In order to make practices run smoothly and be fun, it is important for us to have a basic understanding of the intellectual, emotional and physical developmental stage of the players we are coaching. Here are some typical characteristics of the Under 12 player:

• All children are maturing at different rates and are sensitive to that fact.
• Need to warm-up and stretch as muscle pulls and other nagging injuries tend to become more common.
• Typically understand elemental abstract concepts and hypothetical situations.
• They like to solve problems.
• Peer evaluation is a constant.
• Egos are sensitive.
• Coordination may depend on whether or not they are in a growth spurt.
• Technique still needs to be reinforced constantly.
• Playing too much can lead to overuse injuries.
• Playing too much and not feeling like they have a choice in the matter can lead to burnout and drop-out.
• This is the dawn of tactics!
• Keep asking the players to be creative and to take risks. 
• Ask for feedback from them. They will tell you how things are going.
• Try to hand over leadership and ownership of the team to them. They will enjoy leading and it will add to the learning environment.