Let me ask you a simple question. To coach youth soccer, what are the 3 things for the coach to do? Before you answer this question, it is important to know that youth soccer is all about letting the kids have fun. The focus should be on making drills and sessions so exciting that they are always full of enthusiasm.
So, to teach youth soccer, keep in mind the following three tips. These will instill the ability in the kids to become mature players.
Let the kids have fun: As I said, youth soccer is all about having fun with the game. 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 done, instruct them to go ahead with the advanced drills such as passing the ball, dribbling with it and trapping etc.
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 essential to take the parents into confidence if you wish to make the game enjoyable for the players.
To coach youth soccer, this is crucial since the kids spend more time with their parents than on the field. Ask for cooperation from the parents since it is crucial in keeping a check on their daily diet, regularity in sessions, and encouragement.
Condition yourself to the age level: Teaching soccer to the young players is generally between the age of 7 and 14. At this time, it is highly testing to create drills that stimulate the kids. 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 inculcates a sense of team spirit. Also, do not experiment a lot. The idea of a well-balanced session is to have both tried as well as new activities in it.
Pen down the drills: It makes sense to pen down the exercises and also the objectives related to them. It makes the efforts of the team worthwhile. The documentation also helps you in evaluating the progress of the players. If anything requires to be changed, you can easily do so in a written documentation.
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 can be assumed that youth soccer coaching is a fun filled and challenging job. With this information at your disposal, you will without doubt be able to do full justice to your job.
Analyze these tips straight away. These tips on coach youth soccer are sure to bring positive results for your team. 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.