GENERAL GUIDELINES   To Assist New Coaches

1. Kids play soccer to have FUN !!

Be upbeat, encouraging , and enthusiastic !

Listen to what they want to do,  if possible try to incorporate this into your practice session.

2. Kids play soccer because they want to MOVE!

Design practices activities to keep the players involved. (try to eliminate the standing  in lines. For example taking turns dribbling through a set of cones

Use the parents to help. Set-up stations and have a parent supervise a station, while you check on each station / group of player.  For  example, have 3 stations with cones to dribble through,  or 1 station with dribbling, 1 with passing,  1 with shooting

Use games to teach or reinforce a skill.  Children like to play games…use the games to highlight the skill

3. Kids want and need POSITIVE Reinforcement!

Criticism, threats, blame, yelling, and ridiculing the players won’t help.

Constantly telling them where to pass or dribble won’t help. They need positive reinforcement when they do pass and dribble at the correct time/ location!

The players need to make decisions themselves…even if they are wrong. Remember, you can  learn even more from your mistakes!

4. The safety of the players is a priority of the coach !

Make sure the field is fine

Make sure they have the proper equipment {Shin guards,  no jewelry , etc}

5. Remember # 1: Kids play soccer to have FUN! 

This is an in-house  league. Not all players are stars; however, all players want to PLAY!

Practice Session

This is an example of a typical practice session.  It's a good starting point for you new coaches.

Components of  a  Practice session:

1)       Warm- Up ( 5 - 10 minutes.)

a)       begin with movement  and motion of players with their own balls(you  want them to move around at a slow pace…slow jog , do this  for 2-3mins.

b)       stop movement and do some light static stretching exercises. (See Exercises)

c)       continue with another 2 –3 minutes. of  moving with the ball, then another light stretching session.

2)       Ball Feeling (10 minutes)

a)       any movement with a ball that requires touching and feeling

b)       can/should incorporate twisting, turning , and  running with the ball (See GAMES)

3)       Technique  (15 – 20 minutes)

a)       each session should include a  SPECIAL  emphasis on one skill for the practice session

1)      should  concentrate this practice to one skill you want to present and have them learn/practice that week.

2)       you should be able to demonstrate the skill you want them to learn. This demonstration should be done slowly at first explaining what the components of the skill are they will be trying to master.

                        3)   examples of a skills:

dribbling, passing of the ball,
receiving the ball,
throw- ins

4) Games:  (10 –15 minutes.)

a)        the game that you pick should reinforce the skill you demonstrated that day. The players can then try to incorporate the skill into the game.. as a coach you need to reinforce to the player to use the skill.  Praise anyone that even tries. The only way they will use in games is if the players are comfortable with moves/ skills you have practiced.

b)       these should be small sided games (1vs1, 2vs2) You want these games to be quick (2-3 minutes) so that you can coach the skill you have presented to everyone.  Small sided games then allow for more touches by players on the ball.

c)       this is where you can use your asst. coach/ parents . Have the players divide into small grids (using cones, markers ,etc.) with a parent supervising the game. You then can rotate between the grids to try  to give some instruction, and positive feedback  in each grid.

  5) scrimmage (15- 20 minutes.)

Make every player happy! Let them play the game. Try to keep the stoppages and instructions to a minimum. This is the players time, let them enjoy and have FUN !! You might want to consider having the parents join into the scrimmage . They will find out its not as easy as it looks. Be careful with this….the parents might start to demand more playing time during the scrimmages ! !

Remember to always have a short water break between each section of your practice. This needs to only be 1 – 2 minutes,  then get them back into your schedule.