From The Sidelines - Grassroots Football
I never planned on making a podcast. But the more time Ive spent on the sidelines — watching, encouraging, coaching, tying countless muddy laces, the more I realised these small moments carry big lessons.
Grassroots football strips everything back. Amongst the talks of tactics, it’s about people, effort, creating community, and the little wins kids don’t even know they’re giving you. Somewhere between cold mornings and lost bits of kit, the sidelines start teaching you about yourself too.
So this is me, sharing my journey as a manager/coach/parent with you.
From The Sidelines - Grassroots Football
Episode 2 - Positions at U7s - Helpful or Holding Them Back?
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Should seven-year-olds play with positions, or should they just be free to explore the game?
In this episode of From the Sidelines, I share our teams current experience of using forms of positioning at U7s — what’s worked well, what hasn’t, and why some players naturally gravitate to certain areas of the pitch anyway.
This isn’t about right or wrong, this is just our teams experience and what works for us.
It’s about confidence, development, and creating environments where kids can learn, try everything, and enjoy football.
Because at seven, it’s not about where you stand — it’s about how you grow.
⚽ Do you use positions at U7s? Or in U8s or 9s? When did it start if you didn't at this stage?
Let me know in the comments 👇