AFL skills improve through repetition, but practice should remain enjoyable rather than feeling like a formal training session. Keep drills short and varied so your child stays interested and has plenty of opportunities to experience success. Even a simple backyard session can help develop kicking accuracy, balance, movement and decision-making. Also in lifestyle .
Encourage your child to focus on one element at a time. For example, spend a few minutes working on a steady ball drop before moving into kicks on the run. Once they become comfortable, introduce movement, changing directions or a target that requires greater accuracy.
Make Every Kick Count
Instead of concentrating only on whether the ball reaches its destination, encourage your child to notice what happened during each attempt. Was the ball dropped too far away from the body? Did the foot make contact with the wrong part of the ball? Did they lose balance during the follow-through?
Simple questions can help children understand their technique without making the session feel like a lesson. Positive feedback is particularly useful when they make a noticeable improvement, even if the kick does not reach the target perfectly.
Developing Accuracy and Control
Accuracy becomes increasingly important as young players progress. Set up several targets at different distances and allow your child to work through them one at a time. You could use cones, markers or teammates as targets, depending on the space available.
Start with a comfortable distance and gradually increase the challenge. This allows your child to develop control before attempting longer kicks. You can also introduce targets at different angles to encourage them to adjust their body position and kicking action.
Add Movement to the Drill
AFL rarely gives players the opportunity to stand still and take an uncontested kick. Once your child has developed reasonable accuracy from a stationary position, introduce movement before and after each kick.
Ask them to jog to a marker, receive the ball, steady themselves and deliver a pass to a target. Later, they can change direction or accelerate before kicking. These small adjustments help them become more comfortable performing skills while moving at game speed.
Making Training More Game-Like
Children often enjoy training more when they can imagine themselves in a real match. Create simple scenarios that require them to make decisions rather than simply repeating the same kick.
For example, place two targets in different areas and call out which one they need to hit. You can also vary the distance and angle without warning. This encourages your child to look up, assess the situation and select an appropriate option.
Introduce Friendly Challenges
Friendly competitions can add energy to a practice session. Keep the emphasis on personal improvement rather than winning. Your child might earn a point for hitting a target, completing a clean mark or successfully kicking after running.
Another option is to set a personal record. They could count how many accurate kicks they can complete in a set period and try to improve that number during the next session. This gives them a measurable goal while keeping the fitness activity positive.
Finishing With a Fun Challenge
End training with an activity your child particularly enjoys. This could involve goal kicking, a short kicking competition or a small-sided game with family members. Finishing on an enjoyable activity can help create a positive association with practice.
As skills develop, gradually increase the difficulty rather than expecting perfect execution immediately. Consistent encouragement, regular practice and age-appropriate challenges can help young AFL players become more confident with the ball while developing skills they can carry into real matches.
