How to coach youth soccer

Introducing the concept of space to young soccer players

by Bob Christensen

Since I assume you are playing on a smaller soccer field, and likely with fewer players, space can be a rare commodity with young children. Add that to the mental development stage that this age player is in, which says that most are still very self-centred and definitely NOT future-looking, and you can more easily see why they are all drawn to the ball.

First you have to get them to acknowledge that space exists! I find the easiest way to do this is to REALLY restrict space and let them feel what THAT is like. Try setting up a “field” that is about 20 x 10, complete with goals. Then play 6v6 (or some number that makes sense for your roster size). The idea is to make them operate in a VERY congested environment. After about 5 minutes, stop them and ask if this is easy. It probably won’t be. Ask why. They will probably pick up on the fact that it is crowded.

Now, have them form a circle holding hands. The circle should be about 5 yards max across. Drop hands and put your “super defender” in the centre. You can even ask: “Who feels like a super defender today” and put that player in the middle. Give them a football and ask the circle players to keep the ball away from the “super defender”. The circle players cannot move. After a short time, stop them and ask the defender if it is easy or hard. It should be pretty easy for the defender. Now ask the circle players how they can make the defenders job harder. They should hit on the fact that if they had more space they could move the ball more easily. Have them take 2 big steps backwards and repeat. You should see a big improvement on the part of the circle players, and you should see the defender running much more. Have them take 2 more steps backwards (the circle should be at least 10 yards in diameter now, maybe a bit more) and repeat. Should be even easier, and the defender should be getting dog-tired. Talk again bout if it is easier or harder, and why.

Now, ask the players to take 10 big steps backwards. The idea is to make the circle at least 30-40 yards in diameter. Now repeat with a fresh defender. The distances between the circle players should be right on the edge of the passing distance of the players, maybe a bit more. Yes, this is dirty pool, but you need to have them actually feel what is not enough, as well as what is too much distance. This should fail, mainly because the defender should be able to intercept the pass. If not, have them move back until it DOES happen. Now talk about what size circle worked best for the attackers (the circle players) and the defender. Ask the players to try to help their ball-carrying teammate out by getting, and staying at that “perfect distance”, of course in the proper support positions relative to the ball carrier (back-square, through).

Scrimmage on a “normal sized” field and freeze play when a good example of bunching occurs. Point out the “perfect distance” idea (not where the player is to stand) and let them move to where they think they can help the most. Resume play. Repeat as necessary. Also freeze play when you see a really GOOD example of support positioning, and point it out.

How to use “windows” drills

“Windows” drills are a particular type of exercise that I was taught in several different coaching clinics. Each instructor had his own method of using them but the main idea was the same – a large circle of cones with half the players inside the cones and half outside the circle. The players on the outside of the circle served the balls to a player on the inside. Those players on the interior of the circle had to perform some specific activity and then return the ball to the server (or to a different player other than the one who just served the ball to him) on the outside of the circle. If the task was a header the ball would be headed back to the same person who served the ball. On the other hand if the task was a trap and turn the player would look for a different person to return the ball to.

These are very active exercises and required good fitness. The drills lasted about two minutes each and then the players on the outside would swap with the players on the interior of the circle and perform the same activity. This allowed the players to rest while they are serving the balls so that they could perform at peak fitness when it was their turn to be inside the circle.

Windows drills can easily be adapted to any age group and are suitable to almost all ball skills. The size of the circle depended upon the number of players involved, ages, and the type of activity performed as well as the players’ proficiency.

The term “windows” applies to the open spacing between the cones which served as the “windows” where the server stands. Most of the exercises specifically referred to by the instructors as “windows” exercises were passing and receiving drills.

TYPICAL WINDOWS DRILL:

The drills usually start with each of the players on the exterior with a ball. For example one would be a large circle (25 to 30 yards in diameter) with players on the outside of the circle with a ball and an equal number of players on the interior.

Players outside would toss a ball to a player inside the circle who would head it back. The interior player would then move and look for another outside (of the circle) player to toss them a ball.

These are continuous movement exercises. Most were similar where the player inside the circle had to perform some task (trap, pass, move, etc.) and then look for another outside person to pass to them.

