Give Young Players More Touches On The Ball

The more we do something, the better and more experienced we become at doing it - especially when we've been guided to do it in the correct way.

The same goes for football. If we want to develop players who are good technically with the ball, we have to provide them with the opportunity to practice, guide them and give them time with the ball in training, as well as match situations.

Especially during their first two years of playing the game around the ages of four to seven.

The more touches on the ball that young players get, the quicker they will improve technically.

So, how do we give players more touches on the ball?

There are many activities you can use in training, warm-ups and match days that can give players plenty of time with a football. Here are a few examples:

  • A ball for each player's activities, running and dribbling with the ball games with and without opposition.
  • Lots of mini-games, ie 1v1 up to 3v3.
  • Games with overloads and underloads, ie 2v1, 3v1, 3v2, etc.
  • Small-sided games, and the smaller the numbers, the more touches players will get, ie 3v3 = 1 ball between 6 / 5v5 = one ball between 10.

Be creative with your sessions and encourage young players to dribble and stay on the ball. Click here to read more about when is the best time to focus on dribbling.

As part of our CPD course 'The New Coach: Managing Your Very First Team', we have created a Technical Guide for coaches at the U7-U8s level.

Click here to learn more and get the guide...

If you are a coach new to running your own team and would like to learn more about developing young players, creating a philosophy, match day management and dealing with parents, check out our course 'The New Coach: Managing Your Very First Team'...

More touches on the ball
The more touches on the ball that players get in training and matches, the quicker they will improve technically.
Resources
In this definition of mentoring offered by Weaver and Celldurai (1999) they state the role of the mentor is to:
As a soccer parent, be a positive part of your child's learning process and try these open questions out after the game.
The former England manager talks to MiMentor about the important mentors in his life and the role they played in his career.
Video
Steve McClaren tells us about his first arrival at Manchester United and what boss Sir Alex Ferguson said to him...
The demands of coaching can sometimes lead to burnout - or physical and emotional exhaustion. But how can we avoid burnout and keep our passion and desire at an optimum?
How much do you really know about your players? What are their individual strengths and weaknesses? What do they personally need to improve on? Do they know where they can grow as players? Do they even want to develop?
Meet our Global Coaching Mentor, Ben Garner
Here are a few important things you as a coach should consider when creating and designing coaching practices for your players.


Click on the 'X' in the top right to view in full screen.
Articulate
In today's football landscape, it's not sufficient to solely focus on physical preparation and skill development for players, physical and psychological factors must be taken into account together.