When Should We Teach Positions?
By Jan Smisek, U.S. Soccer U-14 National Coaching Coordinator
At youth coaching clinics and licensing courses across the country, coaches of 9 -11 year olds usually raise the question of when to teach positions. Many coaches of this age group seem to focus on specific positions for players once they begin practicing 6 v 6, 7 v 7 or 9 v 9. It also appears that some coaches are abandoning the use of small-sided games - three to five a side - as a teaching tool in their practices.
Because there are more players on the field at this age, inexperienced coaches may try to manufacture structure instead of building a solid base of individual skills and small group tactics. By attempting to use strategies from other American team sports, where positional play and structure are a natural and fundamental part of the game, some coaches create practices filled with contrived, unrealistic drills designed to spread out in an attempt to resemble the adult game. Providing the structure of being a defender, midfielder or forward becomes the guiding force in their approach.
As we begin to add more players on the field 4 v 4 to 9 v 9 coaches should not ignore the team roles which start to occur but grooming players for specific positions should not assume high priority in coaching 9-11 year olds.
Soccer is different! Its foundation is based on techniques and elementary principles required by all players. A young player's ability to perform the basic techniques of the game passing, dribbling, receiving, shooting, heading, and tackling is directly related to her development and future success. This makes it vital for coaches to use 3 v 3 and 4 v 4 experience in practices for the 9-11 age group. Small-sided games increase the number of touches on the ball, do not allow players to hide or be excluded, and allow simple but realistic soccer challenges and decisions. In addition to small-sided practices, coaches should provide players a variety of experiences in games, rather than putting them into the same position every match. This will increase each player's opportunity to learn the game.
Goalkeeping is a unique role and needs training in special techniques. However, coaches should remember that in today's game goalkeepers need exposure to the same techniques and principles as field players. Youth coaches must guard against limiting players to just playing in goal at young ages. We need to develop well-rounded soccer players, some of whom end up as goalkeepers later in life.
A major aspect of soccer is decision-making. Players must make decisions individually and collectively regarding possession, penetration and defense. Playing in a particular area of the field provides only one view of the options available to the player within the game. As she learns the game, it is important for the young player to be exposed to playing in different areas (roles/positions) to gain the perspective (vision) which will help her recognize different options and make decisions. When youths play in varied areas of the field they develop an increased awareness of their relationships to teammates, opponents, the ball and the goal. Over time, through practice and competition, players will be able to apply basic techniques and simple principles of play in different areas of the field. This is the foundation from which positional play develops.
As players get older they will naturally start to gravitate to particular areas of the field. This is usually based on personality, natural athletic qualities and the skills they have developed. Coaches must appreciate that playing a position is part of overall maturation in the game. Players should be allowed to gravitate toward specific positions when they demonstrate a predisposition to the role. By the age of 13 or 14, players will start to feel more comfortable in one or two roles/functions. This feeling may even be apparent much earlier, but coaches should be wary of limiting a player too early just because she "likes to play" a certain position. Players will continue to develop physically well into their teens and they may become more effective in other roles as they mature. Playing a position should be a natural end to playing the game rather than a predetermined starting point which the youth coach uses to organize practices or Saturday's line up.
Coaches must remember that they are working with 9, 10 and 11 year olds. They display distinct characteristics mentally, physically and socially. It is the ideal age for challenging technical development and it is the point at which they begin to understand the importance of cooperation in team play. They are capable of grasping basic principles of play, such as support, and how to apply them in a small-sided environment. We need to take this into account and keep our expectations and demands of players within this context.
The foundation of the game must be created in the small-sided environment. We can't expect players to see the options and make good decisions in larger sided games until they master them in small-sided games. Most of all, coaches must be patient. We don't teach children to read by starting with "War & Peace." In this respect, soccer is not different.
©WSW March/April 1998
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