The new season has started, and many clubs have new junior players on the pitch. For coaches and parents, the question arises: How do children actually learn technique, and how can one best support them in the process? The answer has a lot to do with repetition, but not exclusively.
The golden age of learning
In sports science, people often speak of the "golden age of learning." This generally refers to the phase between eight and twelve years old. At this age, children learn new movements particularly quickly and sustainably. What they internalise now often stays with them for a lifetime. For football, this means: technique should be the focus at this age, not tactics or fitness.
Why repetition is so important
Every movement we learn is stored in the brain. The more often we repeat it, the more stable and automatic it becomes. A professional no longer thinks about their standing leg, upper body, and ankle during a volley; the movement simply happens. This state is achieved only through a great number of repetitions.
The problem in club training: A child often has very few touches of the ball in a drill because they are waiting in a long queue. Exercises where everyone is active at the same time and gets plenty of repetitions are better.
Repetition yes, boredom no
Children want to play, not practise the same thing for hours. Good technical training therefore combines repetition with variety:
- Small competitions: Who hits the target more often? Who can get more touches on the ball?
- Variation: The same technique from different positions, with both feet, towards different targets.
- Short sessions: Better to have ten minutes of focus than thirty minutes of drudgery.
- Game forms: Apply the practised technique directly in a small-sided game.
Mistakes are part of it
A child practising a volley will often miss the ball or shoot over the goal. This is completely normal and even important. The brain learns to adjust the movement from mistakes. Coaches and parents should therefore not comment on every missed shot, but rather praise successful attempts and encourage the courage to try things out.
The right feedback
Children cannot implement five corrections at the same time. Always give only one pointer, for example: "Look at the ball." Only when this point is mastered does the next one come. Short, clear instructions and imagery help: "Make your ankle hard like a board."
Consistent conditions to start
When learning a new technique, it is helpful to keep conditions constant at first. A ball that is always at the same height allows the child to focus entirely on the movement. Only when the basic form is mastered does it become more difficult: the ball arrives from the air, at speed, or from the side.
The VOLLEYCHAMP® is made exactly for this. The three heights of 10, 20, and 30 cm allow for a step-by-step progression, and many children can practise one after another or at several stations in quick succession. This results in many repetitions in a short time without anyone having to wait long.
Tips for parents
Parents do not have to be coaches to support their children. It is often enough to go out into the garden together and kick the ball back and forth for a few minutes. It is important that the child enjoys it. Pressure and excessive ambition usually have the opposite effect.
Conclusion
Technique is created through many repetitions in an environment where mistakes are allowed and successes are celebrated. Those who give children this opportunity lay the foundation for a long-lasting enjoyment of football.
