‘Why don’t you get the cones out and show us?’
The Cones Know Best
Sometimes when you’re coaching kids, they surprise you, in the best possible way.
To explain the title of this post, I need to go back to the beginning.
Starting Out
When I first took over the team, I focused on doing the basics well:
Arrive early to every training session
Have a plan and a clear objective each time (a colleague who coached in China and played for Cardiff gave me some brilliant templates)
Bring positive energy, give feedback, and encourage everyone
Make it fun, age-appropriate, but still challenging
Just writing that out now reminds me how hard coaching actually is, especially when you’re trying to balance structure with enjoyment.
Teaching the Game, From the Ground Up
Early on, I noticed a common issue: the players didn’t really understand where they were meant to stand on the pitch during games. And why would they? At eight years old, most kids aren’t watching 90-minute matches, analysing formations, or figuring out what a full-back is.
So one evening I did some research on how to explain positions to younger players. One tip I found stuck with me: use cones.
Before a match, I set out cones in our formation and had the players stand next to “their” cone. I told them to look left and right… “Who’s next to you? If you’re not near them anymore, you’ve probably drifted out of position.”
From the very first time, it made a difference. They started to understand what I meant when I said “left back” or “right midfield.” It was simple, visual, and it worked.
But that’s not the reason for the title.
The Moment That Stuck
Fast forward two and a half years. We were playing a friendly. That morning, I woke up early and read an article about different formations for 9-a-side football. Up to that point, we’d only really used a 3-4-1—but I wasn’t convinced it suited our current squad.
I decided to try something different: a 2-3-3. It was more attacking, more open—but with three solid defenders available that day, I felt it was worth the risk.
At half-time, I told the boys we were going to switch formation. I grabbed my whiteboard and started sketching it out, but then it began to rain. Typical.
As I fumbled with the pen and board, our captain looked at me and said:
“Why don’t you just take some cones and show us with that?”
I was equal parts delighted and impressed. Not only was it a great idea, it showed that the visual method had stuck. He’d internalised it and could now apply it back in a new situation.
What Stays With Them
It reminded me how much the little things can matter. Months earlier, I’d split the pitch into thirds—defence, midfield, attack—and used coloured cones to help the players understand combination play and positioning. At the time, I wasn’t sure how much they got from it.
Then, six months later, one of the boys asked, “Can we do that zone drill again? That was fun.”
It’s a great reminder that when you have a clear philosophy, stick to your basics, and show up consistently, things start to stick. The players remember more than you think. Sometimes they even end up teaching you.
And thanks to the cones, they’ll always know where to stand.