POSSIBLE TASKS:

Defensive Headers – clearing headers – up and away
Attacking Headers – down at servers’ feet
Pass on ground from server – one touch back to server and then look for a different server. Do right foot only for one minute and left foot only for one minute.
Pass on ground from server – receiver makes first touch away from pressure and then finds another open player (one without a ball” on the outside of the circle.
Chest traps
Inside of foot volley back to server – often used on throw-ins to drop ball back to thrower – You can have the server use throw-in technique to serve the ball. That will require a larger circle.
Volleys on laces back to server – use proper shooting technique

There are many more tasks that can be used.

COACHING POINTS:

Keep head up – the number of bodies inside the circle requires the players keep their heads up to avoid collision and, in some cases, to be sure that they are returning the ball to a player who does not already have a ball.
Change of speed – after performing the task and returning the ball to an outside player have the player move half-speed toward the opposite
Constant motion
Good Technique – sloppy technique means that the balls go in wrong directions and the servers spend too much time chasing balls. Since every player is supposed to bring their own ball there should be twice as many balls as needed. Have servers put the extra ball behind them so that they can use it rather than chase an errant pass.
Proper weight on passes – one problem I often see in these drills is soft “hospital” passes
Proper distance – passes should be at least five yards – preferably more like ten yards as you would want in games.
Good serves from servers – serves for headers should be underhand at proper height and speed, etc.
Movement of players to ball rather than waiting for ball to come to them.

ALTERNATIVE:

I remember one other drill a coach called a windows drill. He had a large circle lined with cones with spaces (windows) spaced periodically between some of the cones with four players inside and four outside the circle. There was also a cone in the very centre of the circle. In his drill it was both the exterior and interior players who had to move. The exterior players moved one direction (clockwise) until they came to an opening and there they passed to a player coming towards them from the cone. The interior player received the ball and returned the pass. The interior player then ran back touched the cone and moved in the opposite direction (counter-clockwise) and received a pass from the next player at the next opening.

He had lots of variations in the drills, number of players, both inside and outside moving the same and opposite direction, traps, headers, passes etc. The main difference was that both inside and outside players had to move so there was no chance for rest. It got sloppy pretty quick with out of shape coaches.
I preferred the drills that allowed one group to rest and just serve balls while the others worked on tactics. They wee still very intensive but the rest allowed the exercises to stay at full speed without falling apart. Two or three minutes performing a single task (i.e. chest traps and returns) was enough to tire you out quickly. I loved the rest period when I just got to serve the ball.

How to encourage movement off the ball

Here are some suggestions to generate more player movement, off the ball.

Play 4v0 in a grid. As the football is passed, all players but the receiver must move to different space. This is very hard and very tiring. The first pass is no problem, it’s making the next run on the next pass. This requires constant movement with momentary stoppages–this seems to be a strange concept most all players I have trained.

One of the biggest problems is that someone has to start the movement, so the other players can find new space. It is tough concept for a player to move to space that currently is occupied by another player. You don’t have many space options when in a fairly tight grid.

To help the activity along, ask the receiver to get in several touches before making the next pass. Also, ask the passer to move off the pass quickly and not wait to see how it turns out. This should allow the players to get into a constant flow (for at least 5 seconds).

Now the fun starts, add a defender and watch the movement stop or become the standard movements towards ball to support. It is critical that the players understand they can and should make runs behind the defender. At some point, a second defender can be added.

Other movement coaching opportunities include the standard 3v1 and 5v2 setups. How many times do you see players make crossing runs behind defenders in the activity. All too often they just stay in their circle formation comfort zone. But when they are moving, they enjoy the activity more. And for some reason, their touches seem to improve.

Growth spurts

Growth spurts can be a big issue for some children.

They have a disorientating affect on their sporting activities and make them more susceptible to injury.

When do they strike?

Girls tend to have growth spurts between the ages of seven and 12, while boys typically experience growth spurts later – usually from 10 to 14, but every child is unique and develops at a different rate.

What’s happening?

During a growth spurt a child’s bones grow first and fast and their muscles and tendons become inflexible as they get stretched tight until they catch up.

The child’s longer limbs, bigger feet and lack of muscular structure can often lead to a loss in co-ordination.

And there’s a greater tendency to be injury-prone.

Useful precautions

Make sure your child stretches before and AFTER sport (it’s a better stretch and improves flexibility quickly)
Ease your child into new seasons or sports
Keep ability levels as closely matched as possible
Avoid explosive sports!

