How to use constraints in your coaching session

 

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Ben Bartlett, FA youth coach developer, asks coaches to consider how a constraints-led approach to practice design can help aid player development.

The production of playbooks - which often include pages of sessions and describe particular plays that players should run in games - can be guilty of seeking to oversimplify the complex nature of coaching football to human beings.  
Complex activities require complex, multi-faceted programmes of learning that embrace variety such as risk and safety, unopposed and opposed practice and telling and discovery coaching approaches.
In issue 10 of The Boot Room, an alternative approach to practice design and supporting players to play the game was proposed. Coaches were encouraged to consider how a constraints-led approach to coaching football could be combined with a flexible structure for practice sessions and games programmes. The purpose of the discussion was to help enable coaches to design varied, responsive football activity to support the perceived individual needs of players and coaches.
The considered approach to practice design functioned at three different levels:

1.Principles of practice design 

 

     

2. Four ingredients coaches can experiment with and combine:

Pitch Type: select from big, small, narrow or wide.
Player Distribution: how we distribute the players to link to the systems or strategies we choose to deploy.
Parameters: determine the pitch markings that can be used to guide or limit the movements that the players can make.
Player constraints: decide how we intend to challenge players’ actions and decisions using the 3 R’: restrict, reward and relate. The image below provides definitions of these (Picture 2)

 

     

3. Examples of Games

The table below provides some examples of how the principles and ingredients can be combined  

 

     

The three levels of thinking afforded by this ‘lighter footprint’ approach, can support coaches to work from more abstract principles to build their own ideas. Similarly, there is also the option to use some example ‘practice recipes’ when time or experience are limited.
There are three additional aspects that we would encourage you to consider:

1. Pursuing Victory

Football is a competitive sport. Supporting the players to think about and learn how to win (and how to behave when we don’t) is a key aspect of development. The table above (and in issue 21 of The Boot Room on Coaching Game Management) includes examples of how we might constrain games to afford players the opportunity to manage the momentum of the game.
The games programme can provide us with opportunities to coach the players (similar to training sessions). We ran a tournament in Spring 2016, which used a ‘must-win’ constraint. The competition offered three points for a win and zero points for a draw or defeat. This afforded players the opportunity to think of the tactics they use to ensure they win the game. Interestingly, all six games (which were fifteen minutes in duration) finished 1-0. This was possibly, in part, due to the way teams played until the first goal was scored and the emotional impact of going behind.

2. Overload Principle in cognition

The idea of the pitch being smaller or narrower than ‘normal’ can sometimes be met with the view that it is unrealistic and removes some of the principles of the game of football. However, consider the value of the overload principle on decision-making (cognition). Overload refers to the amount of load/stress we place on the body/brain than it is normally accustomed to in order to improve its function. If we make decision-making harder (due to limiting space and time) than ‘normal’, does it enable us to improve player’s decision-making ability?

3. Individual/Whole Group Constraints

The value of individual practice is unquestionable. This can often be perceived as needing to be completed individually or in a small group. Tasking or constraining players individually within a squad practice can afford players the opportunity to practise something unique to them within the context of the game.
For example, I recently worked with a number 10 who had a tendency to set back when the ball came to his feet, missing opportunities to receive, turn and threaten the opposition. We constrained him to ‘no one-touch passes backwards’.  This meant if he played backwards it is likely he would slow the game down (which might be the best decision) and led to him receiving on the turn and turning on his first touch, benefitting not only further development of his techniques and decisions but also the physical movements he made.

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Knowing Your Players: Playing Up And Down Age Groups

Written by Steven Crane Oct 3rd, 2017

The traditional model for organising teams is by school year (UK) or by calendar year (USA and RoW). This means that there can be a wide variation in biological age (there could be almost 1 year age difference between your oldest and youngest players). Professional clubs are now identifying late developers and are creating strategies to help individuals develop and reach their full potential.

1. My player is finding it difficult because he/she is too small, what can I do to help him/her develop?
2. My player is not strong enough to compete, what can I do to help him/her develop?
3. My player is finding it too easy at his own age group, what can I do to help him/her develop?

We are asked these questions by users of The Coaching Manual regularly. It’s a big issue in the game and a lot of coaches choose to ignore it which prevents players from developing or, in the worst-case scenario, causes them to leave the game. Encouraging players to play up or down an age group can have a massive impact on a player’s long-term development and enjoyment of the game.
 What are the implications for player development?
There are two possible implications for the development of your players, which are determined by where they are in their individual development pathway.

