Before you get on with coaching soccer drills to kids, let me share with you some teaching ideas that are sure to help you, whether you agree or not. In your soccer practice, identify one goal that is common to both the team and the coach for example; to have a lot of fun while playing the game.
At this time, it’s essential to follow your goal and not feel distracted by other things. For this reason, I suggest that your goals should be as precise as possible both for your own good and for the good of your team. A few examples are promoting the physical fitness of the players, developing a good sporting attitude towards competition, and focusing on the individual soccer skills.
When it comes to sportsmanship, the onus lies on you to set a high standard for the players. Promote the feeling of sportsmanship, team spirit, and fair play amongst team members. When teaching soccer, you have the option to include any number of relevant objectives along with the ones stated above.
The theory of winning is one concept that I’d like to stress upon when it comes to coaching youth soccer. Try to infuse an open idea of winning the game inside your player’s minds while training them. Teach them that as long as their performance is out of ordinary on the field, they are winners, no matter what the final result.
This ultimately takes away all the unnecessary pressure off the players and enables them to play their original game by carefully following the strategy.
When coaching soccer drills, always keep in mind the importance of giving clear and correct instructions if they are to be helpful. Before coaching, you need to teach your players about some explicit do’s and don’ts in soccer. The variation between coaching and teaching is prominent because coaching deals with a bunch of players who already play soccer pretty well.
In coaching drills, it is great idea to first demonstrate to the kids about 5 to 6 times a specific drill and then let it di it themselves. It is effective because young players are more receptive to seeing than listening. If you decide to give them plain instructions, they will not appreciate it very much. However, they are good at replicating things.
Therefore, consider giving demonstrations wherever you can.
Last but by no means the least; keep your players active with several purposeful activities. This is all the more important when it rains or the weather is extremely cold. You must understand that kids are just thrilled at the prospect of playing in the rain. Therefore, in place of cancelling the training session, rearrange it in a way that the players make the most of their energy and time.
Just make sure that in a situation like this, your kids have an extra layer of clothing and proper footwear.
Now get out there and start incorporating these teaching suggestions into your practice sessions. The results will make you happy.
To gain more knowledge on coaching soccer drills, register for our youth soccer coaching community that will keep you updated on topics of youth soccer.
Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide visit: Coaching soccer drills.
Tags: coaching drills, coaching soccer drills, Soccer practice, teaching soccer