The EIGHT YEAR old player
INTRODUCTORY YEARS
The EIGHT YEAR old player profile
INDEPENDENCE LEVEL
Their background in soccer is insignificant
They need others to learn from.
You are their role model.
You must teach.
PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT
Flexibility is great.
Can learn to kick the ball on the run.
Girls usually taller and more mature.
Can jump, skip, hop, chase and dodge
Extremely active; sitting still is very difficult
Review such skills as running at various speeds in various directions.
Explore new skills such as dodging, twisting and turning while running.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Slight increase of attention span.
Boys and girls play together readily.
Expect sudden shifts in behavior from bad to good.
Boys will fight and wrestle – demonstrating masculinity
Still not good at sitting still for even short periods of time.
Self-centeredness and boastfulness beginning to decline.
They enjoy group play – show preference for small groups.
Group members are continuously changing because of quarrels.
They still do not compete but continue to merely imitate competition. .
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT
They like structure
They are interested in learning.
Playing soccer is stimulating for them.
They welcome opportunities to act on their own.
They like structure and are willing to apply rules.
They are aware of some rules governing the game of soccer.
They will make mental mistakes; you must handle them appropriately.
UNDERSTANDING
They are not ready for playing positions – they will play bunch ball.
Continue to introduce them –gradually - to play in larger groups.
Continue to focus on the 1 vs. 1 game.
They will continue to ‘play at soccer’ by imitating rather than playing the actual game. Expect more Bunch ball.
Avoid making the games too complex or too long in duration… They still lack skill and interest.
GENERAL IMPLICATIONS
Short attention span – continue to be Simple and Brief.
You must provide full, physical participation for everyone.
They enjoy moving about and making noise as they move.
React fairly well to competition in which each competes against himself.
Opportunity to experiment with technique is more important to them… than success in the technique.
Many eight year olds still do not understand the concept of winning…and they continue to believe everyone can win.
Soccer demands that the players be constantly moving... activities that force them to wait their turn are not recommended.
SOCCER IMPLICATIONS
Play soccer. Focus on teaching the 1 vs. 1 game.
Be consistent in your practice session routine.
Give positive points of refinement to help self improvement.
They need excellent demonstrations and brief explanations (Show & Tell)
The game of soccer demands all players to be constantly moving. Therefore, activities that force them to wait their turn are highly discouraged!!!
Continue to give points of refinement to help self-improvement.
Continue assigning homework on things that have been introduced.
They are aware of rules governing cooperative play. Simple rules only.
Some Thoughts:
-Be tolerant of them breaking the rules including hand-ball.
-Allow them to make-up rules which eventually lead toward the official rules
(Allowing kick-ins in the place of throw-ins)
-By the end of this stage they should know who can and can’t handle the ball and where!
ATTACKING TEAM
(Team with the ball)
They will ‘bunch’ around the ball and continue to run in the direction the ball is traveling.However, to a lesser degree than in the previous years.
FIRST ATTACKER
(Player with the ball)
Most will know which goal to attack – with an occasional reminder.
They will continue to release the ball too early.
-- Or – They will not release the ball at all.
Many will continue to think that the game ball is their own ‘toy’.
Most will want to get possession of the ball to simply ‘go for goal’ and score.
They will shoot or run with the ball and attempt to score at almost every opportunity.
DEFENDING TEAM
(Team without the ball)
However, most children will continue to simply watch the ball or just chase after it..
FIRST DEFENDER
(Player closest to the ball)
They will continue to kick ‘at the ball’ with all their might.
--Or –
They will not kick at the ball at all.
They continue think since the game ball is their own ‘toy’ they must get it back.
They will, often, take the ball away from their own teammates.
They have a difficult time taking the ball away from opposing players.
Many continue to chase after the ball only because the adults are telling them to ‘get the ball!’
TRANSITION GAME
(Ball changing possession)
There will still be limited change in emphasis.
They will still not be consciously defending -Just happily chasing the ball.
In the Attacking Game…
Expect the Following:
Reading the Game - Looking
They will continue to watch the ball.
They will still react too quickly to the flight of the ball.
They still cannot and will not look for space to run into.
They will still not understand the concept of space so any encouragement to ‘spread out’ is absolutely pointless.
Run to Attack - Proper Positioning
They will happily continue to chase after the ball while defending.
They will continue to run and change direction in short bursts until tired.
Continue to review such skills as running at various speeds and directions.
Continue to review running with the ball at various speeds and directions.
Receiving the Ball – The First Touch
They have a difficult tie judging flight and speed of the ball.
Focus and Teach controlling a ground ball (Don’t forget the Magic Hop)
In Practice -- begin every action with ‘the Serve’.
Retaining the Ball –Dribbling
They can run in a straight line with the ball.
They can dribble with change of speed.
Start expecting them to carry-out Fakes/Feints and Turns with the ball.
Release Ball Under-Control
They are still unable to find teammates for a pass.
They can shoot toward goal but may shoot at both goals J.
In the Defending Game…
Expect the Following:
Reading the Game - Looking
They will only watch the ball – which is very good!
They start becoming aware of Blocking their Goal and Pressuring the Ball.
They can start to look for Direction of Play
They start to understand the concept of Defending so encouragement to ‘pressure the ball’ is useful.
Run to Defend - Proper Positioning
They will happily chase after the ball while Defending.
They will run and change direction in short bursts until tired.
Review such skills as running at various speeds and directions.
Explore such skills as Blocking the Goal, Pressing and Poking at the Ball.
Ready stance – Proper body position
-Some will begin to learn ‘how to’ get into a boxer’s stance.
-Most will still be up-right and out of balance L
-In Practice – Encourage getting into Boxer’s stance.
-Teach – One foot forward poking at the ball. Other foot maintains balance.
Reject advancement – Stop the dribbler
-Will start becoming aware of blocking their goal J
-Will still usually just kick at the ball L.
-They still will have no concept of delaying the opponent.
-Teach them to stay between their goal and the ball…
-Teach –Patience and Delay J
Regain ball possession – Take the ball from the opponent
-Many will still take the ball from their own teammates L
-Some will go to the ground (slide tackle) you must discourage this action L
-Many will simply just kick at the ball L
-Some will actually take the ball away after a bad touch, block tackle, etc.
‘UNDER-8’
FIFA WORLD FOOTBALL YOUTH ACADEMY
In the street with traffic and other boundaries, the child’s field of play becomes restricted and the child has to respect these limits. “Small playing field” must be found and the size of the ball must be adjusted to the age-group. A child should be able to transform his ideas and imagination on the field of play and he should be able to use the physical strength he has acquired.
A child attending school also understand time limits. Playing time is longer yet it is more clearly defined. He get to know his neighbor at school and on the street. At this stage, a child is ready to make comparisons and is ready to participate on a team. This would be the age-group for street football, which the present generation is missing. This is where the organization has to step in, in order to imitate street conditions. The attraction must clearly lie with pleasurable action in common with others.
This is already the moment for exercises in controlling the ball, basic forms of passing the ball, receiving it and heading. And in tactics, the importance of possessing the ball should be emphasized.
Small playing fields must be found when the game starts to be organized.