Here’s a really simple way to explain soccer practice; there is no set rule. You are free to test new drills, come up with innovative ideas to create drills and so on. Also, get the advantage of shaping the existing practices that can be altered to suit your needs. These are some tips that can be helpful in conducting a fruitful soccer training calendar.
Make flexible plans. It’s not surprising that every plan might not give expected results. The reason could be your bad health, kids not in a mood to show up, or ill-times rains. So be ready to face these situations with full force since they have the capacity to ruin your plans.
It is a good idea to have several soccer practice games ready. There would be few that prove to be useless and therefore get rid of them to go to next. Involve yourself in the training with an open mind to find out activities that kids can easily relate with.
Let the kids warm up their body prior to each session. The kids should be made to utilize the soccer ball as an extension to their standard drills to warm up. Include games such as Fetch and a few other training exercises. This game requires the coach to throw the ball to the player which he has to return with either or both his feet.
Along with this, the kids can also be made to roll the ball using their feet, kick it backward and forward among the feet. Players use many such soccer drills to warm themselves up.
Make sure every player has a separate soccer ball that belongs to him. And in such a scenario, create many individual activities for players that include use the ball. The kids should be made to practice shooting, hitting the ball to the wall, and dribbling and all that. Make sure no lines are added and keep your movement as free as possible.
In soccer coaching, after the individual activities, it is time for group activities. There are two amazing drills for practicing; passing and receiving the ball. In group activities, it’s imperative for the kids to show some team spirit. Normally, in a transition from individual to group, the kids take time adjusting to the concept of team play. You need to act like a leader at this stage. Emphasize the need to support each other in order to win matches.
At the same time, lead the weak players to develop the feeling of team spirit. Activities like these promote team spirit and brotherhood.
Let the kids play soccer in teams and without a goalie. Have them hit the goals and do not set boundaries for this game. Also, instruct them to first attack and then defend. This helps them do their own thing and in the process develop something new.
This is the most straightforward method of conducting soccer practice. Just let go of your creativity and design methods that teach kids soccer in a natural way. There is no correct or incorrect drill as such. The only thing to remember is to be flexible. Our youth soccer coaching community has wealth of resources on youth soccer that will help you make the most of training sessions.
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: Soccer practice.
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