 Scenario 1: Player is more advanced than his/her team-mates:

1. Has too much success in matches – Don’t enjoy it as much and become frustrated.
2. Games aren’t physically demanding– Develop bad habits/become lazy.
3. Believes they are the best – Become over-confident/arrogant, doesn’t involve team mates and alienates them.
4. Games aren’t technically demanding - Don’t achieve potential.

 Scenario 2: Player is less advanced than his/her team-mates:

1. Has little success in matches – Don’t enjoy it as much and become frustrated.
2. Games are too physically demanding– Risks injury.
3. Believes they are the worst – Loses confidence, gets upset in matches and withdraws from team mates.
4. Games are too technically demanding - Don’t achieve potential.

Why have they not progressed?

It could be due to the physicality (height, weight, strength) of the player, a comparative lack of technical ability to the rest or their social and psychological maturity.
Physicality– Due to various legislation, not everyone will be able to move players up and down age groups to aid their development. So, here is how you, as coaches, can help the player.
1. An under 15 player is not able to meet the physical demands of the game. Encourage them to train with the U14s as well as the under 15s. This will allow the player to play with players of their own physicality and will give them an opportunity to develop.
a) Be careful when you do this. Be truthful with the player and make sure they are fully aware that this is not a punishment, it is more of a challenge to see if they can improve the u14's and challenge them to be a leader in that age group.
b) If the player has to stay with their own age group for games then allow them to play in the less competitive games, and surround them with stronger players. This will help them get some success on the pitch.
c) Use the examples we give in the interview to illustrate how even great players have benefited from this approach.
2. An under 15 player is too strong for their age group. Challenge the player by moving him/her to play up a year. This will allow the player to use their body in a more realistic environment.
Technical Ability - If the players are physically able to compete with their age group but are lacking technical ability then here are a few things you could do.
1. Encourage them to play in the league/team below. Still, allow the players to train with your team as a lot of their friends will be there. However, the league/team below may be best to help his/her development.
a) Set goals and simple challenges they can do away from training that will help them improve their technical ability, for example, passing with a friend or against a wall. Please take a look at our 1 to 1 coaching content.
2) A player is technically better than his team-mates and is at risk of his technical development stagnating.
a) Allow the player to train with an older age group, where their technical ability is put under pressure, forcing them to improve both their technical level and their speed of play.

Psychological Age

1. An under 9 player is enjoying training but getting upset every time it comes to game day.
a) Sit down with the player before a game and discuss all the great things they are going to do in the game ahead which will give them confidence.
b) Consider starting the player as a substitute and allow them to watch the game from the side so they can get a feel for the environment. Also, consider allowing the player to play games with the younger age group to build his/her confidence.
c) Give the player certain roles and responsibilities in the team to motivate them.

Social Age

1. An under 11 player is superior to their peers and they are not passing the ball in training. His friends have started to get frustrated with him/her and alienate him/her from the group.
a) Set the player individual challenges during training sessions, for example, can he/she make 20 passes in a game. He/she can only score with a one-touch finish.
b) Allow the player train with the age group above to challenge the player. 

Why Futsal Will Accelerate Your Player's Development  

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The England DNA wants coaches to work towards helping players develop outstanding technical ability. This starts in the Foundation Phase and playing Futsal is a great game to use.
The Foundation Phase is the perfect time to introduce players to the benefits of playing Futsal. The constraints of the game really do help to challenge the players, regardless of age, and it is the perfect game to supplement the involvement many young players will have with football. The England DNA demands that a different kind of player is developed and Futsal has a very important role to play.

DNA Foundation Phase Futsal Intro

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In the information that follows I have made reference to a feature of the game and aligned this with the DNA headlines that you will become so familiar with as you use this resource:

If you are indoors in the winter and have limited time – just play the game.

• The players will have increased touches and decisions to make (master the ball)

• The players will have increased opportunities to: accelerate, decelerate, change direction, stop and start, dodge and feint (master your body)

• Players are under constant pressure and have limited space (seek creative solutions)

• The players will have more tactical challenges to overcome (instinctive decision making)

• There will be more opportunities to shoot, pass, move, dribble and play 1v1 (be exciting with the ball)

• The players will have to react to transition more often (instinctive decisions)

• The players will have to defend as an individual and a team (intelligent defending)

And whilst all this is going on the players are having fun and enjoying the game.

 

As coaches we have to consider the balance between structured and unstructured practice time during the week. For our Foundation Phase players the training time in the grassroots game is likely to be between an hour or two hours per week (if you are lucky). If this is all structured, coach led and quite formal in nature then the players will miss out on the problem solving, decision making and improvisation needed just to cope with the game of Futsal. 

