How to coach youth soccer

Establishing behaviour boundaries

Ideally, the behaviour policy should be written in stone at the beginning of the season, and then consistently followed throughout the season. I, like you, used to start out pretty “relaxed”, and then clamp down as the season progressed. I found this to be ineffective, since even a single play who gets “out of hand” can ruin a training session, or even a game.

Kids, particularly this preteen age, NEED and actually want firm boundaries. It is human nature for these kids to seek out the boundaries. This is the age where their universe grows exponentially in a very short time. They WILL push and push to try to figure out where the boundaries (between acceptable and unacceptable behaviour) are. This is completely natural. You would really have to worry if you did not see it!

Your job, as coach, is to establish the boundaries (and they do have to be appropriate), and then “set them in stone” so that the kids, which will be pushing the envelope at different rates, will KNOW exactly when they reach the boundary, and that boundary will not change from day to day.

Different ages require different approaches, slightly anyway. A U6 player will be pushing the envelope of, for instance, violating the personal space of another player….maybe pushing, or kicking the other players ball away when working on individual 1 ball=1 player exercises. A U12 may do the same thing, but probably for a very different reason, especially if it is a girl, you are likely witnessing the preteen/teen version of bullying. And U14 or U16 may do the same thing, for yet another reason.

The “rules” have to make sense to the players. U12 players can, and do understand about belonging to a group. They probably already have cliques at school, and maybe even on the team.

It is YOUR job to make belonging to the TEAM vastly more important than belonging to some “lesser” group. It is NOT easy. I coach young players myself. I coached a U11G comp team last summer, and regularly coach Jr. High 8th grade teams (girls in spring…starting in a few weeks, and boys in the fall). There is a BIG difference in maturity between the U11 and U14 (8th grade) girls.

There will be an even bigger difference between this same range in boys. But I DO involve the players in the decision-making process early on….what will the focus of the season be (screwing around and socializing, becoming better players and forming a TEAM, winning the most games, etc). If you have never included your team in this process, you are missing an important team-building building block.

Then, you need to establish a set of “rules” that will allow you to meet the goal you set as a team.

For instance, don’t be surprised when the team decides to really buckle down and work hard to become the best players they can in the short season (pretty common decision if you sort of “guide” them to it ;~). I tell my players that this will require a lot of hard work on my part….developing training schedules, practice plans, helping individual players, helping “the team”, getting the parents into “our” mind set, etc. I am willing to do this gladly, but it will not work if I can not communicate on the field to the player, and communicate through the players regularly to the parents. On the field, I cannot get my message across if others are talking. And if we are really going to become the best we can be, I cannot take away valuable training time to explain training exercises to players who were not listening the first time (but I will gladly explain to anyone who doesn’t understand after listening to the initial explanation – that is “my bad” for not explaining it clearly enough the first time ;~) I think you can see where I am going with this. Make it all fit into the master plan that the PLAYERS came up with.

Now, since you are on a roll, letting the players “help establish” the policy, go with it! Talk about consequences when the rules are broken. I am always shocked with the general consensus, which is nearly always MUCH more strict and draconian than I would ever dream up on my own! Man, kids can be tough on themselves ;~)

Your job, as coach, is to keep them focused on making the consequences “logical”. Logical being a consequence that naturally stops the behaviour while maintaining the dignity of the offender. For instance, pushups are rarely a “natural” consequence.

They are a punishment. If players are talking while I am trying to explain a complex training exercise, what does pushups have to do with anything?? In this case, I simply stop talking. I cannot and will not compete with the chit-chat. It usually takes about 5 seconds for some of the more focused players to realize what is happening and “inform” or “remind” the offender ;~) So the team does most of the self policing, as Michael noted. This keeps you from being the “bad guy” in most cases.

Sometimes, it does not work textbook perfect. To continue with the above example: OK, I’ve stopped talking, and instead of some focused players reprimanding the offenders, more players join the chit-chat. I continue my silence, eventually maybe putting my hands on hips, or crossing my arms (this usually gets their attention). If not, I simply walk away and tell the players: This is your team. When you are ready to take your team goals seriously, let me know. I have yet to have this fail. Usually, a couple key (serious) players will take control and rein in the team. Once (with a 8 th grade boys team, another story), I actually left the field and began watching a game on an adjacent field. The team actually started a scrimmage (with pinnies and all), but after about 10 minutes, they huddled, and a couple of players came over, hat in hand to ask me to return and coach them (hmmmm, looks like I found my captains ;~) You cannot leave young kids alone, but you get the idea….Make it their responsibility.

