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Let the game be the teacher!

To make your coaching effective with a team of youngsters (U10s), my advice is, ‘Let the game be the teacher’.

We have to keep reminding ourselves that young players come to football training sessions to play football, not to be coached. So we should let them play.

That doesn’t mean you can’t coach them – it just means you have to be bit clever about it.

A few do’s and dont’s:

Don’t play boring, static drills – play SSGs (small-sided games) instead. Games like the 1-0 game are brilliant for teaching possession, ball control and communication in a fun way.

Don’t spend more than 30 seconds explaining a game – if it takes longer than that, it’s not a good game!

Once in a while ask your players want they want to do and let them run a football training session while you watch.

Do what you feel is right for the kids, not what you think you ought to do.

Remember, football coaching sessions are meant to be fun for the players AND the coach! If you’re not having fun then they won’t be.

So relax. Enjoy it. Your players won’t be U10s forever (thank goodness!)

Defending corners

1. Zonal defending

The theory behind these tactics for defending corners is that there are a number of key areas (zones) that goals are scored from at corner kicks.

These are the front and back post and about six yards out from the center of the goal line (the middle of the six yard box). You can probably think of other areas too.

With zonal marking you assign key players to these zones. You might want to get your two tallest players to cover the six yard box and put your smallest players on the posts.

The main drawback to this system – at least as far as youth soccer is concerned – is that it encourages static defending. Children told to guard a single point on the pitch will do it but are often reluctant to move away from their area, even if there is clear and imminent danger in another, unguarded, area.

The advantage of zonal marking is that you can make sure your best defenders are stationed in the areas that you know most goals are scored from.

2. Man marking

Man marking is the traditional method of defending corners. A big advantage of man marking over zonal defence is that being told to stay with a player is easier for children to understand than being told ‘I want you to defend this zone’.

The main drawback of man (or woman:) marking is that children are easily distracted, lose their mark and end up doing nothing in non-vital areas of the pitch.

So you see there are advantages and disadvantages to both defending tactics. My teams man mark at corners.

Should we put a player on the goalposts?

The purpose of “marking” the goal posts is to make the goal smaller. This is a sensible move when playing 11-a-side as the goalkeeper can’t reach both posts from the middle of the goal. But in youth football the goals are small and putting players on the posts is a waste of resources.

In any case, your goalkeeper should be intercepting any ball that comes into the “hot area” just in front of the goal and the sooner they learn to do that, the better.

A good way to practise this is to use two goals, one in a normal position and the second touching the far post and at right angles to it. The goal should look like the letter ‘L’.

Now take some corners. The goalkeeper has to protect both goals and is encouraged to come off their line to get the ball.

Use a “blocker”

Putting one of your taller players on the line between the goal and the corner flag will often put the player taking the corner kick off their job completely. They should also be able to block any low, fast corners that are directed straight at your goal.

Don’t forget the short corner!

A short corner – where the ball is passed to a player standing close to the corner flag who either plays it back to the corner taker or crosses/shoots themselves – is a very effective tactic in youth soccer and your defenders need to stay alert to the threat posed by them.

If an opposition player runs to receive a short corner, your players need to close them down quickly. This may mean leaving players unmarked in the box but it’s essential that the short corner is neutralised.

Leave at least one player upfield

It’s important to have at least one player (and preferably two) waiting upfield to receive the ball from your defenders. If you get everyone back to defend the corner, counter attacking becomes virtually impossible.

How to stop the “duckers” and the “swing and miss”

It’s no use teaching your players how to defend corners if they are afraid or unable to deal with the ball when it comes to them.

Defenders who duck out of the way as a well-taken corner comes across the box are a common sight at U9 and U10 level. They are scared that the ball might hurt them. So you need to show them that the ball (“it’s only a bag of air!”) won’t hurt… providing they use their heads properly.

So as soon as your players are old enough to strike a corner into the box at head height, they need to learn how to head it safely.

Running with the ball

Running with the ball may seem like something you don’t have to teach.

But it is a skill just like shooting or tackling. While all children may make an effort to shoot, tackle or run with the ball, your job as coach is to show them the best way to do it. And knowing when to run with the ball and when to pass doesn’t come naturally to young players, it requires practice and encouragement.

Tip: you can tell which player doesn’t have the confidence to carry the ball. They are the ones who often just kick the ball away when it comes to them or make a pass that is clearly not the best one available.

At U6 – U9 age groups it’s common to see a player standing in the way of a team-mate who has acres of space to run into.

So we need to coach how and when to run with the ball and, at the same time, help our players see the best way to support the player on the ball (and that’s not by standing in front of him!).

Key coaching point: running with the ball is not to be confused with dribbling. Dribbling requires close control and relatively small steps. Running with the ball involves taking bigger touches and taking longer strides.

How to coach running with the ball

Start by making sure the basics are understood. You can do this in a fun, competitive way by dividing your players into small groups and playing a few relay races.

