Tag: NDSL

Categories
Irish Grassroots Football

Funino is the future!

Ireland is evolving and so are the methods of the many coaches around the country, but of all the small sided games programmes, FUNINO is the most creditable and the best format for developing the game of football.

If you have heard of Funino you can download the ‘Ultimate Mini Game with Four Goals’ programme at the bottom of this article. Funino is the most excited game in the world and the only one designed to unlock creativity and game intelligence. Developed by the Horst Wein, a University Lecture and former German and Spanish Olympic Hockey Teams Coach. His methods have been used for over 20 years by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, for 7 years by Australian Football Federation and now the Mexican football Federation has published the first volume of “Futbol a la medida del nino”.

“There was once a time when street football and free play was the norm. Then we become adults wanted to control it , make it organised and forgot the child in all of us” UEFA B Coach Mark O Sullivan

What makes this even more relevant is an Irish man called Dermot Dalton of thebeautifulgame.ie is helping Wein re-write his methods, which are now being used by the North Dublin School Boy League. The programme which is designed for 7 to 9 year olds is currently being employed by six Professional Clubs in the German Bundesliga. A game that can be used for older players in training and even up-to and including professional level.

Funino

This is a game for young players to discover the magic of The Beautiful Game with a programme designed especially for them:

  • Experience the “renaissance of street football” in the 21st century.
  • Be the best coach you can be, creating a player-centred environment where young talent flourishes.
  • Introduce your players to game intelligence while establishing their technique, in a player-centred, game-oriented programme.
  • 32 official  games
  • 24 Preparatory/corrective games
  • 20+ important game variables

Horst Wein’s training programme for 7-9 year olds is based on his proven game of Mini-Football, now called which is the abbreviation for “ Futbol a la medida del Niño” or “football designed for children.”

The programme is the result of 27 years of innovation, practice and continuing improvement and is part of the Horst Wein Youth Football Development Model, which is the official textbook of the Spanish Football Federation since 1993 and is used by FC Barcelona, Athletico Bilbao and many top clubs around the world. This breakthrough approach to inducting young children into the game of football obviously has an emphasis on FUN so that children come to fall in love with the game from the earliest ages. It has been called the “Revival of Street Football. “

NDSL

Last Monday saw the official Funino programme launch at the NDSL headquarters. 20 mini pitches inside a full 11 aside pitch for a group of boys and girls age 8 and 9. A total of 85 kids turned out to experience the programme first hand. This is another great leap by the NDSL in trying to re-structure the grassroots game, who are the first league in Ireland to introduce this format. The training will continue every Monday from 6 to 7pm for u9s and 7 to 8pm for u10s and spaces are still available.

The Benefits of the 3v3

  • The two wide goals at each end encourage young players to use the wings in attack and open up the play.
  • Playing with 2 goals stimulates greater reading and understanding of the game, including peripheral vision, perception and decision making skills before executing any actions.
  • Stimulates, more than any other traditional football game, intelligence, perception, imagination and creativity.
  • Sufficient space and time allows children to read the game and play constructive football and to develop basic communication skills.
  • More time and space, better reading of the game and better decision-making and skill execution means less mistakes.
  • Due to the fact that the same basic game situations appear again and again (i.e. the 2v1 situation) the young players learn very quickly.
  • In FUNino, 8 and 9 year olds enjoy more touches on the ball, treating it as their best friend. No long clearances or wild and dangerous kicks can be seen in which players “violate the ball”.
  • Players attack and defend in a triangular formation for better communication and collaboration. Positioning in the field is easy.
  • Allows an all round development of all participants as there are no fixed positions in a team which would avoid too early specialization. Everybody has to attack as well as to defend, using the whole pitch.
  • Usually there are lots of goals and goalmouth action.
  • Each player scores more than one goal per game.
  • All the players get to experience a starring role in this dynamic game.
  • All 3 players, including the weaker ones, play a critical role in this game and are involved mentally and physically throughout the game. Nobody can hide!