Bottom line: Let the team belong to the team. Let them be part of the planning process. Let them be responsible for the lions share of the policing. You are a coach, not a baby-sitter or policeman.

Make the rules fit into the goals of the team. Make the consequences logical extensions of breaking the rules. Make sure that the consequences are designed to remedy the situation, not punish a player. Preserve the dignity of the offender.

Even extreme nut cases and true trouble makers can be dealt with quite easily (well, easier anyway ;~) using this type of policy. It becomes clear to the TEAM that if someone is disruptive, they are hurting the TEAM goals. It then becomes much easier to apply the extreme logical consequences of reduced playing time (hey, you have not mastered this concept because your were busy sitting away from the team so as not to disrupt them. Even if you DO understand the concept, you did not help your team-mates who could have used your expertise, so they deserve the playing time now so that they can practice it in a game situation….catch my drift?). Even being cut from the team becomes much less personal when team goals are used as the reason.

Finally, most of these concepts will work well with boys or girls over the age of about 10, when the kids can begin seeing the “big picture” (maybe a bit older for boys). This type of policy works extremely well with girls teams, but I have also had very good luck with boys teams as well. Boys DO require some slightly different mind set. They can be real knot heads as they enter their teens.

But the same basic approach seems to work well.

What’s the plan?

“When Johan started as Ajax coach he had a vision in which he continued to believe, even when things didn’t go so well.”
Frank Rijkaard

In order for a coach to coach he needs to recognize when things are going wrong. To do that he needs some idea of when things are going right. He needs to have in mind a picture, a plan of the team playing well. Any deviation from the plan is what will concern him.

The plan is the collective understanding and agreement as to how the team will approach the game. It involves the distribution of tasks and responsibilities so that the team stands the best chance of winning.

It involves key moments when certain players will have to work together to achieve their tasks. This, in turn, involves the analysis of the expected demands and resources available to meet them. It is what we must do, how we will do it, who is responsible, and when it will be done.

The why is to provide a degree of predictability, a standard, to the game. It is the image of the team playing well in the two main moments. Without this the players and coach can have no clear idea by which to evaluate their efforts.

The plan has limits and is affected by a number of factors. The abilities and limitations of the players and the opponents. The meaning of the game, is it a cup final or a casual kick around with a football. The score and time remaining. Being 1-0 up at the start is different then being 1-0 up with two minutes left. Substitutions can wreck a plan; the new player may not be able to fill the task as well as the one he replaced. Weather and field conditions can play a part in making a plan. Parents, spectators and the referee can have an influence on the match. The coach and players must keep in mind which of these factors they can influence, and which ones they can’t. Control the controllable.

While there are a number of factors that both soccer coaches and soccer players must consider, the steps in how they do it are the same.

1) They make assumptions. Everyone does it, it’s what you start from. Coaches guess which opponent will be dangerous. Player’s size up their immediate opponent and build expectations. If the assumptions are accurate, good, if not they need to be changed quickly.

2) The predictions. Assumptions just sit there. They need to be analyzed as to what they mean. Simply assuming that your immediate opponent is faster then you, what does that mean about the game? This step involves taking the assumptions and calculating the probabilities. What is likely to happen?

3) The decisions. When the coach and players have arrived at their predictions about the game they can decide what they want to do about it. Which ones deserve consideration and which don’t? The decisions will be coloured by the coaches soccer experience and insight.

Plans precede the game. Some coaches mistake a line up, a system of play as a plan. It is not. Nor is the plan something like “a flat back four.” This deals with one line in one moment. It is not general comments like “pass the ball wide” or “apply pressure in their half.” These are elements of the plan, they are contained within it but fall short of being it.

