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SSD  -  SYSTEMATIC STRUCTURED DEVELOPMENT

The following is a brief outline of the key principles of SYSTEMATIC STRUCTURED DEVELOPMENT © Eddy Whyte

Based on the Dutch, G
erman, and French styles of youth development processes, the Director of Soccer Kids designed and introduced SSD into the UK during 1995. Since then, many of its basic concepts have been readily used by professional coaches throughout the world.

Although certain elements are available for general release, the full programme (500 pages) is retained by the author.

                

Use the LINKS below to see other pages on SSD

SSD - Based on the Grass Roots 1995 Report
Note that the FA have since adopted most of the items listed

The Age of the children involved - what is beneficial to a group of 10 year olds, is not suitable for 5 year olds. Unlike adults, there can be no fixed training programme for all children. SK use a Step Training Programme which allows children to gradually develop from age of 4 to 12.
Grass Roots 95 - The FA does not distinguish between children and youth players, and as such, has no structured junior development programme for natural progression.
The individual Capability of each child - all children develop at different rates, so what is beneficial to one individual, may not be appropriate for another. This may explain why SK have some 6 year olds training with the age 8 group.
Grass Roots 95 - The FA have no child/youth coaching courses - all students are trained to work with adults - and after qualification, go on to coach children. Consequently, they use adult techniques to train children - with no ability differentials taken into consideration.

The Ratio between Coaching and Match Play - young children have a low attention span and, therefore, can learn more from actually playing the game than from pure dedicated repetitive skill training. To draw the balance, coaching sessions should be programmed evenly towards short periods of key skill training (incorporating fun elements), followed by a free play situation (but giving continuous team and individual technique advice).

Grass Roots 95 - Coaching young children is all about injecting and directing enthusiasum, learning the basic key skills, giving valuable guidance, allowing natural ability to develop, and generating the right temperament. Dedicated repetitive skill training (as used by most football schools in the UK) is for players over the age of 11 as they enter the 'youth stage' - their attention span is much higher, their appreciation of skill development is more apparent, and their coordination skills and natural ability levels have all been adequately determined.

Operating in a Controlled Environment - skill alone is not sufficient for young players to progress in the game - they need to learn self-believe, dedication, metal toughness, and confidence. By removing the physical element (aggressiveness and intimidation) at an early age, you encourage the development of natural ability, which in turn, enhances all the other required elements. To enforce this, SK have strict Codes of Practice for Players, Parents, and Coaches.

Grass Roots 95 - In the UK the uncontrolled local league structure for children (screaming parents, over-ambitious coaches, unbalanced teams) puts too much emphasis on "winning" instead of concentrating on the main objective - the development of young players. Such an environment encourages intimidation and aggression, which in turn, determines the end product - physically aggressive (mentally tough) and over-developed (for their age) youngsters who progress through the system ahead of naturally gifted under-developed players. Hence the "kick and run" style of football. In Holland, the emphasis is always put on skill, natural ability, and levelling (balancing training groups and teams in terms of the stature, ability, and confidence levels). Most of the England under 15 team are over 6ft tall and weigh in at 13 stone. They beat Holland on a regular basis, but on average, at least 7 (60%) of the Dutch players will go on to become top professionals, whereas, in England, the success rate is normally 5%.

Development Techniques - SK do not use de-salao footballs because young children between the ages of 4 - 7 have very little or no developed eye-foot coordination. Using standard EUFA approved S3 (bouncing and rebound) balls enhances their development of coordination skills. A de-salao football is designed not to bounce, and therefore, makes the task of control that much easier - SK use Opposites, whereby, during the development process, you have to identify weak areas and adjust training accordingly to create a better overall balance. Juggling a softball is easy, but you will find it harder, later on, with a normal ball. With 'opposites' you make the initial task more difficult: eg: if you can juggle a tennis ball, you'll find it easier with a normal size ball

Grass Roots 95 - What makes young children tick? How can you make boring basic exercises fun? What are their limitations at different ages? How do you identify and develop natural ability? How do you teach the right temperament? These few factors alone clearly show that coaching children is a specialist field requiring careful selection. The FA must introduce training courses for specialist Children's Coaches.

SK have always had a preference towards enthusiastic parents getting directly involved with coaching (under codes of practice and guidelines) rather than young FA trained coaches.

Getting Young Children Started with SSD

  • Make it FUN - Fun generates Enthusiasm
  • ENTHUSIASM - Enthusiasm generates Practice
  • PRACTICE makes Good Players


The Success Rate
- In the first 10 years of operation, no less than 51children (age 6 - 8) have gone   on from the Sheffield SK School to join professional clubs.

Kicking Into the Future
Eddy Whyte

Although a lot of the SSD Elements have been introduced to the Pro Club Academies over the last 10 years, they are still, however, way short of our continental counterparts when it comes to development programmes - so, in March 2008, in an attempt to redress this balance, an updated version of the 1995 SSD Report was re-circulated to certain areas of the professional club sector:- Kicking Into The Future.

Soccer Kids is a professional independent UK based coaching body
© SSD is protected under copyright   Eddy Whyte