Competency Based Long Term Player Development

Welcome to the EIYSA U10 Development Blog.  The information that you find linked to this blog has been created to help both the players and the coaches of EIYSA. The first step is to understand that development is based on achieving competency.  The Competencies that we feel are important at this phase of development are listed below.

Each competency is linked to a video and description that will be helpful in teaching and learning these competencies.  Within the video you will find an accomplished player of 14 years who has mastered these competencies and you will also see the video of a 10-12 year old who had been trained specifically in these competencies over a four to five hour period.  You are able to see the end product which was developed after many hours of practice, as well as what is possible with instruction and a small amount of practice.

What Are the Competencies? Competency based development focuses on first establishing a base of movements that we refer to as ‘The Essential Techniques’.  Simultaneously taking techniques & adding decision making required when opposition is introduced. Below you will find the level focus placed in the U10 age group.  Players may be beyond or behind in these areas so as coaches we must modify continuously. You are able to view the information and video pertaining to the competencies by clicking either on the name of the competency itself or on the 'development category' beside the competency (I, L, A, P). To see a more detail on these Development Categories click HERE.
Age	U10	Age	U10
Dribbling		Ball Striking (with the laces for passing or shooting)	I
·   Basic ‘Skipping’ w/ ball or “touching every step”	L	·   Plant Foot - “Heel to the center of the ball”
·   Change of direction	L	·   Kicking Foot - “Pointed to the side and not down”
·   Change of speed	I	·   Leaning Body - “Lean body to the side”
·   Rolls	L	·   Shoulders Back/Hips Forward - “End up where you start”
		·   Opposite arm “Belly button to shoulder height”
Turns
·   Slide / Slide with a Drag Back	L	·   Avoid: Jumping through the ball
·   Inside & Outside of Foot Twist Off or Hook Turns	L	·   Avoid: Bending or leaning over top of the ball
·   Stop Turn	L	·   Avoid: Pointing the toe straight down
·   Step Over Turn	L
·   Cruyff Turn	I	Juggling (Makes the game three dimensional)	I
·   Zidane or Maradona	I	·   Posture for all juggling is hips forward/shoulders back
1v1 Techniques		With Feet:	L
·   Dead Touch / Dead Touch with a Step Over	I	·   Lock ankle in so slight backspin is on the ball
·   Matthew’s Move	L	·   Every juggle is a kick (avoid juggling w/ straight leg)	I
·   Revellino	I	With Thigh (not knee):	L
·   Scissors / Double Scissors	L	With Head:  Posture (Avoid ‘sitting down’)
		Movement Education / Variations
Shielding (Protecting the ball)	L
·   Shielding and using turns	I	Heading
		·   Maintain posture: hips forward & shoulders back	L
Passing & Control (Cannot Separate the Two)		·   ALIOOPS!	L
Passing:	I
·   Maintain posture of hips forward / shoulders back		Defending
·   “Step backwards” (happens if posture is right)		·   Basic individual defending of jockeying/directing	I
·   “Balanced & contact in front of non-kicking foot”		·   “Step into the space between dribbler & the ball”	I
Control on the Ground:	I	·   Principles of Goal-side, Pressure, Cover, Balance
·   Hop backwards & be in the air on your first touch
·   Avoid drawing foot back to absorb the ball		Attacking
·   Keep posture so head is up & can see the field		·   Attacking Principles of Width, Depth & Penetration	I
Turns with First Touch (Inside & Outside of Foot)	I	·   Combinations: 1-2, Overlap, Cross Over/Take Over	I
Control From Air (Using ½ Volley)  “Find the Bounce”:	L	·  Playing Over, Through or Around	I
·   Hop and be on way down when making touch	I	Mental Qualities of Club Players Learning to Train
·   Use of turns with Cruyff turn or inside & outside of the foot	I	·   Activity Level (Training Capacity, Attitude & Focus)	I
·   Control on Chest & Thigh	I	·   Attentive (Attention Control & Goal Driven)	I
		·   Correction from Reflection (Imagery & Modeling)	I
Opening Up		This outline is used for initial assessment, but can also be used by players & parents to monitor progress.
·    Allow the ball to run across your body to the back foot. Hop backwards – Be in air on touch	I

*I=Introduce (Planting the Seeds), L=Learn (More time spent in instruction if the training tolerance/attention has been developed), A=Automate (The consistent execution of the technique), P=Perfect (Not applicable at U10.  

To see a more detail on these Development Categories click HERE.

What do the levels of Development Catgories really reference?

I = Introduce: This level is exactly what it states. Fundamental positions, stances, and patterns are introduced to the players and they develop an understanding of these areas. The can execute the various pieces of the techniques or tactics in the correct order but the movements look awkward and unsynchronized or delayed with regard to tactics. For the coach this means we provide a quick introduction of topics, essentially putting the ‘jargon or language of the sport’ in front of them and the valuable pictures that they need to model.  However, we do not spend a great deal of time on these topics however we do expose the young player to these areas we are simply 'Planting the seeds' for future development.

L = Learn: At this level players are able to change the techniques (movements) in order to find success under various conditions and in different areas of the field. This occurs with limited pressure in the beginning and then more pressure as experience is gained.  Here a coach must match the level of ability to that of the player. Not a complete match, but a match that slightly exceeds the current competencies of the player.  The coach must focus training sessions around these topics, not all at once, but systematically throughout the year.  This is where the art and experience of coaching comes into play.  A coach must recognize where an athlete stands today, and moves them day by day toward the end goal…the end goal being the next column in the Long Term Player Development model. Much of the learning is built on the back of the players' tolerance to instruction and training/practice. Learning to Train is a critical time for increasing the tolerance of the developing athlete.

A = Automate: When players get to this level, their techniques (movements) are coordinated, consistent and efficiently performed under more complex conditions.  Although limited to varying they way they perform the trained techniques (movements), players begin to create their own responses to the conditions they begin to see in games and training exercises.  Coaches contribute to automation of an athlete’s development in these phases consistently offering opportunities for repetition and variation.  Growth occurs with every variation, slight or extreme, in an automated movement or tactical situation.

P = Perfect/Improvise: Players begin to create instantaneous responses that are their interpretations of techniques or combinations of techniques forming unique motor patterns.  Much of the development here is experiential and it is mostly in the hands of the player, although coaches provide tactical information through instruction, video, and establishing an environment where the player’s individual development occurs through their own exploration. -          Development categories modified from the CAC NCCP Theory