Plans primarily go wrong when any one or more of the above factors are incorrect. When the assumptions are wrong a correct prediction won’t follow. If the assumptions are correct but the predictions are wrong then the decisions will have to be changed. If both the assumptions and predictions are correct a coach can still make a poor selection for solving the problem. When a coach is correct in what he assumes about the game, and he correctly predicts events, and has enough insight and understanding about the game, it’s problems and solutions he is in the best position to make a good plan. Things may still go wrong, but it will be something either unforeseen or uncontrollable.

What is soccer?

“In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king, but he still only has one eye.”
Johan Cruyff

While that sounds like a simple question a quick look at many practice fields reveals a bewildering answer. Many practices find children facing situations that they never see in an actual match. This should lead a coach to evaluate the practice by first asking, “is it soccer?”

Soccer is a game. The children are involved in an activity that pits them against an opponent. It is, in most cases, about winning and losing, competition and cooperation. It is also a leisure activity. The children are there because they want to be there. They want to play a game.

To play a game of soccer you first need a ball. Then an opponent. Add a field, a couple of goals across from each other, mix in a few soccer rules and you have a game of 1v1. But this is hard work and you can’t play it for very long. So you get some teammates, and to keep it fair, a few more opponents. With these elements you can play soccer all day.

These are the elements of soccer. They make the game what it is. If you remove a key element such as the ball or opponent it can’t be soccer. Likewise, to change an element too much you can move too far from the game. Playing with two balls or three teams might be fun and a game, but is it soccer? To pass a football across a grid and run to a corner involves kicking techniques, but is it soccer?

Soccer also involves the element “chaos.” Opponents, team mates and the ball are all moving in different directions. Players, parents and coaches are shouting different instructions and information. Bringing “order out of chaos” is an important skill in learning how to play the game.

Soccer is a game with certain elements. There must be a ball, teammates and opponents, a field with boundaries, goals opposite each other and soccer rules.

A soccer coach coaches soccer, not something else. This thought is at the heart of the Dutch Vision.

A practice is either soccer, soccer like or soccer strange.

Why children play soccer

The majority of the reasons children participate in sport are intrinsic. The top priorities are:

To learn and improve their skills
To have fun
To be with friends
To experience the excitement of competition
To enhance their physical fitness
To demonstrate their competence

Notice that the extrinsic goal of winning and beating others is not at the top of the list.

Similarly, when children drop out of soccer, their withdrawal can be traced to the inability of the sport experience to meet their primary motivations for participation. The common reasons are:

Failing to learn or improve their skills
Not having fun
Not being with their friends
Lack of excitement, improvisation and creative opportunities
Lack of exercise, meaningful movement and fitness improvements
Lack of optimal challenges and/or consistent failure

Practical suggestions for coaches

Encourage players to measure their performance by improvements in their own, personal levels of proficiency and ability rather than by comparing themselves to other players or to other teams based on the game outcome.

Because children have several reasons for participation and not just one, design practices to meet as many different participation motives as possible (i.e. learning, fun, friendship, fitness, challenge, etc.).

Utilize the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep It Short and Simple) when introducing new skills:
– Give short effective demonstrations while briefly explaining the new skill or concept use picture cues liberally;
– Focus only on one or two important aspects critical to performance success (avoid “paralysis by analysis”);
– Decrease time spent in transition between activities, drills and games. Keep practices short, clear and well planned.

Utilize a positive approach to skill instruction by focusing on what the athlete did correctly (“catch them being good”).

Make practices meaningful, fun challenging and exciting
– Avoid static line drills;
– Encourage creative improvisation by players;
– Optimally challenge all athletes throughout the full range of abilities (avoid coaching only the mid-ability performer
– Eliminate “elimination games” because players most in need of improvement and repetitions are usually the first to be eliminated;
– Be fully focused on the players and the activity (coach the players as well as the game).

Plan time for the children to meet and make new friends (ice cream stops after practices, pizza parties, watch a video, free time before and after practice).

Focus on teaching players the active, ever-changing game of soccer rather than the static, predictable soccer drills.

Utilize dual function fitness activities that concurrently enhance fitness and also improve soccer skills (i.e. soccer tag with a ball) and/or psychological dispositions (players are having so much fun they don’t realize that they are conditioning too).

Provide competitive challenges for athletes that can help define success not only by comparison to others but also by improving one’s own standard of accomplishment.

