Physical Preparation for Youths in Football

1. Physical Preparation for Youths in Football GAA Award 1 (Youth) Football Coach Education Course Ger O’Connor Willie Coogan Barry Horgan

2. Tutor Introduction Presentation title in footer

3. Ice-Breaker - Individual Differences & Similarities Divide into teams of 4 or 5 Prepare a flip chart sheet that lists: • Individual differences - things that are unique to that you, and • Similarities: qualities, activities, interests etc., that all team members share • List one question that each team would like answered before the end of the session Presentation title in footer

4. Ice-Breaker - Individual Differences & Similarities How is the theme of ‘Individual Differences’ & ‘Similarities’ relevant to this evenings session titled ‘Physical Preparation for Youths’? Based on your answers, please share some experiences that you have encountered when working with youths. Presentation title in footer

5. GAA Award 1 – Physical Fitness Outcomes By the end of this Module participants will be able to: • Define physical preparation of young players (U13-U16s) in football • Describe the components of physical preparation • Have an awareness of the importance of Athlete Development (AD) for Youths • Identify the ‘windows of opportunity’ for the development of these components • Plan and conduct basic activities for the development of these physical components by integrating physical preparation exercises into the warm-up, cool-down and individual player ‘take-home’ challenges Presentation title in footer

6. The OTú Model – Physical Preparation • What do we mean by Physical Preparation of young players in football? • What are the components of Physical Preparation of young players in Football? Skill Development

7. The OTú Model – Physical Preparation This describes the physical qualities required by all players in the context of their stage of development in relation to the sport of football. It’s components include: • Functional Development (Posture, Flexibility, Balance, Co-ordination) • Speed (running mechanics, acceleration and agility) • Strength (general strength, explosive strength and strength endurance) • Endurance (including aerobic and anaerobic functions) Skill Development

8. Teenagers and Physical Preparation • From a Physical Preparation point of view, the teenage years are very important. In small groups, look at this photo and note anything that you observe. Skill Development

9. Teenagers and Physical Preparation • Most important factor is that no two teenagers are the same. Look at the size of the three players!! • This is an U14s team, however one looks like a minor while the other looks like an U12!! Skill Development

10. Discussion Why are no twoteenagers the same? Note the difference in the age between the three stages of development.

11. Why are no 2 Teenagers the same? Chronological vs. Biological vs. Training Age • Teenagers grow differently. • Players of the same age can be biologically up to 4 years older or younger • Chronological: age is the number of years since birth • Biological: age is the developmental stage of the players muscular-skeletal and hormonal system • Training: age is the number of years the player has been involved in progressive supervised training 14

12. Impact on Selection for SquadsInter-county Minor Football Squads 2009 Squad 2010 Squad Skill Development

13. Peak Height Velocity (PHV) AKA ‘Growth Spurt’ • ‘They go to bed looking normal, and wake up looking like a giraffe’! • Normal growth rate of 5cm per year, accelerated to 9+cm per year and lasts for about 6-12months • Males 12.5-15years; Females 12.5-13years • Measure of biological age and maturity • Body has high demand for energy for growth, and co-ordination suffers. How should we alter our training during this period? Skill Development

14. Skill Development

15. Optimal Windows for Trainability Skill Development

16. Early Maturers • We all know about ‘the next big thing’ player…. • Think of a Player that you know or know of that was so good at a very young age What have they got in common? What about players that are smallfor their age? Skill Development

17. Functional Competence for Gaelic Games • The ability of the player to operate their body in relation to the sport and position played. • It relates to posture, mobility, motor control, body awareness. • ‘The player needs to have functional strength and stability during motion’ (Giles, 2008) • Injury Prevention: • Osgood Schlatter’s Disease – Can occur during rapid growth spurt between ages 10-15 years when combined with high levels of activity

18. Functional Competence for Gaelic Games • How can we identify faulty movements? • What should we do? • Video Clips • Squat Technique • Overhead Squat Technique • Shoulder Mobility • Torso Stability • Single-leg Stability

19. Speed for Gaelic Games • Speed is a general term to refer to quick movement • Players require many different types of speed: • Reaction speed - including speed off the mark • Acceleration speed • Change of Direction speed • Maximum sprinting speed • Speed endurance • Age 12 – 14 is an ideal time to develop speed – just before the growth spurt

20. Stamina for Gaelic Games • Stamina is often called endurance and refers to the ability to maintain performance over the duration of a game. • An ideal way of developing stamina in teenagers is through modified games and fun games • Continuous movement where the players work at quicker and slower speeds and intensities. • Age 12 – 16 is an ideal time to build a good stamina base • Discussion

21. Suppleness for Gaelic Games • Suppleness refers to flexibility – Joints work within an optimal range of motion of a joint. • Developing suppleness involves performing a range of different activities including: • Static Stretching – more appropriate after training and games • Dynamic Stretching – best before training and games • Discussion

22. Strength for Gaelic Games • Strength is the ability to exert force for over period of time. • Developing Strength involves performing a range of different activities including: • Body Weight Exercises • Partner Resisted Exercises • Core Stability & Balance Exercise • Free Weight VS Machine Resisted Exercises (when appropriate) • Discussion

23. Strength for Gaelic Games • Functional Competence before Sport Specific Exercises • Technique before Load • Bodyweight before External Resistance • Strength Endurance before Maximum Strength / Power • Injury Prevention before Injury Rehabilitation (Physiotherapist Screening & Correction) • Supervision always • Health & Safety • Potential for massive performance improvements!

24. Recovery for Gaelic Games • Refers to relaxation and recovery from activity, in order to ensure that maximum effort can be exerted in subsequent exercises, and sessions. • Training in itself does not improve fitness. The body must have time to recover and repair itself for fitness to improve • Recovery activities include: • Warming Down • Suppleness/Flexibility activities • Rehydrating and Refueling • Active Recovery (Cardio X-Training / Swimming Pool / Massage / Jacuzzi / Hot-Cold Immersion)

25. Recovery for Gaelic Games • Recovery is very important for youth players • Many players can play on different teams (hurling/football, other age groups, School/County Academy) • If the body does not accurately recover from games or training sessions then the player will begin to perform badly • It is the coaches job to know what teams each player is playing for, contact other coaches to know what training they are doing

26. The best way to develop cardio fitness is to play small sided/conditioned games in training sessions Players find games more enjoyable, work harder and perceive the effort involved to be lower Use a variety of games to work on fitness Always warm up and cool down appropriately Physical Preparation for Gaelic games

27. Follow the IDEA model and coach the group. Set up an appropriate activity to allow participants develop the area you have been given – coach as they practice. Develop two progressions with the group Use STEP model to progress FITT ASPORT Physical Preparation for Gaelic games

28. Are Physical Preparation requirements different to the physical game demands for youths in Football? Skill Development

29. Take a short session with the group Warm-Up (Dynamic Stretching) Speed Development Bodyweight Strength Development Conditioned Games Stamina Core Stability Exercises Cool-down (Static Stretching) Lets Go and Do It!

30. GAA Award 1 – Physical Preparation Review By the end of this Module participants are be able to: • Define physical preparation of young players (U13-U16s) in football. Describe the components of physical preparation • Have an awareness of the importance of Athlete Development (AD) for Youths • Identify the ‘windows of opportunity’ for the development of these components • Plan and conduct basic activities for the development of these physical components by integrating physical preparation exercises into the warm-up, cool-down and individual player ‘take-home’ challenges Presentation title in footer

31. Thank you