Shall I ask you a straightforward question? To coach youth soccer, what are the 3 things that a coach can do? Before you reply to this question, it is vital to understand that youth soccer means that kids should enjoy themselves. The attention should always be making the exercises exciting so that the players have fun all the time.
So, to teach youth soccer, remember the following rules. These will give you the leverage to turn the young kids into expert players.
Allow the players to enjoy themselves: As mentioned earlier, youth soccer means to enjoy the game thoroughly. As a coach, design each of the sessions ahead of time. For instance, make the kids do some warm-up exercises to prepare them for the main drills. Once done, instruct them to go ahead with the advanced drills such as passing the ball, dribbling with it and trapping etc.
To add to that, encourage the players to think creatively. 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. The support of the parents is also extremely crucial in achieving the fun objective.
To coach youth soccer, it is vital because the players are more at home than on the field. Ask the parents to inspire the kids, keep a track of their diet, and be regular in their training sessions.
Condition yourself to the age level: Teaching soccer to the young players is generally between the age of 7 and 14. At this stage, it is difficult to come up with drills that engage their attention. Hence, spend a lot of time thinking about exercises that they would play and enjoy. And, ensure that you keep the age level of the players in mind while communicating with them and remain very casual in your conversation.
It is a good idea to make two or more teams and giving them names. This inculcates a sense of team spirit. It is advised not to conduct a lot of trials too. A good session is one that has a mix of new and old time-tested techniques.
Document the Drills: You must always write down the sessions, drills, and the goals associated with them. It helps in developing a strategy for the team. The documentation also helps you in evaluating the progress of the players. When you have to revisit your plan, it is easy to do so when it is in a written form.
Also, with everything documented, it is easy to track your goals. It is quite normal for some things to go awry and then, you can always check them.
It can be safely said that youth soccer is an enjoyable and ever changing job. However, with proper planning and these essential tips handy, you will succeed at it without a doubt.
Test them right way. These tips on coach youth soccer are guaranteed to bring you marvelous results. For more such tips on youth soccer, join our youth soccer coaching community where you will find many resources and like-minded individuals from the soccer 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.
Tags: coach youth soccer, coaching youth soccer, soccer coach jobs, soccer coaches, soccer coaching, soccer coaching drills, soccer coaching jobs, soccer drills coaching, teach youth soccer, teaching soccer