Know the Factors That May be Stressful for Youth Players

Coaches and parents can do a great service to children by helping each athlete develop self-confidence, a sense of personal worth and mastery, and a constructive attitude toward failure and adversity.

Behaviour that adults view as encouraging can often be perceived by athletes as stress producing and pressure-filled.

Kids will freely choose to participate in activities that they view as worthwhile, enjoyable and fun.

The challenge for adults is to maximize the inherent joy of what Pele calls “the beautiful game of soccer” and minimize experiences that increase children’s anxiety and likelihood of burnout.

Practical suggestions for coaches

Avoid a “win at all cost” attitude.

Transform parental pressure into parental interest, support and encouragement.

Avoid over training, long, repetitive practices and excessive time and travel demands.

Avoid using perfection as the standard for judging an athlete’s performance.

Don’t associate a player’s worth or value as a person with their performance and ability on the soccer field (i.e. winning or a great performance means that I like you more).

Make sure that your non-verbal behaviours are congruent with your words and that the coaching is consistent across situations (i.e. sulking after a loss even though the team played well or being happy following a poor performance by a winning team).

Realise That Effective Feedback is the Breakfast of Champions

The familiar coaching adage that “what you do speaks so loudly that no one can hear what your saying” is especially important to remember when dealing with athletes. Players benefit most from coaches whose actions reflect both their implied and stated values. The ability to observe, analyze and communicate are three of a coaches most valuable assets. A word of caution, however, is that the beneficial effects of verbal instruction decrease in direct proportion to the amount given. Remember: Keep it Short and Simple. Take time to videotape yourself coaching, not only at practice but also in games. Observe yourself as others see you. Frequently there is significant difference between how coaches think they are talking, acting and communicating and what athletes perceive.

Practical suggestions for coaches

Give specific, performance-contingent feedback to athletes rather than general comments lacking performance-related information.

Be liberal with praise. Most athletes prefer coaches who shout praise and whisper criticism rather than visa versa.

Tell athletes what improvements need to be made, why and most importantly, how to make those corrections successfully and consistently.

Observe and provide meaningful feedback to every athlete at least once each training session and game.

Combine verbal praise with consistent non-verbal forms of encouragement (i.e. a pat on the back, smile, a high five, etc.).

Maintain your credibility as a coach by being accurate and sincere in your feedback and praise. Ignoring errors, giving excessive praise for mediocre performance or excessive praise for performance on simple tasks conveys to the athlete that either you don’t know what you’re talking about or else you have very low expectations of them as performers.

Correct performance errors in non-threatening and non-punitive ways. Finding problems is the role of a critic not a competent soccer coach. Good coaching requires the ability to not only recognize problems but also to solve them through effective, practical and successful solutions.

Reward effort as much as outcome. Repeated effort, especially in the face of failure and adversity, is one of the most important ingredients for future success.

Use the “feedback sandwich” when correcting youngsters. Find something the player did well and praise it. Next tell the athlete what they did incorrectly, what they need to do to improve and why. Finish with a positive, encouraging or motivational statement.

Foster an environment that allows for trying new skills, approaches and strategies without the fear of reprimand and punishment. Mistakes are integral to sport improvement. Ridicule, sarcasm and fear are impediments to both immediate and future performance successes.

Putting it All Together

Athletes learn the game of soccer not only through the directed learning experiences that coaches provide in practice and game play but also through indirect means by observation and imitation. As a sport leader, you are a powerful and lasting role model for athletes by your thought, word and deed. Parents and coaches can serve as a player’s greatest ally or worst nightmare depending on the attitude, behaviour and motivation adopted for sport involvement.

Remember, the game is for the kids. It is not for the ego or bragging rights of adults. Our role, as coaches, is to provide an opportunity for participation for all interested youngsters, access to appropriate and safe environments for instruction and competition, exposure to caring and competent leaders, holistic consideration of the child’s entire development (physical, cognitive, social and psychological) and an unwavering belief in the worth and ability of children to succeed at their own unique level of accomplishment. When coaches expect every athlete to succeed, it’s amazing how many of them really do.

