Lead the warm-up
Transcript
Leading is a skill you can practise, starting with the warm-up. Here's how. Agree it with your coach, and use the warm-up your team knows, like FIFA's 11+. You need cones and the poster on your phone. Set the cones out early, then check everyone is ready. After, ask two teammates what worked. Watch. You explain, show it once, then they go. First, one sentence, one demo. Not this. A long speech. Then, praise one thing you saw. Anyone hurt stops and tells the coach. Our target is once a week, taking turns. Then take the free test at footballreach.com.
What it trains
Practise leading: run your team's usual warm-up (the FIFA 11+ or your club warm-up) once, with your coach's agreement and the coach in charge. It is practice at communicating and taking responsibility, not a selection trial.
Set up
- Your coach's OK
- 3 to 10 teammates
- 6 pairs of cones
- 11+ poster on a phone
How it works
- Ask your coach first: agree the week you lead, which warm-up (the FIFA 11+ or your club's) and which parts. The coach approves the plan and stays in charge (episode 2 shows the FIFA 11+).
- Arrive early and set out the cones (FIFA 11+: 6 to 10 pairs, about 5-6 m apart), with the poster on your phone to check.
- Gather everyone where they can all see and hear you. Check everyone is ready, and that anyone carrying a knock has told the coach.
- For each exercise: one sentence, one demo, one cue. Then let them go, watch, and praise one thing you saw.
- Afterwards, ask two teammates what worked and what to change, and tell your coach how it went.
Coaching points
- One sentence, one demo. For each exercise: say what to do in one short sentence, show it once yourself, then give one cue from the poster (for example "don't let your knees buckle inwards"). Keep it short so nobody stands still for long.
- Praise one thing you saw. While they work, watch. Afterwards, praise one specific thing you saw ("great soft landings"), not just "well done".
Not this
A long speech before every exercise. Players stand still while you talk and stop listening; one sentence, one demo and one cue get them moving.
Dose
- Our target: once a week
- Take turns to lead
Our target: Once a week, taking turns to lead (the Football Reach target, not an FA rule).
Harder / Easier
Harder
Lead all three parts of the warm-up, then the arrival activity at the start of the session too, if your coach agrees.
Easier
Lead Part 1 (the running) only, with the coach leading Parts 2 and 3. Or share it with a teammate and take turns at each exercise (our suggestion).
Safety
- The coach stays responsible for safety: they approve your plan, watch technique and can stop or change anything at any time.
- Never push anyone through pain. Anyone who feels pain or is carrying a knock stops and tells the coach, and nobody is made to carry on.
- Leave the partner hamstring exercise and the exercise with shoulder contact to the coach, unless they ask you to lead them.
- Flat grass with space all round, never a road or car park. Check the area for holes, glass and loose kit before you start.
Sources
- The FA Boot Room - youth development phase and the social corner (opens in a new tab)
- England Football Learning - how to develop self-aware and self-motivated players (opens in a new tab)
- England Football Learning - how coaches can communicate effectively (opens in a new tab)
- FIFA - The 11+ poster (parts, exercises, cone course) (opens in a new tab)
Not sure which skill to work on first? The free Football Reach test gives you a Player Development Score and shows which of the four corners of your game to work on next, in about two minutes.
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