The clocks go back on Sunday 25 October in the UK, bringing dark nights forward into late afternoon.
That changes what's possible in the garden on a weekday evening. But it doesn't have to change how much time your child spends with a ball at their feet, because some of the most useful work a young player can do needs a patch of floor about 3ft by 2ft.
What Ball Mastery Is
Ball mastery is the small stuff: sole rolls, inside-outside touches, drag-backs and changes of direction, practised on both feet until they happen without thinking. It's the close control that lets a player keep the ball in a tight space
It suits winter because it doesn't need a goal, a long pass or any distance at all. Just a ball, a small space and a surface that grips.
Little and Often
Motor learning research has found that spreading practice across several days leads to better learning than cramming the same amount into one session. The same total time spread through the week tends to stick better than one long session at the weekend.
Short sessions are also the easiest kind to fit into a winter evening. QUICKPLAY recommends 20 to 30 focused minutes a day on the mat.
The Ball Mastery Skills Mat
The mat's printed layout shows where the ball and feet go for hundreds of ball control moves, broken into simple steps. A player can follow a move on their own rather than needing someone to show them.
It has a non-slip rubber base that grips hard floors, so it stays flat during quick footwork, and it works indoors or out on a patio. When you're done, it rolls up for storage.
It comes with a pair of kids' grip socks so your child can start straight away. Grip socks are also sold separately in more sizes, for anyone else in the house who wants a go - the mat suits players from age 5 up to adults.
Every mat includes access to QUICKPLAY's eCOACH training programme: follow-along sessions and coach-led progression ideas. Your child can pick a skill focus, track their practice streak and cast sessions to a smart TV to follow along on the big screen.
No ball is included, so if you need one, the AEROTECH Training Ball has a match feel.
Getting the Most From It
Start with the basic moves, and move on only when you feel comfortable on both feet. The programme runs from basic techniques through to advanced combinations, so there's always a next step.
Once a few moves are comfortable, mix them up rather than repeating one for the whole session. Our blog on making training skills show up on match day covers why mixing things up helps skills last.
Use the practice streak in eCOACH to keep it regular. A few minutes most evenings is the habit worth building.
Ready for Spring
When the evenings get lighter again, the touches your child has built on the mat over winter go back outside with them.
The Ball Mastery Skills Mat comes with kids' grip socks and access to eCOACH. Find it at quickplaysport.com.