Discussion…
Q: What does mixed ability look like within your
sessions?
Q: How do you manage this?
Q: How do the players manage this?
Thursday 28th January 2016
Coaching Mixed
Ability Players
Ben Hardaker – FA Skills Coach (West Riding)
Steve Dorey – WRCFA Football Development Officer
Aims & Objectives
 Develop an understanding of working with mixed ability
players.
 Discuss the strategies used across the four corners.
 Practical ideas to provide different levels of success.
Discussion…
Q: What does mixed ability look like within your
sessions?
Q: How do you manage this?
Q: How do the players manage this?
Strugglers
Copers
Strivers
Spot the difference?
Do we give young players enough time to develop?
Group Task
In your groups use the following template to plan a session which caters for:
The Great Escape
Taggers (Red) block the orange gates (2 each), players try and score a point by
moving through the gate without the catcher tagging them. Taggers are only able
to move side to side to block their gate.
Struggling
Coping
Striving
Overloaded i.e. 4 v 2
Matched up i.e. 2v2
Underloaded i.e. 2v4
Safe zones
Options to make
harder/easier
Dribbling defender
Decision maker i.e. pick
the formation
Set goals/challenges to
achieve
Multitasking?
Unopposed
Rewards?
Player mentoring &
support
Take them out of comfort zone, but provide choices to increase/decrease the
challenge.
STEP PRINCIPLE
Practical
Throughout the practical please use the laminated
Four Corners sheet to make notes on how the coaches
manage the difference.
NO PRESSURE – do any of the groups wish to deliver
their Great Escape practice?
1v1 Bulldogs!
Players play the games matched up with another player.
Much like the playground game bulldogs you have to try
and get to the other side without been caught or having
your ball stolen.
Differentiate by playing with bibs tucked in or dribbling
footballs.
Progress – play in pairs or small groups? Different ways of
catching the player or stealing the ball?
Lock Out
Players play the games matched up with another player. 3
goals to score in, once you have scored in a goal it’s locks
and you can’t score in it again until you have scored in all
3.
Incorporate a halfway line which the defender must drop
behind if the attacker dictates to support the opportunity
to dribble.
Differentiate – play with bibs, balls, overloads,
underloads…
Progress - play as 2v2, 3v3 etc.
We’re all 3 aren’t we…
Every player on the team starts with a value of
3, if a player scores then the team scores 3
goals but the players value goes to 0. Once all
players in the team have scored all players
values reset to 3.
Players can use the condition to discuss tactics
and strategies i.e. their role in the team once
they have scored.
Progress – incorporate a “Captain” who scores
double points for their team! Players can swap
the captain during the game.
Levels
Any game can be split into different levels of difficulty to support players of all abilities.
Example above is a directional practice in which you must try and transfer the ball to the other end of the
pitch without the defenders winning the ball and attacking the opposite way. The challenge increases as
the levels go up, providing ownership will allow the players decide which level they are currently at and
how to improve by challenging themselves or making the practice easier.
More, Same, Less?
Players split into groups of 5 and use half a pitch to set
the practice up. 2 defenders, 2 attackers and a GK. All
swap and take in turns. Attackers have three footballs to
try and score, however they choose whether to play
with:
More attackers than defenders = 1 goal (Overload)
Same number of attackers and defenders = 3 goals
Less attackers than defenders = 5 goals (Underload).
Progress – turn the practice into a game incorporating
other groups or with the 6 players.
Player Marking
Within a game players pick a player on the opposite team
who they must mark throughout the game, they are only
allowed to tackle or steal the ball from that player. Players
are allowed to intercept from a pass made by any other
player.
Progress by swapping players who play against
each other to ensure players experience different
players playing against them – however ensure you
manage the psychological and social corner i.e.
success and players manipulating who they play
against.
Be aware of the physical load this will place on
players throughout the game.
Fantasy Football
Let the players choose how many points and
they keep score i.e.
Goal = 5 points
Assist = 3
Clean Sheet = 4
Yellow Card = -1
Bonus (Players decide) = 2
Progress – players from other teams play with
each other in separate teams and then come
back together to keep their score and add up!
Fantasy Football
Wants v. Needs Coaching
What would
YOU like to
improve/get
better at?
What do they
need to do to
improve?
Practice Design
Candidates Key Messages
Ensure that practices are fun for all players involved to support the
social development and develop the environment.
Use the Plan, Do, Review process to support players of differing
abilities and strategies to accommodate.
Be creative with practice design to ensure all players can
participate.
Use the four corners to challenge and extend players appropriate
their age, stage of maturation and experience of football.
Treat each player as an individual and provide opportunities for
ownership.
Let the players choose teams, how they play the game, the type of
challenges they will encounter.
Balance the players WANTS vs NEEDS.
Candidates Key Messages
Further Reading & Research
The Boot Room
FA Licensed Coaches Club Masterclasses
Learning Preferences
Differentiation
Ghost Coaching
Mindset
Deliberate Practice
Long Term Player Development
Early & Late Developers
Contact
[email protected]
[email protected]
07943 550599
07912 309127
@coachbenh
@WestRidingFA