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Ages 6-11
Research suggests that this is a time of discovery as to what interests children might have. Côté (1999) entitles this time as the sampling phase. As such, the research states that many children engage in multiple activities seeking maximum fun and enjoyment while deciding which activities to further pursue. Here, children will engage in what is termed 'deliberate play' (Côté, 1999; Côté & Hay, 2002) During this time, an increased understanding of certain technique and strategies should be learned beyond the rudimentary beginning level.
The understanding of basic movement competency will help foster movement proficiency as children acquire the more complex movement patterns of adulthood (Jess, Dewar, & Fraser, 2004). The focus of coaching should center on playing moreso than training (Kirk, 2005).
The understanding of basic movement competency will help foster movement proficiency as children acquire the more complex movement patterns of adulthood (Jess, Dewar, & Fraser, 2004). The focus of coaching should center on playing moreso than training (Kirk, 2005).
Physical: focus on competence beliefs for intrinsic motivation
- Make activities challenging without being overwhelming for their development.
- Break fundamental movements into small segments for them to master.
- Provide appropriate challenges.
- Play different games that emphasize similar movements, especially gross motor movements and agility.
- Incorporate agility and balance work with general conditioning.
- Keep athletes engaged as much as possible.
- Encourage athletes to continue working on a skill in which they seem to be failing.
- Take time to develop appropriate fine motor skills as a separate segment. Then, tie that activity back to the sport specific movements to show the relevancy. This is more appropriate for the upper end of this age range (9-11).
Emotional: focus on promoting positive emotional feelings
- Help athletes see the process of improvement, i.e., the big picture.
- Tell athletes what they are doing right.
- Always provide a positive comment when also providing criticism.
- Avoid coaching in the negative: telling athletes what they should not do will increase the likelihood of additional failed attempts due to the focus on incorrect behavior or thinking.
- Turn skill acquisition into a game.
- Ask if they are having fun.
- Limit by-stander interaction during practices. Too many voices telling athletes what to do can be confusing.
- If skill or game strategy correction is necessary, address it as soon as possible.
- Learn to recognize the four categories of peer acceptance (Berk, 2008, & Nekich) and strategize for uncomfortable situations. This tends to be more relevant in the upper end of this age range (9-11).
Psychological: focus on the athletes' self-referenced criteria instead of competitive outcomes
- Help athletes create appropriate goals.
- Remind athletes of their successes.
- Devise a reward/award system for proper skill/game strategy ability and execution.
- Focus more on the process rather than on potential outcomes.
- Understand that skill mastery may not be a primary motivation at this point.