Where injuries hit

In particular watch out for nagging heel or knee injuries and inflammations.

Late developers

Some kids may be at a disadvantage physically if they are late maturers.

But keep up the words of encouragement.

Late developers can still go on to have excellent sporting experiences.

Regular trips to the shoe shop and trousers that rapidly become too short are common occurrences during puberty.

In their teens, children put on an amazing growth spurt to reach their final adult height. At their fastest, boys can grow taller by as much as 9cm a year and girls at a rate of 8cm a year. It’s no wonder teenagers are clumsy. Their body is shooting upwards at a speed their brain simply cannot keep up with.

Outside-in

This phenomenal growth starts at the outside of the body and works in. Hands and feet are the first to expand. Needing new shoes is the first sign of trouble.
teenagers shoot up so fast that their brains can’t keep up

Next, arms and legs grow longer, and even here the ‘outside-in’ rule applies. The shin bones lengthen before the thigh, and the forearm before the upper arm.

Finally the spine grows. The very last expansion is a broadening of the chest and shoulders in boys, and a widening of the hips and pelvis in girls.

Growing up and tripping over

Many teenagers shoot up so fast that their brains cannot keep up. As their height increases, their centre of gravity lifts. This happens so quickly that the brain does not get a chance to calculate the new rules for balancing. Clumsiness is often unavoidable.

The trigger

Rapidly increasing height is a sign that a teenager is experiencing puberty. Growth is triggered in both boys and girls by increased levels of the sex hormone testosterone. This chemical also triggers the sexual organs to develop. In fact, the relationship between growth of the skeleton and puberty is so strong that a teenager’s developmental age can be measured by looking at the maturity of the bones in their hand and wrist.

Perfect timing?

Timing is everything. No teenager wants to be developing too quickly, or lagging behind. In reality, many of them grow up much earlier or later than the average and this is perfectly normal.

The average boy is growing fastest between 14 and 15. Girls start earlier, growing fastest when 12 and 13. Girls also end their growth spurt earlier at 18, while boys need another two years before they finish growing aged 20.

Frosty pitch inspections

Youth soccer coaches have to be careful not to allow matches to go ahead on unsuitable pitches.

There can often be pressure to allow the game to go ahead from your own team (who are usually keen to play no matter what the conditions) and the opposition (who may have travelled a considerable distance). However, this must be resisted. The health and safety of the players has to come first.

The article below was written by an experienced referee and offers some advice for coaches who are about to inspect a hard, frosty pitch.

There is no scientific measure that can be used to deem a frosty ice covered field to be safe.

Nevertheless, any experienced Referee will take the following into consideration before making a decision.

It is the Referee’s responsibility to make the decision and nobody else’s.

The whole of the field of play surface MUST be safe. There is a great danger that if 99 percent of the field of play surface is OK, and the game is allowed to be played, players will assume that 100 percent is OK, and play normally, and not compensate for any hard surface areas. In other words, playing on a hard field of play, which is partially 99% OK, is just as dangerous (if not more so) than on a field of play, which is totally hard. Neither game should be played.

The Referee should not be influenced by the teams’ opinion. If an accident happens, it is the Referee who cops it.

The teams will deny any responsibility! Therefore, when a field of play inspection is carried out, the Referee should not do so in company of team managers or Club Officials, as they will try to influence the Referee’s decision.

When the weather is doubtful, the Referee should aim to arrive at the ground as early as he can to make an inspection. This may allow time for travelling teams to be warned of a cancellation.

When the weather is doubtful, a check on the local weather forecast can help. For example, although a field of play may be frozen in the early hours of the morning, a prediction of sunshine, will give the Referee a good idea of the possibility that the field may become playable later in the day. If the forecast is for snow or frost or freezing temperatures, then the chances are, that the game will not proceed.

At lower level football, it can be useful for a local Referee to be contacted, to make an early inspection on behalf of the match Referee who lives some distance away from the ground. This can prevent unnecessary travelling.

When completing the field of play inspection, a good indicator of the suitability of the surface, can be ascertained by inspecting the goalmouth areas and the centre circle area first. These are the areas that get more use, and are more likely to be rutted and hard due to frost.

