Written By Mike Antrobus, FA Skills Coach and reproduced from TheFA.Com
Have you ever asked a child to “find a space”? There are lots of outcomes to this question; they may run and stand next to their friend on the same team or opposing team, they may go and stand next to the person with the ball, run around aimlessly or they may just stay where they are. There are many more answers which extend past. However no matter how many children you ask, how many of them find a space? Which presents the question as a coach: how do you coach children to understand and utilise space?
Again, there are many answers to the question. Different coaches will answer differently as people have varied opinions. However, think about this answer: “I would tell them where to go”. Agreed, this would probably work on this occasion, however when the child is presented with the same or that of a similar situation they will not have the understanding to find a space. Do children firstly need to understand how space is created?
Children need a reason to make a space for others, as they struggle to find the rationale behind doing so if they are not going to get the football straight away
In everyday life and in sports spaces appear and disappear, some are bigger than others; this is because people and objects move. If we consider factors which influence space in football there are a few: the distance the interference is away from the child (team mates, opponents, boundaries and offside) and how quickly these are moving. Additionally the speed at which the children are moving will also affect how long ‘space’ remains for and the size of it. If a child can understand where players are moving to and from and the speed at which they are doing so, they may be able to predict where the next space will be and how quickly they need to move into that space to exploit it more effectively.
Not only do players need to find spaces, they also need to make spaces for other players. However, children need a reason to make a space for others, as they struggle to find the rationale behind doing so if they are not going to get the football straight away. If they can witness other players making a space and then getting the ball in the next phase of play then this may give them a reason. Children will not always learn from just doing, they may need the chance to assess, recognise, plan and then execute.
The use of appropriate questioning can help children to gain further understanding of creating, maintaining and exploiting space. Give a group of children a football each and ask them to dribble around an area but set the challenge of trying to always occupy space. Most of them may look puzzled, however let them go and try. Follow on to ask how you can always be in a space, children will have some answers which may be correct. The next question would be: “does space stay the same? Why?” Then allow them to play again. More children will now have an understanding of where the space is, as they look for the factors which make the space change (players, perimeters). Split the group into two, have one team passing one football and the other team still dribbling, set the same challenge; children now get the chance to use space as an individual and a team. The passing team can now be asked how you can make space.
The children will solve the problems on their own or in groups with the correct questioning, so have a think how you can try and get children to use and make space. When next attempting to help children to find spaces have a think about the questions you could ask to help them achieve this.
Mike Antrobus is an FA Tesco Skills coach in Dorset.
As a young player, Mike played for Crewe Alexandra’s Academy side, before turning to coaching – first with a BTEC in Sports Development and Fitness, and then completing his BSc in Sports Coaching.
After graduating, Michael moved to America where he oversaw the development of children aged 5 to 17 for MLS franchise Red Bull New York. Michael returned to England to join The FA Tesco Skills Programme in 2009.
Michael is a Level 3 qualified coach, and has also completed the FA Youth Award modules 1 and 2. As part of the Dorset FA Tesco Skills team, he works with schools and children in Poole.
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