The Kick-Off: Weekly Coaching Update
Welcome back to the first full week of football in 2026! It has been fantastic to see so many of our young players returning to the pitch with such energy, despite the frosty Essex mornings. This time of year is all about resilience, showing up, staying warm, and keeping that technical sharp edge while the ground is heavy. Whether your child is preparing for a weekend league match or just having a kickabout in the garden, this week’s update focuses on mastering tight-space control and staying fueled for the winter chill.
🏡 The Garden Drill: The "Box Turn" Challenge
Goal: This week, we are focusing on ball mastery and agility. In the winter, pitches can be heavy, so having "quick feet" to change direction is a massive advantage.
The Set-Up: Find a small space in the garden and use four markers (cones, jumpers, or water bottles) to create a square roughly 3 metres by 3 metres.
The Move: Dribble the ball into the centre of the box. Once in the middle, perform a "Drag Back" or a "Cruyff Turn".
The Exit: Immediately explode out of a different side of the square than the one you entered.
The Challenge: See how many successful turns and exits you can complete in 60 seconds without hitting a marker!
🍎 Coach's Corner: The Winter Hydration Secret
Did you know that children are often less likely to feel thirsty during winter football, even though they are losing fluids through sweat and breathing in cold air? Dehydration is a "hidden" performance zapper that leads to fatigue and loss of concentration during the second half of matches.
To keep your young athlete performing at their best:
Pre-hydrate: Ensure they drink a glass of water with breakfast and another before leaving the house.
The "Pee" Test: Teach them to check their urine colour; it should be pale yellow (like lemonade), not dark (like apple juice).
Warm Recovery: After the match, a warm drink or a balanced meal with carbohydrates and lean protein helps replenish energy stores and aids muscle recovery.
Pro Tip: Use an insulated water bottle to keep drinks from getting "ice-cold," which can be off-putting for kids in January. Adding a slice of fruit can also make drinking water more appealing.
📍 Essex Community Spot
Pitch Updates & Local News: With the recent wet weather across Essex, please keep a close eye on our WhatsApp groups for Saturday morning pitch inspections. We are also closely following the Essex County FA's latest updates on the "Future Fit" framework, which will bring exciting changes to youth formats like 3v3 for our Under 7s starting next season.
Protect Our Pitches: There is currently a vital government consultation regarding the protection of local playing fields. We encourage all our Essex football families to support the campaign to keep our green spaces safe for the next generation of players.
Kit Reminder: If Santa brought new boots, ensure they are suitable for current conditions. For grass pitches in January, Soft Ground (SG) boots with metal studs provide the best grip, while Multi-Ground (MG) or AG boots are better if your child is training on 3G surfaces.
See you on the pitch this weekend!