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Ball Mastery in the Foundation Phase

Cameron Moulton

Hi all hoping to get some clarification on what good ball mastery practice looks like for foundation phase players. I currently work with an U8s grassroots team and I want to help my young players to master the ball. In every training session, part of our practice is dedicated to every player having a ball and I would like some guidance on the type of practice that is effective at improving players' technical skills

Is effective ball mastery the coach showing the players different skills/moves for them to repeat and practice? Or can effective ball mastery be a playground game (tag for example) but with a football and the players being dribblers?

I have tended to use a game of tag as our ball mastery practice instead of practicing skills (turns, 1v1 moves) and I am worried that as a result, I am not achieving my goal of helping the players to master the ball.

 Any opinions on how other coaches approach ball mastery or what I should do would be really helpful

Parents
  • 0

    Working with similar age groups, I have found, and have witnessed the same tactic at other clubs, that a general warm up where all players are together in an area with a ball is a great time to work on ball mastery.

    Start off getting them moving around with the ball; then carousel it, e.g.

    • Right foot only;
    • Left foot only:
    • Three touches, then stop the ball with the sole;
    • Three touches, outside cut;
    • Three touches, step over...

    The options are unlimited. You can also incorporate cones or gates in the area for an extra challenge. 

    Like so many other aspects of the game, the kids who are playing football on their own, with family, at school, etc, are the ones who will master the above quite quickly. The other kids who don't will probably never surpass the first three listed above. But that's mixed ability football for you.

Reply
  • 0

    Working with similar age groups, I have found, and have witnessed the same tactic at other clubs, that a general warm up where all players are together in an area with a ball is a great time to work on ball mastery.

    Start off getting them moving around with the ball; then carousel it, e.g.

    • Right foot only;
    • Left foot only:
    • Three touches, then stop the ball with the sole;
    • Three touches, outside cut;
    • Three touches, step over...

    The options are unlimited. You can also incorporate cones or gates in the area for an extra challenge. 

    Like so many other aspects of the game, the kids who are playing football on their own, with family, at school, etc, are the ones who will master the above quite quickly. The other kids who don't will probably never surpass the first three listed above. But that's mixed ability football for you.

Children
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