Understand this! To coach youth soccer, it is a challenge to be creative and come up with innovative tips and techniques to train the kids. The biggest challenge in teaching soccer is being creative enough to come up with great ideas so that the interest of the kids is sustained in the game.
Read through some tips below that you can teach youth soccer players. These allow them to concentrate on the game, become good at it, and at the same time, have fun with the game.
Get the kids going with dribbling and shooting: This is a simple drill that involves all the players at the same time. Instruct the players to stand on a single goal line. Now distribute the balls all over the soccer field. Once done, tell the kids to play with the balls as if they are moving towards the opponent’s goal. They should shoot the ball as soon as they can.
This exercise does a lot of good to the energy level, and confidence of the players and at the same time perks their dribbling skills. As the players do not have any resistance, they move forward without any inhibitions and this brings out their unique style.
How to pass the ball: Ask the kids to stand in a line at a far-away corner of the field. Make them run to you fast as soon as you finish counting till 3. When they are running towards you, they should also try to take over the ball from the other player who has it. When you say stop, the player who has the ball must pass it to another player.
To coach youth soccer, these drills are the best tools to teach the kids passing and dribbling. This way, the players also learn a very important skill of snatching the ball from other players.
Touch and Go: It’s a very interesting game which kids love to play. It requires the kids to stand in two rows under 40 meters away from the position of the goal. Also, the goalie should defend the goalpost. Place yourself somewhere between the two queues.
You pass the ball to one line and subsequently coach them to shoot or pass the ball with one stroke only. The idea is to translate the ball into a goal. Continue practicing the game after the goalie has returned the ball.
If you have more than one goalkeeper in the team, keep them alternating between different sessions. This game involves team effort and also improves the shooting skills. The goalkeeper becomes skilled at protecting the ball from converting to a goal.
Keeping the control of the ball: This exercise allows the players to learn to advance with the ball while retaining its control. Play with two people where one becomes the attacker and another, the protector. Guide them to play their respective roles and win points every time any player wins over the other.
These are the easiest ways to coach youth soccer. You can make your kids perform these as they help them learn along with having loads of fun. If you’re interested in knowing more about such tips, be a part of our youth soccer coaching community.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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.