When completing the field of play inspection, other areas for close inspection, are places covered in shadow from buildings or trees. They are more likely to be frost bound, rather than those areas basked in sunshine.

When completing the field of play inspection, if it is not immediately clear that the game cannot be played (i.e. the goalmouth areas are completely solid with frost and the game is definitely cancelled), the whole of the field of play surface MUST must be inspected to eliminate any hidden areas of danger.

A referee, who is seen to be completing a thorough field of play inspection, will have greater credibility when he decides to call off the game, than a Referee who only spends a few minutes making his inspection.

The position of the sun and its path as the game progresses must also be taken into consideration. For example, if a field of play is ‘just about playable’, but the path of the sun means that its rays will disappear behind the trees or over the horizon, then the field of play surface on a cold frosty day, will get worse, not better.

At local level, if it is clear, that waiting an extra 30 minutes or possibly up to an hour, will allow the sun to melt the frost, then play could be delayed with the agreement of both teams. But this depends very much on the weather forecast, the time of day and the team’s agreement. Generally, it is better to make a decision quickly, based on the surface suitability at the time of the scheduled kick-off.

The referee should wear a set of studded boots when inspecting the field of play, as this will give the best indication of the suitability of the playing surface.

A surface which does not yield any purchase to studded boots, is dangerous, and the game should not be sanctioned. This includes, any part of the surface that does not yield, no matter how small an area.

A field of play with hard deep frosted ruts and divots (a legacy of a muddy game played the day before) is less likely to be playable than a completely flat field with only crusty surface-frost to contend with.

When the Referee has made his decision, it should be communicated to the teams as soon as possible. When a Referee is communicating his decision to the teams, that in his opinion, the field of play is not safe, the decision should be made confidently. If teams suspect any doubt in the Referee’s decision, they will try and persuade the Referee to change his mind. In short, when a Referee makes his decision, he should not back down, and he should make it abundantly clear that the decision is his to make, and the game will not be played under his authority.

The inspection of a field of play covered in frost, and whether to sanction a game or not, is not a difficult decision to make for a Referee. It is fairly obvious to identify dangerous area that could potentially cause an injury. Common sense should be used.

Young players are more likely to get injured on hard surfaces. Therefore, even greater care must be taken when making a decision to allow the game to be played or not.

If there is any doubt (no matter how small), then the game must not be played.

First aid advice

When you accept the role of coach, you accept a major responsibility for the care and safety of your players. Although your children must share in the responsibility for their protection and safety, their ability to understand what they can do, how they can do it, and whether they are doing it correctly, may be limited. It is your job to help them practice and play as safely as possible.

The information below is not meant as a substitute for a first aid course. If you don’t already have first aid certification, I encourage you to enrol in both CPR and first aid classes so that you can handle any accidents that may happen while you are coaching.

Your job as a volunteer coach is to recognise an injury when it happens, to stabilise the injury as best you can, and to summon medical assistance if necessary. You must understand the limitations of your training and knowledge. If you are not a trained medical professional:

Play it safe. Call the emergency services if you are not sure what to do.

Have a plan

It is important to have a well thought out plan for dealing with injuries and a written response plan for emergencies. Keep this in your coaching bag where you can pull it out and refer to it if necessary. Some points to consider in your plan are:

Is a first aid kit available?
Do I have all of my players’ medical consent forms and emergency contacts with me at all times?
Where is the nearest phone
How do I get first aid and/or paramedics/ambulance?
Do any of my assistant coaches or parent volunteers know first aid?
Who will go for help if I need to attend to an injured player?
Who will supervise other players if I need to summon help?
Do my assistant coaches and players know the emergency plan?

Injury Prevention

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Prevent injuries in every way possible. Some important steps that can help you in your injury prevention plan include the following:

Emphasise proper skill development,

Inspect practice and game fields (e.g. look for holes, sprinkler heads, etc.).

Hopefully you won’t have many injuries (kids are amazing resilient!) but if you do you should know how to recognise and treat common soccer injuries.

Child protection for youth soccer coaches

It’s a sad fact that many children are abused sexually, emotionally or physically.

As a soccer coach you are in a unique position to spot any signs of abuse among your children. It is vital, therefore, that you are able to recognise the signs of abuse and know what to do if you suspect anything untoward.

