Excellence & Football For All
U9 Coaching & Development Guidelines for Parents
Welcome!
Hi everyone, we very much welcome you and the players to the U9 Soccer Coaching & Development section of our Soccer Club. We already have good numbers at the start of this season, with 20 players involved so far with the training sessions on Monday evenings & Sunday mornings. With 5 new players and 15 progressing from the U8’s last season, we hope that all players will be able to enjoy the coaching sessions and play in the 5 a-side DDSL matches on Sunday mornings.
The DDSL (Dublin District Soccer League), together with the NDSL (North Dublin Soccer League), have changed the format for playing soccer in Ireland for SSG’s (Small Sided Games) at U9 level. The new DDSL format is aimed at teams playing 5 a-side games, similar to the structure of playing, and young player development, that has been utilised in many successful clubs in Europe (Barcelona are good example). The aim is to create an enjoyable environment for young players by developing basic soccer skills within the areas of passing, movement and ball control, with a strong emphasis on teamwork, communication and scoring goals!
1. DDSL U9 League Formats
We have two squads of 10 players at the start of this season. Each squad will play in a local league of 8 to 10 teams, in either the DDSL Sunday U9 Green League or DDSL Sunday U9 Purple League. Should we gain more players as the season progresses, we will require further assistance from parents with a view to entering another team into the DDSL U9 League. Each squad will then be divided into 2 x 5 a-side matches. Each match is played at the same time on half of the existing small sided pitch. Each match is 3 x 10mins duration, with an interval of 2mins between each session. The league does not guarantee a referee at this level and so the games will be managed and coached by the management teams on both sides. Playing and development is the key and so results are not recorded or posted, all players must play and each player can be rotated within that squad so that they all play with each other during the season.
2. Coaching Staff
Following the positive responses from parents with the texts sent out last week, I am delighted in introducing you all to our Coaching Staff:-
DDSL U9 Sunday Green League:
Manager: Mark Beed (086 878 0221) & Assistant: Peter LaComber (087 612 4737)
DDSL U9 Sunday Purple League:
Manager: Rodney Moore (086 256 2610) & Assistant: Fearghal Ward (085 176 1115)
Coaching Assistants:
Patrick Kinnane (086 827 2117)
Gerry Bissett, also our U19’s Assistant Manager, when available (086 804 2466)
3. Match Days Planning & Organising
The initial squads are finalised by the Managers. Texts will be sent out to each parent from the Manager of that squad, identifying which squad the player is allocated. Texts will be sent by the Saturday before the games each week, identifying the league fixture, home or away. A response is then expected from each parent to identify whether the players are available by latest Saturday evening. We need a minimum of 8 players per squad on a Sunday (2 x 4 a-side matches) or 9 players (1 x 5 a-side & 1 x 4 a-side). We need to clearly identify players that are available and to also agree numbers with the opposition team before travelling and playing.
*Please also refer to the attached document from the DDSL League for the Official Changes to SSG’s.
On match days we will always aim to have the Manager and Assistants available for coaching the players. In addition we also expect assistance from at least two Parents. At home fixtures, on Pitch 5, It is our responsibility to move the goals from Pitch 5 after our match, back to the locked fence area. The fence area is in between the Small Sided Pitch 4 and Senior Pitch 2 with lockable gates. Normally the goals & flags would be positioned for matches by the U8 team playing before us. Should the U8 team be playing away there is a strong possibility that we also need to arrive early and position the goals, flags and sometimes the rope for the ‘Behind The Line Rule’ for parents & spectators.
Manager’s and Assistants are available for supporting parents at all times, but ideally they need to concentrate on the players and coaching, with parents assisting with goals & the roping area.
4. Coaching Sessions
Both teams will train together. We will aim to mix up players during sessions. Sometimes following match days on Sun, a squad maybe kept together to develop/coach accordingly to develop and improve as both individuals and as a team. We encourage parents to stay around (and grab a cuppa in club house when on the Astro!) and assist in any way possible with goals, equipment and balls into the lockers. It is also good practice to encourage the players, even outside of the coaching areas, as parents to give them a feel of involvement and teamwork from ourselves and parents where possible.
*Please also note that we need to plan the coaching sessions each week and so we expect a text from all player parents to your squad Manager (Green or Purple Team) to confirm if a player is not available to train with the team.
