Decatur Soccer U12 FUNINO PLAYER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TEAM SCOTT SANDLIN IS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT FUNIÑO, A FOUR GOAL, SMALL-SIDED GAME DEVELOPED BY HORST Wein, who was asked to create the youth coaching curriculum by the RFEF (Spanish Soccer Federation) almost 30 years ago. It is still being used by the RFEF today and has been adapted by numerous club teams in Germany, Italy and national teams around the globe. “The development progam starts out as 3v3 for younger players (ages 7-9) and then moves to FORMiño which is 5v5 (10-12 year olds). The benefits of working in a four goal, small-sided environment seem almost endless to me now after having used this methodology for the last three years, but at its core it introduces width, depth, options, perceptions, and quick decision making to lay a foundation for game intelligence.” There are many nuances to the curriculum, but the results have been impressive. Sandlin says, “From my experience, to see the speed at which the players I have coached — this team especially — improve their game intelligence, decision making and skill levels in all facets of the game, there isn’t another curriculum I would consider as the basis for what we’re trying to create at Decatur Soccer.”
Coaches, from left: Scott Sandlin, Kurtis Graves, and Cameron Black. Players standing, from left: Ian Bouchillon, Claire Stewart, Parker Story, Brock Armstrong, Mauricio Soto, Drew Smith, Karen Munoz.Sitting, from left: Diana Pablo, Alan Aviles, Jorge Diaz Jr., Vishal Potharaju, Morgan Simpson, Quinn Spivey.
As far as his U12 PDP team, “they love the game and it shows practice or game: Did you have fun and what did you learn?” This is in how they practice, compete, and have fun at every session and a very close group. They are already playing or doing rondos (keepgame. We always try to end each session with a 5v5 FORMiño game away, as they call it) before practice and they keep playing even when and challenge the players to show us what they have learned from the practice is over. U12 PDP are an unselfish group, looking to set each activities we worked on during the session.” He brags that coaching other up during games and they always look to help a teammate who is gets pretty easy when you have kids on your team who wouldn’t want having a hard time with an activity in practice. to be anywhere else and are having loads of fun learning the game. The team has some exciting games coming up against a wide variety