Rather than measuring success in terms of numbers in the win/loss columns, perhaps the ultimate standard of our success as coaches should be judged by our ability to teach children to love and enjoy the game of soccer, to feel more confident and self-assured in their abilities and knowledge of the game, to experience mutual respect from both team-mates and coaches, and most importantly, to feel appreciation and pride in the opportunity they had to play a sport they love under your direction as their coach.

Perhaps the most appropriate summary can be found in the “Bill of Rights for Young Athletes” (NASPE, 1977) written by medical, physical education and recreation experts in the hope of creating guidelines to maximize the beneficial effects of athletic participation for all.

Bill of Rights for Young Athletes

Right of the opportunity to participate in sport regardless of ability level
Right to participate at a level that is commensurate with each child’s developmental level
Right to participate in safe and healthy environments
Right to have qualified adult leadership
Right of each child to share the leadership and decision-making of their sport participation
Right to play as a child, not as an adult
Right to proper preparation
Right to equal opportunity to strive for success
Right to be treated with dignity by all involved
Right to have fun through sport

The three moments of soccer

Every second of every soccer game belongs to one of the ‘three moments of soccer’

The ‘3 moments of soccer’ is a concept born in the Dutch soccer schools of the 1970s. They are:

Own possession (when you have the ball)
Transition (when the ball is won or lost)
Opposition possession (when the other team has the ball)

It is important that your players understand this concept (the ‘meaning of the game’) and what each moment means in terms of ‘general principles’ and the team’s game plan.

I have also included some suggestions regarding individual responsibilities during each moment at 7 a side. These can be easily amended for other formats.

Own Possession.

The game plan during own possession is to move the football downfield so that chances can be created (the build-up) and to score goals.

General Principles are: Create as much space as possible, both width and depth; Aim to get forward – play the ball deep when possible (first choice); keep possession, this is vital to the objectives of the game; if you can’t play forward, play square to prepare for a forward pass; try to maintain good formation.

1 Keeper. Positions himself in relation to the defender. Restarts play (roll, throw kick). Act as central build-up player (an extra field player).

2 and 4 Full-backs. Position well apart, make the playing area as wide as possible. Play the ball to the attackers. If there is room move forward with the ball. Participate in the attack.

3 Central Defender. Position between attackers and full backs. Play the ball to the attackers or defenders who are participating in the attack. If there is space go forward with the ball. Take part in the attack. Try to score if the opportunity arises.

5 and 7 Wing (Outside) forwards. Position in relation to defenders to make the playing area as long as possible. Take the ball towards the opposition goal as quickly as possible, individual run, or pass to a teammate who has a clear run on goal. Take up position in front of goal to be available to receive a pass and score. Try to score.

6 Centre Forward. Position as far forward as possible (make playing area long), while still being in a position to receive a pass. Try to score, individual run or exchanging passes with a teammate. Go to goal.

Opposition in Possession

Game Plan. Disrupt the opposition build-up. Win the ball back. Stop the opposition from scoring.
How? Make the field of play as small as possible, depending on the strength of the opposition; move towards the ball (pressing), move towards own goal (fall back), Push towards the sideling (squeezing). Pressure the ball carrier. Mark closely when in the vicinity of the ball. Positional/zonal marking further from the ball. Stay useful as long as possible.

Note. The Game plan will not be achieved if you foul, so avoid giving away free kicks.

1. Keeper. Prevent opposition scoring. Position in relation to the ball, opposition players and teammates.
2 and 4 Full backs. Prime task – DO NOT LET YOURSELF BE BEATEN; prevent opposition from scoring. Cover the opposing attackers. Help teammates, cover their backs. Win the ball.

3 Central defender. Prime task – DO NOT LET YOURSELF BE BEATEN; prevent opposition from scoring. Cover the opposition centre forward. Help teammates, cover their backs. Make the playing area as small as possible. Win the ball.

5 and 7 Outside forwards. Disrupt opposition build-up. Win the ball. Help teammates, cover their backs. Make the playing area as small as possible. Don’t let the player with ball pass you.

6 Centre forward. Cover the opposing central defender (he is expected to come forward). Win the ball. Help teammates, cover their backs. Make the playing area as small as possible. Don’t let the player with ball pass you.
Transition

Game Plan. Switch game plan from own possession to opposition possession (or vice versa) as quickly as possible.