Set up pairs of cones (a starting cone and a target cone) about 20 yards apart. Each team stands by a cone facing their target cone. One ball per team.

Player 1 from each team carries the ball to the target cone, turns and brings the ball back. Have your players stop the ball by the starting cone for the next player.

First team to get all their players round the cone and back is the winner.

Ask your players what is the quickest way to get the ball to the turning cone and back – should they kick it long or keep it close? The answer you’re looking for is to kick the ball long, but not so long so that it goes past the turning cone or past the starting cone on the way back.

Once the basic technique is understood, play a small sided game and watch for the players who run with the ball at the right time and congratulate them.

Also watch for the following:

Basic: players who run with the ball with their head down – they can’t run into space they can’t see! They need to look up regularly, perhaps every stride or two.

Advanced: players making a good decision regarding when to run with the ball and when to pass. If your players are old enough, stop the play when you see a good or bad decision and ask your players what they think – was the decision correct?

Basic: is the ball carrier starting his run with a big first touch to get the ball out from under his feet?

Advanced: if a defender is making the run, are other players dropping in behind him to cover?

Advanced: is the ball being played with the foot furthest from any pressure? The ball carrier should be shielding the ball while running.

Basic: is there an end product? Is the player ending their run with a shot or pass or is he running out of space before he can decide what he wants to do with the ball?

Note: the ‘basic’ coaching points should be understood by all players. The ‘advanced’ points will only be understood by players who are sufficiently mature, probably at least nine/ten years old.

Half time team talks (part 2)

The half-time period at matches is an important time for you and your players and you must use it wisely.

And, as with everything in youth soccer, preparation is a key soccer coaching tip.

During the first half of the match you should be making mental or written notes of what you want to say when the whistle blows.

Bear in mind that your half-time comments should always be 90% positive so – regardless of the match situation – your focus of your notes should be about what the team is doing well rather than what is not going so well.

Save the problems for the next training session!

Find somewhere sheltered and out of earshot of the opposition and parents for your half-time team talk. Make sure everyone has a drink and get them sat down (if the ground is not wet) facing you and check that there are no distractions behind you.

Important: never forget you are a role model for your players so don’t criticise the match officials at half-time or at any other time. Even if they’ve clearly made a mistake that has cost you a goal or two!

Once your players are settled, the first thing to do is to check for injuries. Is everyone OK?

Then it’s time for some ‘well dones’. But be truthful. Your players will know if you are giving them false praise and if you are going to pick out individuals make sure you mention everyone, not just your star players!

If you feel you can correct any simple errors with a short comment then do so. But don’t try to introduce any new concepts or embark on a lengthy lecture.

Limit all your comments to two or three points for nine year olds and older and just one point for younger children. Any more than that and you will run out of time or they will stop listening to you.

Tip: Don’t ask for players’ opinions. All you’ll get is a time wasting chorus of comments and complaints.

Now it’s time to announce the starting line up for the second half. If you’re not sure which players to take off then don’t make any changes until the second half is a few minutes old. But if you do that, make sure your subs know they are going to get on soon.

Finally, some more words of encouragement and send your team out for the second half.

Tip: Count the players on the field before the whistle goes. I’ve often tried to start with one player more or less than the rules allow!!

After the game

Make sure your team shake their opponents by the hand and you congratulate your opposite number.

Thank the referee.

If you won the game, celebrate quietly. If you let your players celebrate loudly it’s not only poor sportsmanship but it will make your opponents even more determined to beat you in the return match.

If you lost, don’t analyse the reasons or let your players blame each other. Praise them for what they did well and save the corrections for your next soccer coaching session.

Finally, make sure your players and parents help you put the goals and other equipment away!

How to get the best out of your players

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” – William A. Ward

If you’re coaching four and five-year-olds, this article probably isn’t for you.

Your players don’t need motivating to play the game to the best of their ability. They will run, tackle and shoot until they drop because they’re having fun and totally unaware of the pressures that lie in wait for them as they get older.

But it won’t be long before they become more and more aware of parental/coach expectations and the differences in ability between individuals. That’s when fun can begin to be replaced by fear of failure. And worried players won’t perform well in matches or give 100% effort in training.

At that point – usually when players are seven or eight years old -their coach faces a big challenge: How to remove the fear and motivate his players to work hard in training and play to their potential in matches.

The four motivational techniques I describe in this article are simple and pretty obvious – when you understand why children want to play football in the first place.

Why children play football

An Athletic Footwear Association Survey of more than 20,000 young football players found that children want to play football:

1. To have fun

2. To improve their skills

3. To stay in shape

4. To do something they are good at

5. The excitement of the competition

6. To get exercise

7. To play as part of a team

8. The challenge of the competition

9. To learn new skills

10. To win matches

Other studies have found that:

71% of the young football players surveyed said they wouldn’t care if no score were kept in their games.
41% said they have woke in the night worrying about an upcoming game.
90% said they would prefer to be on a losing team if they were able to actually play rather than warm the bench on a winning team.[1]

How to motivate your players

These findings suggest that we can satisfy our players needs – and thereby motivate them to work hard and play to their potential – by adopting the following strategies.