We, at The Beautiful Game, believe that our proven youth development model can achieve a number of important goals at the same time:

  1.  All children get to enjoy the game of football as children (and not as mini-adults) as the game(s) are tailored to their needs.
  2. Children have the opportunity to reach their full potential, whatever that is, through an optimal development model, including a player-centred approach, that is games-oriented (rather than drills) and a guided discovery coaching style (rather than the traditional instruction style).
  3. As the model is more inclusive and fair than the traditional elitist model, there are many social and character/lifestyle benefits emanating from this approach.

FUNINO 1-DAY COACH TRAINING CLINICS

There will be a one day Funino course held the NDSL on Saturday 2nd November and Sunday 9th November. T

Saturday 2nd November 2013

9am – 4.30pm

OR

Sunday 10th November

9am – 4.30pm

Oscar Traynor Centre, Coolock

€90 (including printed Funino manual)

For further details on Funino contact dermot@thebeautifulgame.ie or call Dermot on 086 8513339.

Download the FUNINO BROCHURE OCT 2013

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Categories
Coaching Clinics Irish Grassroots Football

Coerver Coaching Workshops

Coerver Coaching Ireland are starting 2 day workshop for coaches of all levels.

The NDSL Academy will host the first one in May on Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th.

Along with Austin Speight from Coerver coaching, Gareth Hayden will be looking after the SAQ session and Tom Bates doing the Sports Psychology and Elite Performance part. Personally I think this is great value at €75.00.

 

NDSL COERVER COACHING – Weekend May 18/19 2013

  • 2 Day Event
  • NDSL Coolock – 10-4 PM Each Day.
  • Coerver Coaching sessions – Austin Speight
  • SAQ / Strength and Conditioning sessions – Gareth Hayden
  • Sports Psychology – Tom Bates- WBA
  • Elite performance coach- Tom Bates – WBA
  • Cost for 2 days just €75.00 

Note: Places are limited so early booking is advised. All coaches attending must be pre booked, no walk ons on the day.

For more information call: Coerver Office – 042 936 6910 – NDSL –   087 951 3624

Other dates for the Diary are:

Coerver Diploma

Cork and Waterford dates TBC

Limerick April 20/21

Belfast May 25/26

Dublin Aug 17/18

  • Includes all course literature
  • 5 set Coerver dvd
  • Diploma Certificate
  • Cost €229.00

To book for the Diploma call Coerver office 042 936 6910 or email- austin.speight@coerver.ie

Categories
Irish Grassroots Football

NDSL keep U12s at 9v9.

Great to hear that the NDSL are keeping with the 9v9 game for 2001’s, u12s for the coming season 2012-2013. This is a welcome step and probably the best bit of news I have heard all summer. NDSL I salute you for this forward thinking change.

“How absurd it is for adults to demand players as young as nine or 10 to play in an 11 v. 11 environment on a regulation pitch. While soccer for adults is played in an 11 v. 11 environment, the same setting is not the best for younger soccer players. That is why small-sided soccer is being used more frequently at the younger ages, and continues to play a vital role in soccer training for all ages. We must continue with the SSG games for the purpose of development. Soccer must be FUN for kids!”

So what does these mean and what are the benefits of small sided games?

  1. The players get to touch the  ball more often which will help improve their technique.
  2. The game is less complicated therefore the players make more, less-complicated decisions. 
  3. The players can adapt more to a pitch that is for their size they become more physically efficient on the pitch they’re playing on.
  4. Gives the coaches more individual teaching time. Less players on the field and less players on the team will guarantee this! More technical training as oppose to tactical in the 11v11.
  5. The SSG is less complicated giving players more involved playing time in the game! Much more opportunities to solve problems.
  6. Simpler decisions to make.
  7. Better game-related fitness, short duration of high-intensity.
  8. More opportunities for the full range of skills.
  9. Encourages faster play, more opportunity to attack and defend (more exposure to attacking and defending situations)
  10. More opportunities to score goals! (fun)
  11. More opportunities for keepers to safe them!
  12. Developmentally appropriate environment with less emphasis on winning.
  13. Players can’t ‘hide’ on the pitch.
  14. More playing time and participation.
  15. Easier for young players to have success – which means fun and retention for these players in the game.
  16. Passing distances are reduced.

