Allow me to put a simple question to you. To coach youth soccer, what 3 things can a coach do? Before you jump into answering this question, realize that youth soccer means that kids should enjoy the game. The attention should always be making the exercises exciting so that the players have fun all the time.
So, to teach youth soccer, keep in mind the following three tips. These will give you the leverage to turn the young kids into expert players.
Let the players have fun: As discussed, youth soccer translates into fun sessions for the players. As a coach, prepare each of the sessions beforehand. For example, make them start with warm-up drills that prepare them for the sessions. Then move to advanced drills such as passing, dribbling, trapping the ball etc and so on.
In addition, help the kids do some creative thinking on their own. Encourage them to try new things and even of they are doing something wrongly, do not interrupt them. Chat about it after the end of the session. Parents need to be actively involved if the game has to be made enjoyable for the children.
To coach youth soccer, this is crucial since the kids spend more time with their parents than on the field. Request the parents to help you in monitoring their diet, motivate the kids, and maintain regularity in trainings.
Condition yourself to the age level: Teaching soccer to the young players is generally between the age of 7 and 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 makes sense to split the group into two and name them differently. This instills brotherhood. It is recommended not to conduct a lot of experimentation also. A well designed session consists of both new as well as old tricks.
Write down the drills: It is a good idea to write the exercises and the results that you are expecting from them. It makes the efforts of the team worthwhile. 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 determine your goals easily too. 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. 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.