Quick answer
Coaching youth floorball well means putting development ahead of results. Give every child lots of ball touches, use small-sided games instead of long queues, teach a few skills at a time, and keep sessions fun enough that players want to come back. A 60-minute session with 4v4 or 3v3 games at its core will teach more than a drill-heavy session built around the scoreboard on Saturday.
Key takeaways
- Touches are the currency of development. Aim for every player to handle the ball for most of the session, not wait in line for 30 seconds between turns.
- Small-sided games (3v3, 4v4) give each child many more passes, shots and decisions than a full 5v5 game on a big floor.
- Teach one or two things per session. Children remember a single clear cue better than a list of five.
- Rotate positions and playing time. Early specialisation hides future talent and ends careers early.
- Praise effort, good decisions and brave attempts, not only goals.
- Give players a way to train between sessions. Ten minutes at home with a ball and a smooth surface adds up over a season.
What does "development first" actually mean?
Most coaches I speak to agree with the idea of development first and then drift back to winning when a tournament comes close. The easiest way to stay honest is to decide in advance what a successful season looks like. It might be: every child can receive a pass on the move, every child has scored at least once from a game-like situation, and nobody has quit because they were bored or afraid of making mistakes.
Development first does not mean "no competition". Children enjoy keeping score. It means that the score is a tool, not the goal. You can use it inside a small game (first to five wins the round) without turning every Saturday into a verdict on your coaching.
The table below gives a practical way to think about what to focus on at different ages. These are guidelines from my own coaching, not fixed rules. Children of the same age differ a lot, so adjust to the group in front of you.
| Age group | Main focus | Game format | Session length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6–8 years | Fun, coordination, ball feel, holding the stick correctly | Tag games, 2v2 on small areas | 45–60 min |
| 9–10 years | Stickhandling, basic passing and receiving, first shots | 3v3 and 4v4 | 60 min |
| 11–12 years | Passing on the move, shooting variety, simple team play | 4v4, 5v5 on a reduced floor | 60–75 min |
| 13–15 years | Decision making, game understanding, fitness base | 5v5, situational games | 75–90 min |
If you are new to the role, read tips for new floorball coaches alongside this article, and use the practice plan template to structure your sessions.
Why are small-sided games the best teaching tool?
Think about a normal 5v5 game on a full floor with ten outfield players. Each child touches the ball for a short time per minute, and the best player dominates. Shrink the game to 3v3 on half the floor and every child is involved in almost every sequence. They have to look up, move without the ball, and decide quickly. That is exactly what we want them to learn.
A few rules of thumb for designing small-sided games:
- Make the area small enough to create contact with the ball. Roughly 12 x 8 m for 3v3 is a good starting point.
- Use constraints, not lectures. Want more passing? Allow a goal only after three passes. Want more shooting? Give a bonus point for a first-time shot.
- Keep teams even and rotate them. Every four minutes, swap one player between teams so the games stay close.
- Use two goals if you have them. The more goals and balls available, the more repetitions each child gets.
For more game ideas, see floorball small-sided games.
How do you structure a 60-minute youth session?
A simple, repeatable structure helps children feel safe and lets you spend your energy on coaching rather than on explaining a new format each week. This is the layout I use most often.
| Block | Minutes | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival game and warm-up | 10 | Tag with a ball, mobility, light movement. Children begin as soon as they arrive. |
| Skill block 1 | 12 | Stickhandling or receiving in pairs or small groups, many repetitions |
| Skill block 2 | 12 | Passing or shooting with a simple progression |
| Small-sided game | 20 | 3v3 or 4v4 with one constraint that matches the skill blocks |
| Finish | 6 | Fun shooting challenge, short talk, one thing each player did well |
Notice that games take up a third of the time and the skill blocks lead directly into them. If you teach receiving on the move, the game constraint is "you must receive and turn before you pass". That link is what turns practice into learning.
Coach Erik's tip: Count how many seconds your players stand still. If a drill has queues longer than three children, split the group into more stations or play two small games at once. A child who stands still for two minutes is learning how to stand still.
Which drills work well for developing players?
These four activities suit most groups from about 8 to 13 years old. Adjust distances and times to the age and skill level.
- Everyone has a ball (8 minutes). Each player dribbles inside a 10 x 10 m square. On your whistle, they change direction, then stop with the ball under control. Add rounds: only the backhand side, only one hand on the stick, head up while you move. Cue: keep the ball close, as if it were tied to your blade. Watch for: children looking down for the whole round.
- Pass and move in threes (10 minutes). Groups of three stand in a triangle, 5 m apart. Pass to a teammate and then move to a new spot. After 2 minutes, add a second ball. Cue: pass, then move into space, not where you stood before. Watch for: players who pass and then stand still.