How?

1. Loss of possession. Player nearest to the ball tries to stop it being played forward by pressuring the player on the ball, forcing him to play square, hold the ball, run with it or pass back. All players contribute to preventing a goal by squeezing the opposing players (prevent them moving inside). Block the shot. Take up a position which will avoid any direct threat (pressing). Mark tight close to the ball if enough teammates are available (delaying). Positional/zonal marking if not enough teammates are available (delaying, do not dive in, do not get passed).

2. Winning the ball. The player winning the ball (interception, tackle etc) looks first to playing the ball forward. Players further away ask for the ball (avoiding offside). Player gaining possession can push the ball forward into space and run into it himself to negate the offside trap (depending on starting position). Spread out to create as much space as possible. Try to stay out of the opponents’ field of vision. Be useful by taking the initiative and anticipating where the ball will go, including dummy runs to draw attention away from teammates.

3. From defence to attack – how to get the ball from your penalty area to the opponents’ penalty area. The quickest way is the long ball (route one). But this requires certain preconditions: Good kicking technique (speed, height and direction); the player must have time and space to make the kick (not easy when opponents are near; communication between kicker and receiver; kicker must recognize the moment when the deep ball can be played. The second way is using good positional play to enable the long ball. This requires knowledge of the purpose of positional play. Players must take position relative to the opposition players and the space available in such a way as to create opportunities to play the long ball. Whether or not the long ball will be played rest on whether or not a teammate gets into the right position at the right time. The quality of positional play can be improved by moving the ball faster (opponents have to run more), taking positions at the right time, taking the right position (not too close, not too far away).

4. From attack to defence after losing possession (in depth principles of 1).
General principles are; player nearest the ball must do all that he can to prevent the long ball, this could be the player who has just lost the ball, but often he is not in a good position to do so and another player must take this task; All players must switch immediately to defensive mode, there is no time for emotions such as disappointment at losing the ball or anger with the player who has lost the ball, players close to the ball mark tightly. further away close down space, cover teammates and mark zonally; The sweeper (or last man) must decide if he is going to push up and play the offside trap or fall back and deprive the striker of space (risky with a flat back four and requires good coordination); keeper can act as extra sweeper by coming out of penalty area; if there are too few players near the ball (e.g. you have been hit on the break) players must take up zonal covering positions and delay the opponents by good positional play and pressing up towards the ball so that stranded players can get back into useful positions.

When your are attacking there must always be a good balance between those actively involved in the attack and those holding back to clean up if possession is lost.

Finally, the general principle is deny the opposition space to play (push up towards the ball), be ready (and able) to use the offside trap, close down space and most importantly do not get passed – remain useful for as long as possible.

The pre-season meeting

It is very important to have a pre-season meeting with both parents and players.

This is your first and most important opportunity to discuss your soccer coaching philosophy and codes of conduct and maybe your only chance to explain team rules in a non-confrontational setting (before any discipline is needed), and to recruit volunteers to help you with administrative tasks.

Skip this first meeting at your peril!! If the first time that some bossy parent has any contact with you is on Game Day when your team is getting pounded, and this parent tries to “help” you by yelling at the kids or standing beside you to offer “helpful” suggestions, you will be very sorry that you did not lay out your game-day ground rules early.

And when little Johnny doesn’t show up for 4 practices running, doesn’t call, and then appears on game-day without shin-pads and no kit (and Mum is furious that he’s on the subs bench), you will be very sorry that you had not given out team rules which covered mandatory equipment or your expectations on attendance.

We are not kidding when we suggest that this is probably the most important meeting which your team will have for the entire season. So, plan it carefully; get organized; and do your best to make an excellent first impression.

Where To Have The Meeting

You will need about 30-45 minutes to go over the items which you want to cover, so you want your “audience” to be comfortable. There are many places where you might consider holding your meeting. Libraries often have meeting rooms available. Churches also may make their meeting facilities open to outside groups. In addition, cafeterias often have meeting rooms, as do many family-oriented restaurants. Of course, your home is also an option if your team is not very large.

