Characteristics of U 6 Soccer Players Pre-K Kindergarten

Characteristics of U 6 Soccer Players Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1 st Grade Psychomotor Development Cognitive Development Psychosocial Development

What ever happened to free time?

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Psychomotor Development • Movement Education Approach • Body segments grow at different rates • Differences between boys & girls are minimal • Weight range approx. 30 -50 lbs. • Height range approx. 35 -37”. • Motor development starts with the head and moves downward to the feet, and from the center of the body outward.

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Psychomotor, con’t. • Easy fatigue, rapid recovery. HR around 90 bpm. • Increased use of all body parts. • Need to explore qualities of rolling and bouncing ball. • Emphasis on fundamental movement skills • Locomotor: walking, running, leaping, jumping , hopping. • Nonlocomotor: bending, stretching, twisting, pulling, pushing. • Basic Manipulative: throwing, catching, striking, kicking.

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Cognitive Development • Preoperational stage (Piaget) • Play consists of a high degree of imagination and pretend activities. • Beginning use of symbols to represent objects in their environment. • Tend to only one task at a time in problemsolving situations.

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Cognitive, con’t • Process small bits of information at a time. Long sequential instructions are not processed. • Immature understanding of time and space relationships. • Simple rules.

Psychosocial Development • Development of self-concept, body awareness, self-image through movement. • Egocentric, see world only from their perspective. Demonstrated through parallel play. • Need generous praise. Play without pressure. • Influential person in their life is most likely their mother or significant parent. • May verbalize team, but does not understand group or collective play.

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General Characteristics of Children U 6 • • • Short attention span Most individually oriented (me, my, mine) Constantly in motion Psychologically easily bruised Little or no concern for team activities Do believe in Santa Claus, but will not discuss with peers • Physical & psychological development of boys & girls quite similar

General Characteristics of Children U 6 • Physical coordination immature • Eye hand and/or eye foot coordination most primitive at best • Love to run, jump & roll • Like to roll on the ground - (that’s in good dress-up clothes, not in team uniform) • Enjoy climbing • Prefer large soft balls and nerf balls • Catching skills not developed • Can balance on good foot

General Characteristics of Children U 6 • NO SENSE OF PACE - GO FLAT OUT!!!

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Typical U 6 Training Session • Should not exceed 60 minutes • Every child should have a ball • Warm-up includes movement education problems & soccernastics (approx. 20 min) • Games Activities, mostly of a body awareness type along with some maze games (20 min. ) • Finish with 4 v 4 game to small goals, NO GK’s (20 min)

Cleats previous date | next date | send to a friend | buy a print Copyright ©Universal Press Syndicate Published Monday 04/15/02

U 6 Tactical Sign This Way or One Way