- Gates game (8 minutes). Spread eight to ten small gates (two cones 1 m apart) across the floor. Teams of two score a point each time they pass the ball through a gate to each other. This builds passing, scanning and communication. The team with the most points after 4 minutes wins, then swap partners.
- 3v3 with a rule (15 minutes). Play 3v3 with two goals. Rule for round one: a goal counts only if everyone on the team has touched the ball. Round two: any goal scored with a first-time shot counts double. Change the rule every 4 minutes.
How do you give feedback that helps children improve?
Children listen to a coach for roughly the first 20 seconds of any explanation. After that, they are looking at the ball. So keep instructions short, show rather than tell, and give feedback at the moment of action.
- Ask questions. "Where was the free player?" teaches scanning better than "You should have passed there".
- One correction at a time. If a player shoots with a low follow-through and a closed stance, pick the one that matters most this week.
- Use the "sandwich" for individual feedback. Start with something positive and specific, add one thing to work on, and end with encouragement.
- Praise decisions. "Great look-up before you passed" tells a child what to repeat. "Good job" tells them very little.
Most players I coach want to please the adults watching. If you only react to goals, they will shoot too early and avoid passing. If you also react to a good give-and-go, the whole group changes how it plays.
How can you add home practice without adding pressure?
The biggest difference between children who develop quickly and those who plateau is the number of touches outside team sessions. You do not need to assign homework. Instead, suggest a small challenge, for example "can you do 20 forehand-to-backhand pulls in a row by next Tuesday?". Children love a measurable goal.
A smooth, clean surface helps. Interlocking floor tiles let a child practise in a hallway or garage and give the ball a smooth surface to roll on. The Extreme Floorball Tiles 8-Pack (€79) covers about 0.9 m², which is enough for stickhandling. The 30-Pack (€254) gives about 3.2 m² for a family or a small group. The Extreme Floorball Stickhandling Trainer (€69) adds an obstacle course in a very small footprint.
Better Floorball is a Swedish brand that sells directly without middlemen, and everything is designed in Sweden and tested for maximum durability. The tiles and the stickhandling trainer are also Made in Europe. For clubs, a few sets of tiles can turn a corridor or storage room into a ball-control station during sessions. See the floorball tiles collection for pack sizes, or read the parent's guide to setting up home training to share with families.
Common mistakes
- Running long queue drills. Players stand still and lose interest. Fix: use stations, pairs and small games so everyone has a ball or a role at all times.
- Specialising too early. Locking a child into one position at age 9 limits their development. Fix: rotate positions every few weeks, including a turn as goalkeeper if they want it.
- Over-explaining. Three-minute speeches lose the group. Fix: demonstrate, then let them play, and coach in short bursts of 10–20 seconds.
- Playing only the best players in close games. This signals that only results matter. Fix: set minimum playing time and stick to it.
- Coaching from the sideline during the game. Constant instructions stop children from making their own decisions. Fix: let them play for 2 minutes, then freeze the game once and ask a question.
- Ignoring the quiet child. Fix: give every player a specific, positive comment each session. Keep a note if you need to.
FAQ
How long should a youth floorball session be?
Plan 45–60 minutes for ages 6–10 and 60–90 minutes for older children, depending on the group. Keep them moving for most of that time and include a game in every session. If attention drops, shorten the next session rather than stretching it.
What is the best game format for young players?
Small-sided games such as 3v3 and 4v4 are the best format for most youth players. Every child gets more touches, more shots and more decisions per minute than in a full 5v5 game. Move up to 5v5 as players gain control and understanding.
How many players should I have per coach?
A group of 10–12 players per coach works well for skill blocks and small-sided games. If you have more, ask a parent or older player to help run a second station so that queues stay short. Smaller groups also make it easier to give each child individual feedback.
Should I rotate positions with young players?
Yes. Let children try different roles, including goalkeeper if they want to, until at least their early teens. It builds a broader skill set and helps them understand the game from every angle. Fixed positions at a young age often hide late-developing talent.
How do I keep children motivated?
Make sessions active, give each child a measurable personal challenge and celebrate effort. Use games with changing rules, let players help choose activities, and avoid comparing children. For more ideas read our article on keeping kids motivated in floorball.
Can children train floorball at home?
Yes, and it is one of the best ways to speed up development. Ten minutes of stickhandling on a smooth surface at home adds hundreds of touches per week. Keep it playful: short challenges and a simple record of progress work better than strict homework.
Summary
Youth development comes down to a few habits: lots of touches, small-sided games, one clear focus per session, shared playing time and positive feedback. If you coach this way, results tend to follow on their own over a few seasons, and children stay in the sport. For more session plans and coaching ideas, visit the Floorball Coaches hub. Follow us on Instagram @better_floorball for weekly drill ideas.
