone wouldnt mind not playing and you get three volunteers when you only needed two....we had a squad of 16 but with it being the summer 6 players were away on holiday so with players seeming not at all bothered if they missed out i had no hesitation to leave two of them out. I like enthusiasm and commitment and can not stand the " not bothered - dont mind" attitude, which these players had shown all season.

We didnt win but we only lost one game and didnt qualify for the final on goal difference. All the teams we played were strong teams from the league above us in our league and by putting one strong team out we competed and did ourselves proud.

Dont get me wrong if these were anything upto 11 or 12 year olds i wouldnt have taken this route - but the players were completely supportive as they genuinly wanted to achieve something, one parent whose son played anyway totally disagreed and before we even kicked off his attitude was "what a waste of time were never going to win it anway"

No we didnt win it but i think the attitude of the parent was worse than my decision to put the one team in!!