Children development theory
Children grow at different speeds, depending on the different stages of development they are going through. Sexual characteristics generally start to develop at 11.5 years of age for girls and 12.5 for boys. The first signs are the development of breasts in girls and enlargement of the testicles in boys.
Annual growth in height increases from 5cm before puberty to 7-9cm during the pubertal growth spurt. On average, this growth spurt is experienced by girls at the age of 12 and by boys at 14. However, differences in growth before the age of 12 should not prevent boys and girls from playing together.
Coach-educators should nevertheless take account of the difference between their chronological ages and their biological ages as well as any cases of precocious puberty when managing mixed groups to ensure they are well balanced.
- Written notes
- General knowledge of football
- Setting the objectives to be achieved
- Choice of exercises, adapted to the children’s capabilities
- Preparation in terms of the location and schedule of exercises
- Tailoring instructions depending on the children’s level
- Gradual development of exercises, taking the children’s level into account
- Repetition of exercises and memorising of situations by the children
- Evaluation of exercises and progress made by the children
- Setting out the area for play, providing a suitable space
- Teaching equipment, first-aid kit
- Organisation of exercises and games: distribution of bibs, movement and rotation of players, etc.
- Organisation of teams. It is important that teams are balanced when they compete against each other to make sure that the children remain motivated
- Players’ level
- Players’ physical characteristics
- Diversity, adapting the rules if necessary
- Progressive development of exercises and games
- Duration and repetition of exercises
- Rest periods, drinks for the children
- Simple, comprehensive explanations of the objectives of the session
- Presentation of the contents
- Organisation of teams and/or working groups in workshops
- Setting up exercises
- Positioning players
- Demonstrating the exercise
- Carrying out the exercise, monitoring time taken
- Exercises and motivation
- Teaching by encouragement
- Monitoring comprehension of exercises and the quality of implementation
- Collective and/or individual correction of exercises
- Ongoing control of schedule and area
- Pursuit of technical quality
- Games and motivation
- Teaching by encouragement
- Allowing play to continue, infrequent intervention
- Encouraging individual initiative
- Promoting creativity
- Ongoing control of schedule and area
- Maintaining the technical balance between teams
- Bringing the children back together and calming down
- Evaluation, discussion, recommendations
- Introduction of the next session
- Putting equipment away
- Overseeing the children’s departure