If you take your team indoors for the winter you have to consider using Futsal. It is a great option for development and the FA now has a range of qualifications from Level 1, Level 2 to UEFA B Futsal which will help coaches develop both themselves and their players using this game.
You will find lots of Futsal practice ideas in line with the England DNA within this section so make sure you consider Futsal as an option for your players and you will be amazed by the results.

In possesion foundation phase , "stay on the ball and master the ball u/5-u/8"

Master the Ball

In the Foundation Phase, we must promote a real connection between the player and the ball. 

Young players want to improve and develop their skills so they are ready for this intervention. Mastering the ball includes building the capability to manipulate and manoeuvre the ball in any direction, at varying speeds and by using any part of the foot or body. 

This capability can then be utilised when dribbling, travelling with the ball, turning, receiving, shielding or screening the ball during any subsequent practice activity or game. This kind of practice cannot be skimmed over, rushed or (at worse) overlooked. Developing these fundamental skills will form the basis for all of the development that follows and the Foundation Phase provides the perfect starting point as young players are primed and ready to explore and experiment. 

Coaches should encourage this exploration: use a wide range of small-number activities and games to ensure that your players have lots of opportunity to spend time on the ball and make decisions.

A wide spectrum of methods can help to begin the process of ball mastery: from isolated ball-familiarity exercises that promote touch, feel and manipulation aspects (but require very little decision-making capability), to small-number activities, games and formats that will bring returns in all four corners (Technical, Physical, Psychological and Social). 

As a coach, your position on this spectrum should be determined by the needs of the group and within that, where possible, the needs of each individual player. 

Futsal must be included as a game format during this phase whenever possible. The game will provide massive returns in all areas of development, and the repetition involved in lots of situations that are similar (but never the same) is exactly what is needed at this stage of development. Please make sure you visit the Futsal section to learn more.

Stay on the Ball

It is difficult to say which part comes first - master the ball or stay on the ball - because, in promoting one, you are almost certainly working on the other. However, once players grow in confidence because of their improving ability on the ball, then we need to encourage them to stay on the ball for longer. This does not mean “hog the ball” or dribble until possession is lost. 

This headline is about the player knowing that they are able to keep the ball for longer regardless of the pressure from the opposition or from the lack of space available. 

Once you develop a confidence in your own ability, time can be spent on thinking about how you might attack and score for yourself or help others do the same. For our under 5-8 players this must be established in such a way that their technique is still good even though there’s more pressure. This could take years of practice, so ensure you give the players lots of variety and opportunity to begin to develop these important fundamental techniques.

A greater technical capability means that you can look for more attacking, threatening and creative options, rather than the easy or predictable ones. More time on the ball means that the game may change whilst you still have possession; supporting positions could change into more attacking ones, or the player on the ball may suddenly turn or dribble out of pressure and the whole pitch could open up before them.

These situations never occur if the player is told to pass the ball early and to the easiest option. 

This is probably the hardest part for the adults to deal with let alone actively encourage and promote. This is because we may feel frustrated as we wait for these skills and abilities to develop. It’s vital that we adopt a patient and consistent approach so that players feel supported when developing this aspect of their game.

It will be well worth the wait. Remember that development is a long-term process and by staying on the ball players will develop their dribbling skills, their turns, twists and their spins away from pressure. 

The young players will have to become good at “hiding” the ball away from opponents, and brilliant at not only knowing when to release the ball, but who to release it to. This capability will stay with them for the rest of their playing time as the DNA aims to promote this aspect of development right through the phases. 

The part you play is important because you will start the whole process off and, if done with real passion and enthusiasm, will be your legacy and your massive contribution to the development of our young players.

To summarise, stay on the ball when:

• you have no positive or threatening passing options, and you’re prepared to stay on the ball and see if one appears

• there is space in front of you/to the side/behind you and you can change the situation in the game to a more positive, attacking one by travelling with the ball

• you have recognised that the situation is 1v1 and you are going to dribble with the ball

• you are under pressure, passing options are compromised and you are willing to relieve the pressure and change the situation by screening, shielding or turning with the ball

• all of your options are sideways and backwards and staying on the ball may allow the situation to change and present a forward, positive more attacking option.

There is no particular order to these points - they are all equally important.

 

Stay on the Ball (Futsal)

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The mastery and staying on the ball headlines are perfect for those players at the youngest end of the Foundation Phase, so please make sure this development is prioritised.

Before you consider the other ‘in possession’ headlines, remember that you will have players who are still at the stage where managing the ball is all they can cope with. This is fine and just means that they need more time and more enjoyable ways to practice these things. Make sure you provide this for them.