Mad River Youth Soccer League

All children are unique: one size/one drill does NOT fit all!
The difference in 6 months age is comparable to 2 years for older children!
This age is very EGOCENTRIC: one ball, one toy per child, if you please.
EGOCENTRIC means don’t expect passing (introduce basic passing at 7 years old!!).
Motivated by: FUN followed by FUN, and then FUN.
Cricket-players need constantly MOVING and CHANGING environments.
They really are often happy just to be MOVING…unlike older kids they do not need to be constantly “entertained” with ever more creative games.
And yet…they also like set routines with CONSISTENCY embedded.
Kinder players can handle ONLY ONE CONCEPT at a time: For example, asking them to dribble with their right foot to the green line” is TRIPLE OVERLOAD. Many are just dealing with LEFT SHOE- RIGHT SHOE.
If they ask for a water break…they are probably bored or frustrated.
DRIBBLING is the ONLY skill that can be taught at this age that can “transfer” to game or scrimmage play. (Rudimentary kicking of a stationary ball/gently rolling ball is also appropriate, but will probably NOT transfer to game play)
They do not have a concept of WIN (or even “GOAL!”) It is their parents/coaches who project this onto their world: an UNMITIGATED MISTAKE. The most “competitive” they might get is to naturally try to finish ahead of a buddy in a “race”
There are NO NATURAL ATHLETES (it’s a myth) at this age: it is just a matter of who has had prior exposure/encouragement in sports.
Boys and girls are not different in their capabilities. Developmental variation within the same gender will be MUCH MORE EVIDENT than boy-girl differences.
CRICKET SOCCER COACHING IS MORE ABOUT KNOWING CHILDREN AND THEIR UNIQUE NEEDS AT THIS AGE THAN IT IS ABOUT KNOWING SOCCER. Soccer expertise may even be a DETRIMENT in pushing children too early!