# @coachjonnyfff on Instagram

- **Type:** Video
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DdN1l82oX8Z
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70334747-coachjonnyfff-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/8ab5ef711f.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-13T05:44:22.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Coach Jonny (@coachjonnyfff) — https://gondola.cc/coachjonnyfff

## Caption

😄 TRY THIS at your next session to help children understand they have control over their emotions and how they react.

I asked one child to show me their biggest smile and straight away their face lit up. Then I asked for their angriest frown, the face they pull when something goes wrong in a game. We worked through a few more expressions together, including sad, excited and a really silly one that made us both laugh.

In just a few seconds, they could see how quickly they were able to switch from one emotion to another. While they were mainly controlling their facial expressions, it opened up a powerful conversation about recognising feelings and realising they have some influence over them.

I explained that emotions don’t just disappear and that it’s absolutely normal to feel angry or upset. What really matters is how we choose to respond. We linked it back to football with simple examples like missing a shot, not receiving a pass, or disagreeing with a referee’s decision.

The whole chat took less than a minute, but it made a big impact. The child went back into the game smiling, more settled, and with a clearer understanding that while they can’t control everything that happens, they can control how they react.

Simple, quick and incredibly effective, especially for Foundation Phase players who are still learning how to manage emotions in the middle of a game.

## Stats

- **Views:** 21,986
- **Likes:** 587
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 4

## Credits

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Coach Jonny | @coachjonnyfff | https://gondola.cc/coachjonnyfff | Creator |

---
Copyright (c) Gondola