Question: I'm the coach of a team of 6-year-olds, and have a hard time getting them not to swarm around the ball. Do you have any tips that might help them keep the proper spacing? 

Answer: It's important to note here that this is entirely normal, and will happen with any group of players that are so young - we shouldn't necessarily worry about it; awareness of space is something that develops over time.

That being said, there are a couple of things which a coach can do to aid their understanding during games. Restarting the game by giving 'the player in the most space' the ball will help reward players who find space, and in the future the intent is to have them do this without prompting. 'Freezing' the game at opportune moments to help the players find this space can also help. Furthermore, the field can be divided up with cones to provide a boundary for players, although this can be frustrating for players so young.

The bottom line is that we should ensure we enhance players' enjoyment of playing at this age, and realize that improvement in spatial awareness is something that will only develop over time. Spend more time on the basics of technique, and making sure they have fun!