Below is a nice overview of coaching 4-10 year olds. I particularly like how David Newberry discusses “developmental stages of development,” as opposed to age or grade levels. Also exciting is that this is the age group where the most gains can be made!
“This series is written for coaches working with players who
are between the ages of 4 and 10. It is however important
to consider development does not typically follow the
convenience of school years or age groups, but instead
player development occurs on a continuum where physical,
cognitive, emotional and psychological readiness is more
important than the chronological age of the child. Due to
significant differences in the development pace of young
players of the same age, I prefer to focus on developmental
stages than age of players when planning coach training.
The series provides director for Coaches, Directors
and Administrators with varying levels of knowledge,
experience and qualification who are responsible for
teaching and nurturing youth soccer players. In the series
the presenters detailed an approach to coaching – a
concept known as ‘Player Development’, which is an
education philosophy that has gained a great deal of
attention. Essentially, the critical years for shaping a child’s
successful participation in soccer are between the ages
of 4 and 10. The speed and capacity for pre‑adolescent
players to learn are high and the gains in performance
and understanding the most dramatic. It is essential that
children receive coaching that considers the developmental
stage of each child and that coaches focus on individuals
before the team. Players should be competent in:
• Basic soccer skills, such as dribbling, turning,
creating space and passing.
• Understand the essentials of attacking and
defending.
• Perform fundamental movement skills, such as
running, jogging, jumping, skipping, throwing and
catching.
Players must develop competency in these essential
elements before graduating to large-sided games (8v8+).
Elementary skills and techniques not only provide the
foundation for soccer, but also provide the basis for
participation in most other sports.”