When To Have The Meeting

Families are always busy and it can be hard to find a time when everyone can attend. It’s hard to set out general rules: use your own judgement in trying to find a moment when most people are likely to be free. In some places, Sunday afternoon may be the only unclaimed time in the schedule of many families, so around 4pm on Sunday can be an excellent time to hold this type of meeting. Mondays and Tuesday evenings frequently are slow times for restaurants, and often may be less hectic for families.

Scheduling around 7 pm allows the family to eat first if they want, or to decide to eat at the restaurant. Try to avoid times when parents who also have other kids may need to take them to other activities.

What To Cover At The Meeting

Here is a sample agenda for a preseason meeting, which addresses the common topics to be covered in the meeting.

Introductions

First of all, introduce yourself and your assistants (if any) to the parents. Most parents like to hear something about your background and your philosophy of coaching, especially as it impinges on their own child, so you may want to say something about how much playing time each player can expect.

It’s also a good idea to go around the room and ask parents to introduce themselves and say which player they’re related to. Some of the parents may know one another well, others may not, and they’ll be seeing quite a bit of one another!

You may also want to pass around a sign-in sheet and ask people to put their name and phone number on it; this can be useful later to see who was present at the meeting and to check phone numbers.

Discussion of plans for the team
Need for every player to do soccer homework between practices.
Expectations for player development by end of season.
Expectations for win/loss record by end of season.
Need by team for volunteers (Calling trees, assistants, etc.).

You may want to set up a parent committee if there are matters such as fundraising or carpooling to be handled that are outside your jurisdiction. If possible, it’s a good idea for this committee to be appointed on the spot and meet for a few minutes to get to know one another.

Team Kits/Team Name
Any Equipment needs of team (nets, goals, etc.) and fundraisers needed to obtain these items.
Special Skills Clinics
Issue of medical consent forms or – better still – a handbook that contains all the forms a parent needs
Questions/Answers

Tips On Making The Meeting Run Smoothly

Many parents will want to go ahead and fill out the questionnaires at the meeting, so bring plenty of pencils/pens. Young players tend to get fidgety, so try to talk to them as much as you can. Bring a sack of candy or little treats (pencils, stickers, etc.), and start asking questions like “Why do you suppose that I want you to call me if you cannot come to practice?” – and toss a piece of candy to the people who answer correctly. Don’t hesitate to reward parents, as well – they will get a kick out of this.

If kits are to be purchased by the team, try to get some samples (for sizes) from your kit provider – and have a signup sheet for kits once you have selected which ones you want. Some coaches like to pick the team kit and name ahead of time – but kids enjoy this part so much that it really is a good idea to let them participate.

Some parents may be divorced, so bring extra questionnaires, rosters and game schedules to the meeting for the other parent. If you note that the parents are divorced, make a mental note to check with the parent attending the meeting with the child about custody problems (including who is allowed to pick up the child after practice). This can save a lot of arguments later.

Be sure to go over the Team Rules, and your expectations for parental behaviour (especially at games). While being friendly, be firm that you expect that parents will not yell at kids on the field or yell at referees – and that the ONLY talk that you want to see is positive (good try, nice save, etc.). Remind parents that children perform worse if distracted or harshly criticized, so you really need their cooperation. Also remind them that refs are usually inexperienced themselves at lower age groups, and often will make mistakes. However, if we yell at the refs, we can make the ref more rattled, or get the ref mad at the team, or even might convince the kids that the ref is against them, which tends to make players want to stop trying or say/do bad things to the refs themselves (which can get the kids in really hot water) – so you expect the parents to set a good example of sportsmanship for the team.

If you are going to take a long-term approach toward player development, and move players around (instead of locking players into single positions to increase your win/loss record), tell the parents why you have chosen this route. Explain how you define “winning”, and what your approach towards player development will be. Of course, there may be some parents who really want their child on a hyper-competitive team. By giving them early warning of your approach, this allows them to talk to the club about moving to a different team (which may be best for all concerned).

Some coaches haven’t done much public speaking, and may be nervous about talking (especially if they have never coached soccer before – and are not sure what they are doing). As an old college professor used to say, “There is a big difference between ignorance and stupidity – one is curable.” Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and to admit that you are learning by OJT. If you are trying hard, and doing your best to be fair and make learning fun, most kids and most parents will give you the benefit of the doubt. So, try to relax; get prepared for the meeting ahead of time; ask some questions yourself to get the kids/parents talking; and enjoy. It is going to be a fun year!

