The 6U-8U Age Group
A new series of training sessions has been uploaded for the fall season. These are designed to assist the novice coach in their weekly training for the 4v4 Play Format. These activities use the Play-Practice-Play methodology. Feel free to download these to your mobile device or print them.
Characteristics of the 8U Player
- Focused on themselves – reality to them is based on what they see and feel
- Unable to see the world from another’s perspective
- Everything is in the here and now
- Cooling systems are less efficient – need frequent water breaks
- Enjoy playing, not watching. Every player should have a ball in practice
- Limited attention span – keep directions concise and to the point
- Effort is performance – if they try hard, they are doing well
- Active imaginations – utilize their imagination in activities, and they will love practice!
- Look for adult approval – be encouraging when they say “Coach, look what I can do!”
- Unable to think abstractly – spatial relationships are a mystery
- Typically have 2 speeds — extremely fast and stopped
- Usually unaware of game scores – keep it that way