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Basics of the development of the 6-14 age group

Young football players must not be trained as the adults.

Age-group training: Young players aged 5/6 to 18/19 are developed by the appropriate amount and type of instructional and educational effects according to their actual physical and psychological development. Development is an advancing process with an initial and an end point, and the process of development has distinct phases between these two points. The development of the human body, organ and organ systems is also a process, which can be divided into distinct phases. The various physical abilities, the level of the technical and tactical skills, the development of the various psychological features are closely related to the level of development of one or more organs or organ systems.    

The periods of major quantitative changes of the organs or organ systems:

  • Lung, heart and circulatory system: from 10 to 16 years (most intensive from 14 to 16)
  • Bone and muscular system, sexual hormone system: from 10 to 18 years (except for the feet and legs’ muscles: 12 to 18)
  • Nervous system and locomotion skills: from 6 to 14 years
  • Nervous system – related to psychological features: every age group  

The various physical abilities, the technical and tactical skills and the various psychological features must be dynamically developed when the related organs and organ systems are in the period of major quantitative changes.

  • Basic endurance: from 10 to 16 years (most intensively from 14 to 16)
  • Special endurance: from 14 to 18 years
  • Power: from 14 to 18 years (except for the feet and legs: from 12 to 16)
  • Speed (with an element of power): from 12 to 18
  • Mobility: from 6 to 18
  • Technical and tactical skills: from 6 to 14
  • Psychological features: from 6 to 18

This male age group is characterised by a well-developed system of bones, the stability of the bones, and a slowly intensifying tendency of elongation. The growth of the various bones is not of the same extent: from 7 to 11 years of age, especially their elongation can be noted, while their circumference develops particularly after puberty (Mészáros, 2002). The elongation phase appears to very various extents among children, and it greatly affects the coordination skills. In case of a sudden growth, the movement gets disintegrated and disorganised, it often slows down; when the muscular system gets stronger, the movement coordination gets organised again. Due to the nature of the sport, the players or various heights can all find their places in the team with the help of the coach. The proportion of the muscular system from the total body mass is bigger than in the case of people of similar age who do not do sports. However, further increase of the mass of muscles cannot be induced by hormonal regulation at this age, or only to a very limited extent. The structural and functional characteristics of the development are determined by the dehydroepiandrosterone level of the plasma produced by the cortex of the adrenal gland; around the age of 12, this is twice in girls than in boys. Around the age of 12, the mass of the muscles is only 25-30 per cent of the total body mass, and the absolute power of girls is still similar to that of boys (Mészáros 2002). The functional stability of joints develops only after 9 to 11 years in girls, and after 12 to 15 years in boys. At this age, the bending muscle groups are usually more developed than the stretching ones. At this age, the functioning of the organs contributing to the healthy development must be improved by their constant training, and the development of the motor skills must be regarded exclusively as part of the personality development, and should be subordinated to that. Children must be dealt with in a way that, through the skills that can be acquired in football and can be transferred well, they remain open to any sport that is more suitable to their talents and interests later on. The sensitivity of the periosteum is typical at this age, especially at the heel bone. The use of heel-raising jelly is convenient, and instead of cleated shoes, caterpillar shoes should be worn. The development and the capacity of the nervous system are still very significant, though its capacity is already less than in the age of 0 to 6 years. By the adolescent period, the development of the coordination skills reaches the level of 90 per cent. As for the aerobe and anaerobe capacity, it is proven that boys are capable of bigger intensity and extent already at this age (10 to 12 years) than girls. The aerobe capacity of boys gradually improves from the school years to adulthood. The anaerobe capacity, which is characterised by the decrease of the pH level of the blood, or by the maximum level of acidum sarcolacticum, is lower at this age than in puberty or adulthood. The anaerobe capacity can better be improved at this age than the aerobe capacity (Mészáros, 2002).