Permit me a straight question. To coach youth soccer, what are the 3 things for the coach to do? Before you jump into answering this question, realize that youth soccer means that kids should enjoy the game. The concentration should be on turning the drills into enjoyable exercises so that the players get motivated.
Therefore, to teach youth soccer, take care of the following instructions. These will allow you to guide the kids to become advanced players.
Make the kids enjoy the game: As we talked about it earlier, having fun and enjoyment is the key to youth soccer. As a coach, prepare each of the sessions beforehand. For example, make them start with warm-up drills that prepare them for the sessions. Once completed, make the kids move to more advanced drills, for example, passing dribbling, and controlling the ball.
As an addition, motivate the players to think out of the box. It is important to inspire them to try new things and if they commit mistakes, do not interrupt blatantly. Have a word with them after the session. It is also essential that parents are totally involved so that they can help in making the game enjoyable for the kids.
To coach youth soccer, it is vital because the players are more at home than on the field. Request the parents to help you in monitoring their diet, motivate the kids, and maintain regularity in trainings.
Get familiar with the age of the kids: Teaching soccer to kids is between the age of 7 to 14. At this level, it is very painstaking to find drills that actually make the kids happy. So, research a lot over what games you would like them to play. Also, communicate carefully with them as they may not understand your intent behind the exercises if you are too formal in your approach.
It is a good idea to divide the group into teams and name them. This instills brotherhood. It is recommended not to conduct a lot of experimentation also. The idea of a well-balanced session is to have both tried as well as new activities in it.
Write the exercises: It always pays to write the exercises on paper along with the results that you are expecting from them. It helps in developing a strategy for the team. A written document is always useful in determining the objectives of the team. If something needs a change, written plan will assist you in assessing it.
You can also follow your objectives easily. It is perfectly usual for a few things to go wrong and in that case, you can always get back to the original plan.
It is safe to say that youth soccer is a dynamic, fun-filled, and yet a responsible job. With this information at your disposal, you will without doubt be able to do full justice to your job.
Put this to test right away! These tips on coach youth soccer are sure to bring positive results for your team. If you would like access to a mass of resources on youth soccer, join our youth soccer coaching community.
Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Soccer Coaching Drills.