Well-planned, varied and competitive training sessions

Disorganised and poorly thought-out coaching sessions can demotivate even the most positive of young players.

You need to plan your sessions in advance and plan activities that are:

a) Competitive.

b) Mentally and physically challenging.

c) Within the capabilities of all your players.

You should also bear in mind the preferences of your players. If they like playing small-sided games (SSGs), (which they almost certainly will) then you should accommodate their wishes.

Setting objectives

Every player, no matter how skilled, will be motivated to give her best in matches if she is given an easily understood, achievable objective.

Your objectives should not include the word “win”. Winning is often out of your player’s control – an injury, poor referring decision or one small mistake can cost a good team the match. Instead, the subject of your objectives should be entirely within your player’s control. For example:

Block an opposing goal.
Make two throw-ins with both feet on the ground.
Make three shots on goal.
Make one good pass to a team mate.

Only set one or two objectives per game, praise your players for trying to achieve their objectives and change objectives from one game to the next as your player’s skills change.

Give feedback

Young players are usually not very good at assessing their own ability so they rely on parents, coaches and team mates to tell them how they are performing.

Out of all these, the comments made by the coach are the most valued and you will make a significant impact on your players’ enjoyment and self image by giving honest, regular feedback on their performance.

Try to give specific feedback as soon as you notice a player doing something well, e.g. “Excellent! I like the way you kicked that with your laces”. Telling your players exactly what they are doing well encourages them to repeat the action they were praised for.

If you need to correct a mistake, use the “sandwich” approach to giving feedback. For example: “That was a great shot (start with a positive). You would probably have scored if you had taken the shot with your first touch (a negative in the middle) but you made the keeper pull off a great save” (a positive to end with).

Don’t forget that feedback is a two-way process. You may well find it instructive to ask “on a scale of one to 10, how much fun did you have in today’s coaching session?”

Every player plays!

Finally, the best motivator of all: Playing time.

Children join a football team because they want to play, not sit on the bench watching their team mates have all the fun.

So please make sure that every one of your players gets a meaningful amount of playing time in every match, regardless of the game situation.

If you can’t promise to do that, then be up front about it and offer to release players who aren’t going to get their fair share of time on the pitch.

References
[1] Troubling Signals from Youth Sports, http://www.thecenterforkidsfirst.org/pdf/Statistics.pdf

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coaching Club.

Easy 2v2

Just about every youth football coach knows the value of playing SSGs (small sided games) and many think that 4v4 is an ideal way for children to learn the game.

But sometimes even 4v4 is too big and complex.

Four and five-year-olds (and even older players) need to practise 1v1 skills and build their confidence in smaller-sided games before being asked to solve the problems posed by four-a-side football.

This 2v2 game is an excellent way to help your players practise their first touch, passing and support skills in a relatively unpressurised environment.

Age group: U5s and upwards.

Difficulty: Easy.

Number of players: Eight.

Set-up: Create a 20 yards by 15 yards playing are with two small goals set 10 yards apart on both end lines.

Divide your eight players into four teams of two.

How to play: Play 2v2 in the playing area. Each team attacks and defends two goals.

The other two teams wait at either end of the playing area. As soon as the ball goes over an end line or a goal is scored, the team waiting at that end immediately start attacking and the team that scored or kicked the ball over the end line must defend. The team that was defending leaves the playing area and waits behind their goal.

Progression: Increase the playing area to 30 yards by 20 yards and play 4v4 with four goals.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coaching Club.

Bumpers

This is a great game for improving your players’ ball control and ‘vision’.

Experience: any.

Set-up: two teams of six (four plus two “bumpers” wearing bibs) play football in an area 30 yards long by 20 yards wide.

How to play: the bumpers are target players and can be placed on the sidelines, by a goal or allowed to move anywhere inside the playing area.

Game 1: teams earn a point for a successful pass to one of their bumpers.

Game 2: teams earn a point if they can score a goal after passing to a bumper.

Game 3: teams earn a point for passing the ball from one bumper to the other without the other team getting a touch on the ball.

Game 4: a regular game of football but only bumpers can score. Change the bumpers after each goal.

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coaching Club.

Snatch squad

This is a simple version of keepaway that is suitable for players who are able to pass the ball confidently over short distances.

Objective: To improve passing and communication skills.

Set up: Divide your players into two teams and create two playing areas next to each other, one for each team.

Each player has a number.

How to play: Each team passes the ball to each other in their playing area. After a few seconds, you call out a number.

The player with that number runs into the other team’s area and has 20 seconds to try to gain control of the ball.

They can either kick it into touch (for one point) or take it back to their own area (for three points).

The first team to X number of points wins.

Progressions:

1. Each team has two balls to protect.

2. Two players try to snatch the ball from the other team (call two numbers).

For more soccer coaching tips and products visit Soccer Coach Weekly.