Football Queensland is pleased to be able
to provide the Football Squirts program. This is the only recognised and
endorsed program for children under the age of five and therefore participants
and clubs will be covered by the state insurance program.
What is the Squirts program?
The Football Squirts program has been
created to develop the football skills of 3 to 5 year olds.The program will
enhance the opportunities for young children to receive quality, consistent
coaching. The hope is that in acquiring basic skills, participating children
will not only learn correct technique but will also develop a love of the “world
game”.
The Football Squirts program promotes
football-based exercise and activity for younger children who are not able to be
registered to play. It can be used as a stand-alone program at specific times
during the week or as a way of involving younger family members on weekends
while their older brothers and sisters play scheduled matches
The program is not a “technical coaching”
program, but a tempered introduction to the great sport of football. The very
basics of the game are introduced and experienced by the participants through
different drills, practices and games.
The program consists of 50
actitivies.
The football itself is the Coach’s main
tool and this ought to be utilised as much as possible. Elite players are not
the ultimate outcome we are seeking, rather the development of the individual
participant’s gross motor skills in conjunction with them becoming physically
active. Running, stopping, ball control, jumping, turning, balance, agility,
movement and general co-ordination are all skills to be acquired and improve.
Needless to say, all sessions have to be fun practices. The coach has to be seen
as fun, not as the “finger-wagging” teacher or instructor.
What do we teach in Squirts
football?
1. Coordination
(body)
The very essence of movement should be an
integral part of each session. Basic skills such as running, jumping, turning
and twisting are to be introduced.
2. Motor Skills
Development
With or without a ball, the children are
to be challenged in simple gross-motor skill movement.
3. Hand-Eye and Foot-Eye
Coordination
This is integral for all sports and ought
to be developed whether or not football is ultimately their chosen
sport.
4. Introduction to Stretching,
Exercise and their Health Benefits
Full body stretches are not advocated, but
rather an introduction to such activities to educate the children on the
benefits of healthy lifestyle choices.
5. Basic Fundamentals of the Game and
its Skills
The skills are introduced in a fun and
relaxed manner. By introducing the information in a subtle way, the children are
learning the basic fundamentals under the guise of having fun.
6. Balance
This element is important not just for
football, but for life in general. One-legged stand has never been so much fun
with and without the ball.
7. Games and the Focus of Fun – not
Winning
After several weeks of sessions and
practice the concept of a game becomes instinctive in the participant’s football
development. Simple throw-ins and goal-kicks skills are taught, but they are
basically allowed to have fun and permitted to learn through play. Participation
and having fun is the key element we are seeking to promote.
8. Sportsmanship
We seek to instill in participants a need
to show courtesy to others as they would like to be shown. The program aims to
develop good athletes who accept winning and losing in the same spirit and
manner. Encouragement of a positive outlook, to always look forward to the next
game, is something we hope to instill.
9. Rules and
Regulations
We are aiming to give the children very
basic rules so they can enjoy the game to a greater level. The concept of
tackling and body contact will be addressed and monitored where
needed.
10. Respect for Others and their
Space
An underlying theme will “Be respectful of
all players and officials”. Enjoyment from participating in the game, regardless
of the result, is to be fostered.
Session
Guidelines
0 -10 minutes - Warm up – Co-ordination,
motor skills, stretching 10 – 18 minutes à Skills of the game introduced through
fun activities
Drinks
20 – 30 minutes - Balance, Hand-eye /
Foot-eye co-ordination
30 – 40 minutes - Skills of the game
introduced through fun activities
Drinks
42 – 50 minutes - Shooting or
Single-Sided-Game (SSG) or “Beat the Coach”
This is only a brief outline of the
Football Squirts program.
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