The importance of good planning

If sessions are not planned, they will turn out to be haphazard at best. Consequently, the players will also be haphazard in their playing habits. Long, detailed, written plans are not necessary; however, jotting down main ideas, and taking some time and thought to plan the day will greatly enhance the experience for everyone.

A well-planned session which moves quickly from one activity to the other adds to the satisfaction of the players, commands respect and improves performance. Plus, focused, enthused players are seldom injured and almost never present discipline problems.

Planning a successful session takes skill, a skill which is developed with time. Each time out should be a learning experience, both for the coaches and players.

Training sessions have three parts:

The Warm-Up; Should stimulate and prepare the players for the more intensely physical part of the session. It involves activities of low intensity, high repetition, fun and generates enthusiasm. Stretching should also be interspersed throughout the warm-up for older players. In the perfect world, the warm-up should be related to the main activities of the session.

Main Activities; Lays the emphasis on the technical or tactical development of the players through the use of small-sided games. Some of the basic principles to follow are: Progress from the simple to the complex, Progress from the easy to the difficult, Gradually increase the physical and mental demands.

Concluding Activity; At the end of each session, the players should be given the opportunity to play the game with big goals, with even-numbered sides. This will enable them to practice the ideas they have learned during the session. Here the players will gain invaluable experience using their skills in live, game-like conditions with minimum interference from the coach. Here, the game is fun and the natural competitiveness of the environment serves as the motivation.

The game is the best teacher; let them play!

What children want from their soccer coach

Everyone involved in soccer coaching needs to understand what children want from their ‘ideal’ soccer coach.

Most importantly, it is important to treat children with respect and not as if they were objects. They like you to listen and take notice of their feelings and opinions.

A recent series of interviews with 140 young athletes in different sports gives an idea of those aspects of coaching which young athletes think are important. The opinions, which were given, may change according to sex, age, and sport; these are just the general comments.

Knowledge. Coaches should know their sport well and most children prefer coaches who have participated in the sport. It provides them with credibility.

Personality. Children like coaches who are friendly, happy, patient, understanding and have a sense of humour.

Authority. Children like coaches to be firm but fair, and while boys, particularly, like to be worked hard they don’t like to be shouted at.

Taking personal interest. As they get older and more able, many young athletes like coaches to take an interest in the things they do besides sport.

Reaction to performance. When they do well, children like the coach to say “Well done” but they don’t like them to “go over the top.” (OTT) When they do poorly, they like to be given some encouragement and told what went wrong. They want to be told how to correct mistakes and not to be shouted at or ignored.

Encouragement. Most children, particularly in team sports, like to have the coach shout encouragement to them when they are competing.

Decision making. Few young children express a wish to have a say in the decisions which affect them; they expect coaches to coach and trust them to make the right decisions. As they get older and more experienced, they are more likely to want to be consulted. This may be the case with13+ children

Organisation. Children like coaches to be organised and present structured coaching sessions. They also like them to take responsibility for seeing that they are in the right place at the right time

Instruction and feedback. Children do like to be shown what to do, how to do it and to have mistakes corrected. In short: teach them!

DO:

Be aware of the effect you have upon growing children.
Find out what the kids expect to get out of sport with you.
Be firm, fair and organised.
Give credit where it is due and give help where it is needed.
Be consistent.
Provide learning experiences: teach.
Make practice and competition fun; it needn’t be silly.
Set challenging goals tailored to the individual.
Recognise the value of friendships between children.
Show your approval whenever you can.
Listen to the children
Relax and enjoy yourself with the kids.
Emphasise learning skill, not competing.
Reward children for effort.
Help children over the realisation that they might not have the ability of others.
Build confidence by being positive.
Reduce competitive expectations.
Help those who do not want to compete.
Tell children about how outcomes are affected by things other than their own ability.
Remember that mistakes are part of learning.

DON’T:

Put kids down for not doing as well as you wanted.
Shout and humiliate them.
Ignore them when they need some support.
Blind them with science they don’t need.
Overdo the praise; they won’t believe you.