Motueka AFC
Junior Development strategy

AGE 5-6 - FUN
All about enjoyment. Learning different movements, dribbling.

AGE 7-8 - MASTER THE BALL
Movement with the ball. Individual technique.

Age 9-12 - PLAYING TOGETHER
Learn positional play, space, passing and receiving.

Age 13-15 - MENTAL DEVELOPMENT
Tactics, training and fitness

Age 16-18 - SENIOR INTRODUCTION
Player management, confidence and mentoring

Senior football - POTENTIAL REALISATION
Results, injury prevention, giving back to the club

 
AGE 4-8 - First Kicks
From the first introduction to football, it’s all about fun and time on the ball. Lots and lots of touches make for a quality player. A pressure-free environment. Learning different movements on and off the ball and how to travel with the ball in close control.

AGE 9 - 9th grade Junior team
Players need to start becoming aware of how to use each other, give and receive passes accurately. This is the age for first touch development. With heaps of time spent receiving the ball. Learn how to play to a shape and position, becoming efficient with energy use.

Age 10-12 - 10th grade to 12th grade Junior teams
This is the most important development age. Kids should play as much as possible during this time. Learning that a high work rate is essential to success. At this age players should start to be identified into a specific position and learn the specialist skills required for that position. Age 10 for experimenting with positions, age 11 for playing regularly in your position, age 12 for mastering the skill set of that position. Techniques need to be refined and perfected. Players must learn now to hold the ball under pressure using their bodies and provide options to the ball carrier through movement off the ball.

Age 13-14 - 13th & 14th grade Junior teams
Players need to start managing their health and fitness at this time. Players need to understand how to manipulate space and direct play. Learning that possession is key. Tactics and systems are introduced, zonal, sweeper or man on man defence. Players power and explosiveness is developed and an awareness of how to control game tempo.
Deception is taught using body shimmies and eye movement. At this age competition for places is to be encouraged, with a clear starting 11 who earn their position given precedence.
 
AGE 15-18 - Youth League
This is the time when player management becomes important, managing the players health, fitness and emotional state. Rewarding excellence with senior involvement, training hard and developing will to succeed. A player’s introduction to senior football starts here and is managed with the utmost consideration for the player’s confidence. Ideally they should play along side a seasoned player with excellent on field communication. As players are introduced into the senior teams the club needs to provide a mentor and/or advocate for each player that they relate to and respect.
Injury Prevention - Why warm up and cool down? 
Click here to view some warm-up and cool-down exercises.
Player development - background information
If you are interested to read a bit more about player development and age-appropriate coaching, please click here to download the Junior Framework Manual.