5. Indoor Futsal
Within the next few weeks we will be allocated a weekday evening time slot in Portmarnock Community School, in addition to the Monday evening coaching session. For those players and parents that are new to this area of player development, it is simply 4 or 5 a-side matches in the sports hall with a heavier size 3 soccer ball. The heavier ball is designed to allow more passes, control and ball time for players, with the emphasis on keeping the ball in possession on the ground.
We will need to assess our numbers, and time allocation for all teams from the club. We will inform parents and coaches at that stage of the actual day and time slot allocated to the U9 teams. There is a cost normally of €2 per hour per player for the use of the hall, which is payable on that night and the parent or guardian must sign the payment book before leaving their child at the coaching session each week.
6. Club Identity & Clothing
We aim for both the Coaching Team & Players to wear the same Jako clothing (preferred kit provider for the Soccer Club) with the Club Crest and Yellow & Black colours clearly identified on Tracksuit Tops & Match Day Jerseys.
We ordered Tracksuit Hoody style Jako tops, with Club Crest, Player Initials and Kit Sponsor included and Black Jako Tracksuit Bottoms for those players who were involved with the U8 teams last season.
We expect the players to have their Jako Tracksuit Hoody Tops on during Monday and Futsal Training nights. Certainly as the weather starts to get colder they will need their Black Jako Tracksuit Bottoms also. At both training nights & match days each player will need to wear shin pads and appropriate footwear (Astro Sports Shoes or Studded/Bladed Boots on grass).
We will endeavour to order more tops, shorts & socks for new players within the next few weeks, once we have an idea of final player numbers for the season. Unfortunately there is no guarantee that sponsorship is available at the start of this season to pay for new sets of clothing for new players. For this reason, at present until offers might be available (parents included with any contacts you might have!) parents will need to pay for the cost of these clothing requirements in addition to this year’s club membership fees.
7. DDSL Registration & Club Fees
There will be a brief DDSL League Registration evening session at the Club House, Paddyshill with our DDSL Club Secretary, Jimmy Kavanagh within the next few weeks. This is important for those players who have not signed on with the Club & DDSL League to date (particularly for new players). Both parents and players will need to print & sign forms and an original copy of the player Birth Certificate must be accompanied with the signing on form. For those players who signed last year this does not apply. Club Membership Fees do not have to paid at this time i terms of cash or cheque payment.
The membership rate for the players has yet to be finalised by the club. This will be completed within the next two weeks by our Club Secretary, Craig Bolton who will be releasing the exact cost for individual and family members. There will be an incentive for parents to pay the full amount immediately or the option of staged payments via our web site and My Club Finance.
8. Fund Raising & Team Sponsorship
During the season we will be hoping to gain support from all club members to assist with both Fund Raising and Sponsorship where possible.
You may have noticed that there are considerable ground works being completed around the Club House area at Paddyshill. The ground area is being prepared for drainage, re-surfacing, re-seeding and flood lighting to accommodate all teams from next seasons in terms of training and pre-match warm up areas. This is a significant investment directly from the Club and we hope that all members can support this cost as this season progresses.
As a club we are also replacing the existing Astro pitch surface at Paddyshill and these works are due to start within the next few weeks. The Astro pitch replacement cost is supported by our successful application for a Capital Sports Funding Grant. This is recent positive news for the Club, Players and all Members and we also hope to support this significant investment with any assistance possible.
Portmarnock AFC is certainly looking to the future in terms of our developing our facilities as an FAI Accredited Soccer Development Club in Ireland. The Club offers accredited FAI coaching to both players and voluntary coaching staff.
For this reason we ask all members to bare this in mind when being approached by our relevant fund raising representatives. Should we not be able to avail of your time in supporting your players then you may consider investment your efforts from a fund raising or sponsorship level as we move forward together as a team this season.
On behalf of our Coaching Staff, I would like to thank you for taking the time in reading our Guidelines. Please feel free to contact me at anytime for any further information about our club or indeed our U9 Coaching & Development season ahead.
Kind Regards
Mark Beed
Portmarnock AFC U9 Coaching Manager
Mark Beed
Portmarnock AFC
U9’s Coaching ManagerPage 2