How to win football tournaments... even
if you lose
By Footy4kids The format of most youth football tournaments means that you can't approach them as you would a
"normal" match.
Several short games with relatively long intervals between them, the effects of the weather on your
players and the special playing rules that may apply require coaches to think carefully about how they are
going to manage their team, both before and after the tournament.
But before we consider tactics and plans, let's think about our objectives.
Do you enter tournaments with the sole objective to win them? If you do, you're going to choose your
strongest team to start in every game, your weaker players might not get much playing time and if you
don't win that nice, shiny trophy, you'll probably feel as though you and your team have failed and it's
been a waste of a day.
I'm not going to reignite the debate around WAAC (Win At All Costs) coaches here. Suffice it to say that
you will get a lot more satisfaction out of youth football tournaments if you enter them with the attitude that
they're just a bit of fun, a chance for a day in the sun with your players and it really doesn't matter if you
win, lose or draw.
Having a relaxed attitude to winning will also mean that all your players get equal playing time and that's
very important. It's unkind and uncaring to keep new or weaker players on the sidelines just because you
don't want to reduce your chances of winning.
Is it really worth upsetting a child to win a tin trophy? I don't think so.
Not only that, but parents who pay for their child to play in a tournament expect exactly that – for their
child to play. Leave a child on the subs bench for longer than necessary could well result in a difficult
discussion with a disappointed parent.
And if regularly leave the same players out of the starting line-up, you could (and probably should) see
them leaving for a team run by a coach that cares more about players than winning matches.
Short matches – some considerations
All coaches, regardless of whether winning is important to them or not, want their team to do well, and in
tournaments, that means scoring a goal in the first few minutes then keeping the ball away from the other
team.
So you need to encourage a scoring mentality in your players.
Shooting from distance should be encouraged and your players need to be reassured that it doesn't
matter if they miss. You can work on this in training by playing small-sided games (SSGs) on short
pitches with big goals and no goalkeepers. It also helps encourage a shooting mentality if you also award
a point for a shot (not necessarily on target) and three for a goal.
Once your team has scored that all-important first goal they need to stop the other team from scoring and
the best way to do that is to keep possession of the ball.
Playing keep away games in training will help your team become better at keeping the ball but you need
to make the games meaningful.
Effective warming-up before matches is also important if you want your team to start quickly.
If your players amble on to the pitch without being put into the right frame of mind to play quickly from the
first whistle, don't be surprised if you concede a goal almost immediately.
The warm-up doesn't have to be long but it does have to be dynamic, well-timed and repeated before
every match. This warm-up lasts about 20 minutes:
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Three Colour Passing – five minutes. See below
5v2 (or 6v3, 7v4 etc) keep away – five minutes.
Drinks and issue starting line-up – two minutes.
Swedish Handball – five minutes. See below
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Then another drinks break (it's important to keep your players well hydrated, especially during a
day long tournament on a summer's day) followed by a pat on the back for a good warm-up – two
minutes.
Whichever warm-up routine you use, repeat it before every game and try to time it so it finishes a few
seconds before kick off.
Food and drink
It's essential that young football players drink plenty of non-fizzy liquids during the day.
Although water is good, a sports drink that contains carbohydrates and trace elements will get water into
the bloodstream more quickly. Sports drinks also taste better so young players will drink more.
As well as making sure your players drinks regularly and in sufficient quantities, don’t forget to keep an
eye on what they are eating.
Children who eat a plate full of sandwiches and a bottle of fizzy pop five minutes before you start your
warm up are not going to be ready to play in the match – they are more likely to be in toilet until at least
half time!
Know the rules
The playing rules at some tournaments can be radically different from the rules you usually play to.
At my own club's tournament for U6s to U10s, for example, all throw-ins have be underarm and
goalkeepers are not allowed to kick the ball at all.
So you need to make sure you've checked with the organizers, understood any special rules and - most
importantly – communicated them to your players.
Penalty shoot-outs should be banned!
Although many tournament matches end in a penalty shoot-out, it's not worth spending a lot of time
practicing them.
All your players need to know is to aim for the corners of the goal and preferably keep their shot low. In
the heat of the moment they will probably forget everything you've told them anyway.
All your goalkeeper needs to know that he or she isn't expected to save any of the penalty kicks. If they
do, it's a bonus.
And remember to take some tissues on to the pitch with you. You'll need them to wipe away the tears if
your team loses the shoot-out.
Conclusion
By all means take your team to as many tournaments as you can manage but try to see them as an
opportunity to have a bit of fun, not as a way to add to the contents of your trophy cabinet.
Make sure all your players get their fair share of playing time, check the tournament rules carefully and try
to get your players in the mood to start quickly, score a goal as soon as possible then play keep away
with the other team.
I'll try to follow my own advice next weekend when my girls play in a weekend-long tournament at a local
holiday camp.
