For U6-U7, let them “bunch-up”!

A coach’s primary skill is understanding the players they’re working with. So, what is a 5- or 6-year-old like physically, mentally, socially, and cognitively? The answers to this question shed new light on understanding the phenomenon of “bunching up” and the patience that a coach needs to have. And for good reason: U6-U7 players have limited capabilities. For example, their visual perception is limited due to a lack of peripheral vision, meaning they have an individualistic approach to the game, focusing solely on the ball rather than the entire field of play. In any case, their cognitive abilities aren’t developed enough to process all the game-related information (the ball, the goal, their teammates and their opponents). So, they naturally focus on what’s most important to them: playing and having fun! Emotion takes precedence over thinking, and it really can’t be any other way at this age. That’s why kids naturally run towards the ball, which gives them joy, and don’t yet understand why they should “pass” it to someone else... Passing makes no sense to them since giving up the ball goes against what they want at that moment. It’s like taking a toy from their hands!

A child isn’t playing soccer yet - they’re playing with a ball

Another limiting factor is their motor skills (the precursor to technique), which are still developing and hinder the young player’s ability to move around the field. As such, the "bunching up" phenomenon is completely normal and even a necessary step in the growth of a young soccer player. It is therefore completely pointless to fight against it. Since a child isn’t a miniature adult, it would be a mistake to focus on their shortcomings instead of accepting and adapting to their current skills. This shift in mindset isn’t easy for a coach passionate about the sport... But let’s be clear: at this age, the child isn’t playing soccer yet - they’re playing with a ball. And that makes a big difference.

Adjust the size of the field and the number of players to facilitate the intake of information and decision-making

It’s up to the coach to set up cooperative games in training that not only help develop skills, but also gradually guide players towards understanding the need to work together to keep the ball, while moving in a certain direction, without losing it until they reach a target to score and win! U6-U7 players are at a stage of development where they need lots of movement and games that encourage exploration and building basic motor skills. This process is helped by working with smaller groups to limit the confusion that comes with too many teammates and opponents. This fits perfectly into a progressive learning approach tailored to the child’s understanding, given their limited focus and attention. Regardless, that doesn’t make them any less capable of achieving remarkable progress!

And let them dribble!

When coaching very young players, it’s hard not to be tempted to “remote control” their movements from the sidelines. Whether it’s directing where they run or telling them to “pass the ball.” The problem is that this holds them back at the very beginning of their journey! And that’s not all. Preventing them from dribbling “too much” slows down the development of their technical and motor skills, as well as their ability to take initiative, which is essential for building self-esteem. That’s why it’s crucial to let them try, fail, and try again... This process will gradually lead the child to solve the problem they often face (losing the ball). The solution they find naturally (without being directed by the coach) will be to cooperate and play with their teammates, out of necessity. Beyond the theory, in practice, it’s recommended to explain all this to parents at the start of the season to prevent them from mistaking your passive approach towards “individualistic” players as a lack of competence! It’s also a good time to remind them that eventually, there’s nothing worse than a player who feels compelled to pass the ball to a teammate, even when they’re poorly positioned...

Everything happens in its own time

Building Team Play in Four Steps

Building a sense of team play for U6-U7 players happens in four consecutive fundamental stages that respect their need to organize and structure the space around them, as well as their social development. Specific training scenarios should be used depending on the stage the child is in.

1. Build a sense of direction: This means helping the player understand towards where they should be moving the ball. When it comes to learning, this suggests that possession games without a clear direction are not recommended.
2. Build the idea of a target to reach (a goal, a gate, a zone to bring the ball to, etc.), with the key being that this target is positioned at the “end” of the established direction of play...
3. Build the idea of a teammate: This is a challenging step because, at this age, kids have a very “egocentric” relationship with the ball. They find it hard to grasp that playing together means passing the ball... Hence, the well-known, but completely normal "bunching up" phenomenon.
4. Build the idea of an opponent: Someone who causes challenges in the game because they want to do the same thing... but towards the opposite goal. This can sometimes result in tears, signs of frustration, and confusion when the young player doesn't understand why a "friend" is preventing them from playing! Again, this is a completely normal step in building a sense of team play in young players.