You also have a responsibility not to abuse the children in your care by bullying or criticising them in front of their peers. You must also make sure that you do not expose your children to extremes of weather, leave your children unsupervised, tell them to ‘get on with it!’ when they have been injured or train them in an over intense or in a way inappropriate to their age.

All these are forms of child abuse.

You should find that most clubs have a Child Protection Officer (CPO) whose job it is to brief the club coaches about their responsibilities in this area. But if you are either working on your own or within a club that has no CPO you’ll have to teach yourself about this important and sensitive subject.

Please read the following carefully and always bear it in mind.

Sexual abuse

Both boys and girls can be sexually abused. Abuse can include: full sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex, fondling showing children pornographic books or videos or taking pornographic photographs or videos.

Physical abuse

Children can be physically abused by hitting, shaking, squeezing, biting or burning. In soccer, as with all sports, physical abuse may occur when the nature and intensity or training exceeds the capacity of the child’s body.

Physical abuse can also occur when adults fail to meet a child’s basic physical needs. e.g. food, warmth and clothing.

Neglect in soccer might occur if a coach fails to ensure her children are safe or exposes them to extreme weather conditions or potential injury.

Examples of emotional abuse

Persistent lack of love or affection.
Children frequently being shouted at or being taunted,
Over protection leading to poor social skills.
Failure to give children love, affection or attention.
Leaving children alone and unsupervised.
Emotional abuse in soccer may include situations where parents or coaches subject children to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to high expectations.

Visible signs of child emotional/physical abuse

Fear of parents being contacted, going home or receiving medical advice,
Flinching when touched,
Refusal to discuss injury,
Covering arms and legs,
Over reaction to mistakes,
Sudden speech disorders,
Extremes of emotions,
Self mutilation,
Unexplained or untreated Injuries,
Injuries on unlikely or unusual parts of the body,
Cigarette burns, bite, belt marks, or scalds,
Poor personal hygiene,
Constantly hungry & tired,
Inappropriate clothing or dress,
Dishevelled appearance,
Lonely, no friends,
Obviously underweight,
No parental support or interest
Visible signs of sexual abuse
Pain, itching, bruising, or bleeding in the genital area
Stomach pains.
Discomfort when walking
Unexplained sources of money
Inappropriate sexual drawings / language / behaviour,
Being withdrawn or in fear of one person

If a child tells you something that suggests they are being abused you must understand that this may be the only time the child has built up courage to tell someone what has happened.

Stop what you are doing and respect the child’s privacy. Stay calm and reassuring. Listen to what they tell you. Tell them that whatever the circumstances they are not to blame. Do not react in a way which may add to the child’s distress, e.g. anger or shock. Explain that you cannot promise to keep what the child tells you a secret as you may have to tell someone else.

Do not question the child in depth and do not ask leading questions. i.e. questions that need a “yes” or “no” answer. Only ask questions to establish exactly what was done and who did it.

Tell the child that you are pleased they decided to tell someone and that they are absolutely right to do so. Let the child know that you understand how difficult it is to talk about such experiences.

Inform the Team Manager (unless implicated).

Do not contact parents until you have received advice. Make an accurate record of the time and date and exactly what was said.

Sometimes there may not be any signs of abuse; you may just feel that something is wrong. If you even slightly worried it is your responsibility to act on your concerns and do something about it.

If you suspect a child has been abused you must contact your Local Authority Child Protection Officer or the Police without delay.

IF A CHILD DISCLOSES ABUSE

It is the duty of all League Management, Referees, Club Officials, Team Managers and any other individuals directly or indirectly involved with member clubs or teams playing in leagues to be aware of and help prevent child abuse.

The children’s welfare is paramount and all children, whatever age, culture, disability, gender or religious belief, have the right to protection from abuse.

All suspicions and allegations of abuse should be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

You MUST:

Treat all players and children with respect and dignity befitting of their age,
Watch your language, tone of voice and where you put your body.

You must NOT:

Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games including horseplay
Allow or engage in inappropriate or intrusive touching of any kind
Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged
Make sexually suggestive comments to a child even in fun
Let allegations a child make go unchallenged or unrecorded
Invade the privacy of children when they are changing, showering or going to the toilet
Doing things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves. e.g. help with changing.
Spend excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.
Take children alone on car journeys, however short.
Take children to your home.

Health and safety

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