Using small-sided games, players get more touches on the ball and more decisions are being made, with less players on the field. Everyone is always involved or at least they are much more involved then in a 11v11 game at the young ages.

Best of all, the game is simple, can be played without adult involvement and it’s still FUN! When used properly, small-sided soccer can give developing players the tools they need to become a better player and reach their potential.

“Small sided games are important because they allow opportunities (many repetitions) for technical development under competitive pressure, such that players are able to turn ‘technique’ into ‘skill.’  They also allow a player to experience tactical decision-making and implement the principles of attacking and defending in relatively clear situations and that learning will translate well to larger number situations in the 11 v. 11 game as players grow and develop.”

Smaller numbers is always better and going forward even keeping u11s at 7v7 would be something.

Note: Paul C thanks for updating me on this change. Declan thanks for clearing it up. 9V9 for another season, the kids will be delighted!

 

Categories
Irish Grassroots Football NDSL - Small sided Game

“IS féidir linn.” – NDSL Take a huge step in the right direction..

“IS féidir linn.” Barack Obama tested out the Irish translation of the iconic ‘yes we can’ phrase which swept him into the White House.

It was an extraordinary day, a flash of green amid the global gloom, a beacon of hope in the midst of much change. And a sign that America will stand side by side with us as we strive to overcome the greatest economic challenge in our history. Being the week that it was it would be rude not to add my contribution to Americas President coming HOME! lol

“The NDSL the most forwarding thinking League in Ireland”

Now the NDSL has said “Yes we can” and decided to be the first Dublin league and I believe league in Ireland to make changes for the benefit of the kids that play and how we welcome these changes.

The format was taken from a recent trip to UEFA headquarters in which consisted of looking at models in place on the small sided games in Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and other Europen countries. This model is based on the European System of the highly successful GERMAN syllabus of underage Coaching.

This is  huge step in Irish football and one that is very much welcomed by me.

The Format

As you know from my posts, in Europe their is a huge emphasis on non-competitive small sided games and most of the clubs operate a blitz style league, where clubs travel within their district  every weekend and one club acts as the host club. The following week another club will act as host club and so on. There are no tables or trophies ceremonies.

The new NDSL format is very flexible and will be similar to the most European systems were  “quote”

Age 4s,5s & 6s play 3v3s – Age 7s & 8s play 5v5s – Age 9s & 10s play 7v7s – Age 11s play 9v9s and then you move to 11 aside football at age 13s.

Player Development is the winner…

The game is purely focused on game & player development, Players get roughly 2 hours of football games, with a player getting as much as 500 touches of the ball. No results are recorded and Coaches told to “let the kids play” no coaching on the sideline and parents are kept away from side of pitch.

The concept is to “Give the game back to the kids”. This will not take away kids winning mentality, kids will always have that, but it will stop winning at all costs mentality from coaches and parents.

The Focus is on Technique and getting kids more touches of the ball, which in turns makes it FUN for all that play, kids become better ball players.

Bloody Good Job

NDSL Honary Secretary Tony Gains, League Academy Director John Farrell and Technical Director Mitch Whitty and all the NDSL staff I salute you, for this very forward thinking and innovative step towards player development with player development the main focus. In fact the NDSL set up an underage committee 2 years ago with the aim to change the structure of the small sided games, this is something that the Under age committee have been working on for some time and they will continue to monitor the changes going forward.

The Underage Committee members are Pat Reilly,  John Broughan, Brendan Renwick, Mick Bolger, Matt McGoldrick, Yvonne  Cooper.

The NDSL will be running a workshop to help clubs, managers and coaches adjust to the new setup, see their site for further information.

“There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction”

If anyone wants Norway’s and Denmarks Grassroots Football plan click on this link https://www.thecoachdiary.com/?p=2283

Next week I will be speak to Honorary Secretary Tony Gains of the NDSL league

P.S Please tell me what your league is doing?