Syd Multisports
Football Program
Designed to be played at home. Three minutes a day is all it takes.
Remember that small children should use small balls.
Step 1 – Football Habits
Build the two most important football habits for toddlers:
- ✅ Encourage tricks with the soles of the feet.
- 🚫 Discourage kicking and passing. (Applies until they master Step 3)
- ✅ When the ball rolls away, it should always be brought back with the feet, never with the hands.
Step 2 – Football Tricks
”Make the ball disappear”
Pull the ball backwards using the sole of your foot, turn around to catch up with the ball and pull it backwards again. Remember to practice with both feet! When the child is about 3 years old, you can start asking them to pull the ball back alternating between left and right (as in the video).
”The Slide”
Place the foot on top of the ball. Slide down until the foot touches the ground. Naturally done alternating right/left.
”The ball is on fire”
Pull the ball from one sole to the other. Do it quickly so the feet don’t get burned by the burning ball. Easier with a small ball.
Step 3 – The Hat Game
The child should protect their ball while the parent tries to place a ”hat” on top of it.
The child is not allowed to kick the ball away, but should instead move it little by little – e.g. with the sole of the foot as in the three tricks you just practiced. Also encourage the child to protect the ball by turning around and placing their back between you and the ball. If you play on a small, square playing field, this becomes much more natural to practice than if you are on a large open surface.
When you switch roles and the child is putting on the hat, make sure that you as an adult make exactly the protective movements you want the child to imitate.
Learning is as good as the parent makes it. You can actively guide the child to change direction with the ball, and to protect it by turning around and placing their back between you and the ball. This game is very educational when the child is getting good at Step 2, as it helps them understand in practice why the tricks are so important.
INSPIRATION
Our football program is inspired by the world’s leading expert on football for the youngest, Tom Byer.
In addition to creating good football players, this program places great focus on improving concentration and balance.
Below you can see three short videos where Byer explains parts of the concept, and here is a link to his book (free) Football Starts at Home.
”Football Starts At Home with Tom Byer”
”3-year-old, 2 years of practice”
”3-year-old, two weeks of practice”
Syd Multisport 