1. THE NEED FOR SECURITY
During training children need a familiar and intimate atmosphere which gives them security and confidence. It's not recommendable to change frequently neither the training site nor the coach or educator. Returning to games which they already know (but presenting variations) is welcomed by the kids so long as the contents of the training sessions link with something that they already know. Children demand stable relations like in their family. Besides, the coaching should take place in a save environment (for instance on playing fields without stones of holes), applying specific rules which assure safety and avoid any dangerous situation.

2. THE NEED TO GAIN NEW EXPERIENCES
Nothing can be understood completely, as long as it wasn't experienced. Instead of telling the kids, the teacher should allow them to experiment the task. Children need to discover on their own everything which surrounds them. This applies also to the world of sports and for soccer in particular. Instead of being instructed, kids should get stimulated with simplified games and multilateral activities which are within their physical and mental capacities. Teaching this way, children through discovering will develop their intelligence step by step.

3. THE NEED THAT THEIR EFFORTS ARE RECOGNIZED BY OTHERS
Children get highly motivated when tribute is paid towards their efforts in mastering a skill or a problem. Through praise they are getting encouraged to try even harder. For the under 12 years old children, the teacher, coach or parent is like a mirror in which they see their capacity or incapacity. That is why educators and parents have to learn to be positive, praise the children frequently and keep critical comments to a minimum.

4. THE NEED TO SHOW RESPONSIBILITY
Children prefer to do things on their own without depending too much on the adults. They like to reach as quickly as possible independence. The coaching methods and the behaviour of the educator should consider this need, making sure that the children find frequently on their own the solutions to the problems which they present. The educator only should interfere when the problems can't be solved by the pupils.
Putting down or collecting cones, modifying the rules of a practise game or choosing players for demonstrations or certain tasks should become also a task of the children. Their need to demonstrate responsibility could be stimulated also by allowing them in each training session to choose freely during 10 minutes what to practise, how to do it , where and with whom to execute a determined skill or game.

5. THE NEED TO PLAY
Playing games is as vital for them as sleep: necessary for the health of their body and their mind. As children learn by playing, the central part of each training session is the practise and understanding of a simplified game. The art of coaching is to always adapt it to the children's ability and capacity level and not vice-versa. Playing games communication with others and decision making are stimulated. Playing without thinking is like shooting without aiming.

6. THE NEED TO SOCIALIZE WITH OTHERS
Instinctively children look for communication with others. The older they are, the more they need company of a similar age. They love to be associated to a group and to identify themselves with a group or team with the aim to achieve common objectives.

7. THE NEED TO MOVE
Nature wants the child to be active. He is no patience to wait in queues until his turn arrives. Standing isn't child-like. Rules of the adult games have to be modified to allow the children to play the ball more often. Games with few players assure active participation.

8. THE NEED TO LIVE IN THE PRESENT
Generally spoken, neither the past nor the future interests the children very much. Their sense of time is completely different to that of the adults. A child lives very intensively the present moment and the today without bothering about tomorrow or yesterday which seems to be very far away.

9. THE NEED FOR VARIETY
More variety, less boredom and fatigue. A great variety of stimulates is fundamental to maintain the attention level for a certain time. Without varying frequently the method of presentation and the contents, the attention of the children usually deviates. It's also necessary to vary the grade of intensity of the exercises and games . Variation can also be assured through mixing the specific with the general or multilateral preparation, through switching from the global to the analytic method or from individualised training to group practise.

10. THE NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY ADULTS
Children seem to live in a different world as adults. They have different problems as adults, learn in a different way and don't think as logical as adults do. Their ideas, thoughts or reasoning are lacking coherence. Their emotional constancy depends in a high degree on their speed of biological growth. Generally they don't know to use well their energy and therefore get tired very easily. They behave in a way they feel.

For all these reasons, adults who live and work with children, should be well-prepared persons in order to be able to stimulate and guide them well in their search for personality and identity.

Horst Wein has worked for many top clubs such as Real Sociedad, Leeds Utd, Sunderland, Inter Milan and is currently at the Centre of Research and Development of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. He has also wrote numerous books on soccer, offers regular coaching courses and recently ran a session for the English Football Association. You can e-mail Horst on horstwein@eresmas.net. We would like to thank him for the kind donation of this article.

To go back to the home page, click here. Don't forget to sign up for our regular Newsletter as well !