Ever wondered how to coach soccer or more specifically youth soccer? There are many things that’ll start coming to your mind that it’ll confuse you even when the question is pretty simple.
Communication is one of these soccer skills, necessary for both players and coaches to master. A coach needs good communication skill for giving instructions, sharing feedback, evaluating players, counseling them, and maintaining discipline.
Players discuss issues with their coaches, peers, parents; share their feelings (good or bad) with teammates, and give tips and tricks to those new in the team. It is the comprehensive language of soccer by which players and coaches transmit their thoughts and feelings.
With respect to soccer coaching, there are some beliefs that the coaches must follow and subsequently teach their players.
1. Use the name of your players while addressing them. This is both courteous as well as soothing.
2. Make it clear in your head what you want players to do and achieve before sending out instructions.
3. Be considerate: Use communication for connecting with players and not to control them. So make an attempt to understand their perspectives as well.
4. Look at your body language: it should make the other person comfortable and transmit positive vibes.
5. It is important to maintain an eye contact with every player whenever you talk to them. Face the person you are talking to and look him in the eye.
6.Your style of speaking should influence the person you are talking to. So pick a style that suits your person as well as the person you are talking to.
7.Select a topic or issue that needs to be addressed. Communication is the key to finding answers, how to coach soccer is successful when it is short and clear-cut. Select a list of items and that’s it.
8.Be objective: Just remember that as a coach, you are interacting with a team or an individual player. So be firm with your sentiments and communicate only about the points of the game.
9.Speak clearly: The other person should be able to interpret your message in exactly the same way you intended it to be.
10.When teaching soccer, repeat the important points. The players should be reminded of the important points by repeating them in different ways.
11.Introduce light and funny words in the conversations so as to keep the talk light and stress free.
12.Devote some time and attention to your players so that they do not fear seeking clarifications from you. Give them freedom to ask questions.
A soccer coach or a player without the ability to give and receive the information necessary for the highest levels of performance is bound to suffer in the long run.
Finally, how to coach soccer is a way for the coaches to understand that there is a difference in cultures and accordingly make room for them. Register for our youth soccer coaching community that has a wealth of articles and videos on coaching young players and how to help them develop excellent skills.
Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice sessions fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: Soccer Drills.