What Players Of This Age Want

Module: Master The Ball: 1-11 Years Old Classroom: Use The 360TFT Game Model

TLDR

Understanding what drives young players aged 1-11 isn’t just helpful coaching advice, it’s absolutely critical. Get this foundation right, and you create players who fall in love with football and stick with it for life. This stage has nothing to do with performance outcomes. Everything revolves around belonging, pure enjoyment, and learning through natural play.

They want fun above everything else, permission to experiment without fear, recognition for effort rather than outcomes, constant activity with minimal waiting around, and connection with others as much as skill development. They don’t want static queue-based activities, results pressure, critical feedback, adult agendas that shift focus to performance, or exclusion in any form.

Within age groups, I encounter different personalities. The confident dominator needs leadership roles requiring teamwork. The nervous avoider needs non-pressured situations with guaranteed success. The analytical observer needs to understand the ‘why’ before attempting. The high-energy disruptor needs constant movement and shorter activity bursts.

My role extends far beyond the pitch. I’m shaping how an entire generation feels about football, which can influence their relationship with sport for decades. I design every session to feel like games with purpose behind them, celebrate effort over perfection, and make them count the days until they can return next week. This is how I build players who love the game enough to master it.

What Players Aged 1-11 Want (and Don’t)

Understanding what drives young players at this age isn’t just helpful coaching advice. It’s absolutely critical. Get this foundation right, and you create players who fall in love with football and stick with it for life. Get it wrong, and you lose them before they’ve even begun to discover what they’re capable of.

This stage has nothing to do with performance outcomes. Everything revolves around belonging, pure enjoyment, and learning through natural play.

What They Want

Fun Above Everything Else

Football must feel like the best game they’ve ever played. These players want to laugh, compete with their mates, and move constantly. Tag games with footballs, team challenges, skill races against the clock - these hook their attention instantly. The moment it feels like school, you’ve lost them.

Permission to Experiment

Let them explore without fear. Attempting skills that don’t come off, dribbling into trouble, even tumbling over whilst trying something ambitious - it’s all valuable learning. Your job is to create an environment where experimentation is celebrated, not discouraged.

Recognition for Effort

They flourish under genuine encouragement. “I love how you kept trying that move even when it was difficult!” carries more power than “Well done for scoring.” Effort-based praise builds the resilience they’ll need as challenges increase.

Constant Activity

Their attention spans are brief, but their energy is endless. Sessions need minimal waiting around, maximum ball contact, and everyone involved simultaneously. Station rotations, high tempo activities, and non-stop engagement keep them locked in.

Connection with Others

For many, football is as much about friendship as skill development. Build these connections deliberately. Use partner activities, let different players lead warm-ups, make being part of the group feel special. The social element drives everything else.

What They Don’t Want

Static, Queue-Based Activities

Standing still destroys the magic. Long queues, detailed explanations, and overcomplicated setups drain their energy. Simple activities delivered at pace work best.

Results Pressure

Competition excites them, but obsessing over winning damages development. Keep focus on learning, improvement, and effort. Trophies and league tables mean nothing to a 7-year-old who just wants to play.

Critical Feedback

They’re learning, which means they’ll get things wrong constantly. Frame corrections as exploration: “What could you try differently next time?” rather than highlighting what went wrong. Curiosity beats criticism every time.

Adult Agendas

Children play for themselves, not to impress watching parents or satisfy coaching ambitions. When the pressure shifts to performance or pleasing others, the joy disappears - and motivation follows.

Exclusion in Any Form

Every child deserves equal attention regardless of current ability. Avoid spending all your time with the most skilled player. Create moments where everyone can succeed and feel valued.

Individual Differences Within Age Groups

Even within the same age group, you’ll encounter distinctly different personalities and approaches to learning. Understanding these differences helps you create an environment where everyone thrives.

The Confident Dominator

Characteristics: Takes over activities, always wants the ball, may not pass to less confident teammates, seeks constant attention.

Your Approach:

• Give them leadership roles that require helping others
• Set challenges that require teamwork to complete
• Celebrate their assists and supporting play, not just their goals
• Use constraints that force them to involve others (must pass before shooting, etc.)

The Nervous Avoider

Characteristics: Hides during activities, avoids ball contact, reluctant to try new skills, worried about making mistakes.

Your Approach:

• Start them in non-pressured situations with guaranteed success
• Pair them with encouraging, patient teammates
• Give them specific, achievable roles within activities
• Celebrate every attempt, regardless of outcome
• Use smaller groups where they feel less exposed

The Analytical Observer

Characteristics: Watches carefully, asks lots of questions, needs to understand before attempting, prefers structure.

Your Approach:

• Explain the ‘why’ behind activities
• Give them time to process before expecting participation
• Use them to demonstrate once they’ve grasped concepts
• Connect new skills to things they already understand

The High-Energy Disruptor

Characteristics: Struggles to focus, needs constant movement, may distract others, finds it hard to follow instructions.

Your Approach:

• Keep them moving with active roles even during breaks
• Give them physical outlets within activities
• Use shorter activity bursts with frequent changes
• Channel their energy into positive leadership roles

Your Role as Their Coach

You’re not just running training sessions. You’re shaping how an entire generation feels about football. This responsibility extends far beyond the pitch and can influence their relationship with sport for decades.

Design every session to feel like games with purpose behind them. Celebrate effort over perfection. Make them count the days until they can return next week.

This is how we build players who love the game enough to master it.

This content is part of the 360TFT Football Coaching Academy - Use The 360TFT Game Model