I'll let you know how they did in the next newsletter. Wish me luck!
Teaching Vision and Support Play
By Vince Ganzberg
my thanks to Decatur Sports for this lesson plan
This session is geared for the advanced level player about the ages of 14 and up. The
technical ability to play 1-2 touch, possessing a good first touch, and the ability to receive
under pressure is something for you to consider if you are to do this type of training session
with your players. The purpose is to work on player’s vision and getting support in order to
have more productive possessions. This training session also works on speed of play.
Warm-up - 3 colour passing
In an area, have 3 different groups of colours. Have one ball to start. Instruct each colour
that they must pass to another colour yet receive from a third colour. For example: Reds
pass to Greens, Greens pass to yellows, and Yellows pass to reds. After a little bit add a
second and third ball.
1st Activity - 3v3v3
3 Teams of 3. One of the coloured teams is the defending team. The other two teams are
trying to see how many passes they can get against the defending team. The 2 attacking
teams are counting the total number of passes in a time period. When the defence wins the
ball or the attacking team plays out the ball, they keep the ball from the two attacking
teams. It is then up to the attacking teams to win the ball back and keep possession. To
work on vision and support, tell the attacking teams that they cannot pass the ball to their
own colour. They must pass the ball to another colour, like the warm-up. Another variation
is to put a touch restriction on like 1-2 touch.
2nd Activity - Multiple Goals
Two even teams of 5-8 players. Make small goals around a half field area with cones. Make
one more goal than each team has players. So if there are teams of 6, have 7 small goals
scattered around half a field. This is a familiar possession game in which a point is scored
when a team plays the ball thru a coned goal to another teammate. A bonus point is scored
If the ball gets thru a coned goal to a teammate who then plays one touch to a third player.
Could also make this way the only way to get a point If your emphasis is getting support.
3rd Activity - 5v5 plus 2
Play 5 aside to two goals. Two teams of 7 players. Play to two goals. Each team has 2 target
players on their attacking end line. Before a goal can be scored, the attacking team must
play the ball to one of their two target players who then only have one touch to play the ball
back in the field to their own team. Could play that whomever plays the ball to the end
target must replace them. The target player then plays the ball in and can join their
teammates on the field.
4th Activity - Play 7v7 plus 2 to goals
Play 7v7 and have 2 plus players who are always with the attack. The plus players are now
on the field. To work on possession, vision, and support limit the plus player to 1 touch
while everyone else has 2 touches. First team to 3 wins.
Concluding Activity - Play 8v8 - 11v11
Could put a touch restriction on them like 1-2 touch, but one of my favourite twists is to
make them play silently, no clapping, hooting, hollering, etc. After a bit, then play
normally.
Swedish handball
Minutes: 5-30
Players: 6-20
Ages: 7-99
From: and-again.com
Objectives:
1. Movement, warm up. 2. Teach pass and move concept. 3. Teach importance of
passing. 4. Teach importance of moving into space. 5. Improve teamwork. 6. If nothing
else, the kids love this game--it can be exciting and fun.
Description:
Set-up.
This is a team game. 3v3 4v4, 5v5 etc. Set up a goal at each end of the field. Goal can
be a small (5x5) square or a circle or triangle--does not matter, just a dedicated area
where the ball can be placed. Field size varies depending on number of players, for 5v5
I would suggest 40 by 30.
Procedure.
The aim of the game is to pass the football among your team WITH HANDS, keeping
possession and working up the field in order to score a point. Each team scores by
placing the ball (or throwing the ball down) in their opponents goal.
To pass the ball you must use TWO hands (just underarm, or for older kids overarm as
well helps with throw in practice). Before passing to a team mate you must touch the
ball on the ground--then pass. Once the player receives the ball they cannot run, they
are frozen (or can just take one step) and then must pass to a team mate (you can use
your judgement depending on kids, maybe have 1-2 or 3 steps, can enforce time, i.e..
must pass within 5 seconds). The opposing team can only intercept between passes-they cannot grab the ball out of players hands. If the ball goes out of grid award throw
in to opposing team.
Team scores if they place or throw the ball down into the opposing goal. You may need
to enforce a 1 or 2 defender rule, otherwise defending players tend to just crowd
around the goal area.
In have been coaching in the US now for a few weeks (I am a UK FA coach) and the
kids love this game and it is truly amazing to see how they spread out and pass and
support. I have used this game as a great way to give kids a practical example of how
to play "give and go" soccer.
Adaptations or Progressions.
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Spike Ball -- one team plays Swedish Handball and tries to spike the ball used
by the other team who are trying to make 10 consecutive passes.
1, 2 or 3 touch small sided football.
Head Ball
Same as Swedish handball--adapt rules so that every second pass is a header
and that opposition cannot gain possession from a header