Depending on the purpose of your team, choose players to take part in the tryouts soccer. A coach working with kids should concentrate in developing the competitiveness of the kid. Help the players to shine in the game if you notice athleticism and love for the game in them.
But you may have the right player who’s new to the team but has an innate ability to learn fast. In such cases, take time to prepare the player for the tryouts.
Following are some tips that come handy for coaches trying to prepare players for the forthcoming tryouts and soccer tournament.
Prior to Tryouts: It is essential that players are in shape, so make them run 3 days a week prior to tryouts. This will help build stamina. If the players are able to run 2-3 miles by the end, they’ll definitely be in good shape.
The other two important things are agility and steadiness. Apart from these, good running, stopping and changing the direction are essential too. Players should do short sprints to accomplish this. For example: count out 40 yards and 100 yards on a flat surface and place a marker. Make them run between it a few times.
Shooting can be practiced by hitting the round target drawn with the chalk on the wall. The target should be drawn two feet from the ground and a foot diagonally. Let your players to practice shooting at a distance of 10 feet.
When the players are able to do that, increase the distance and ask them to try.
Going early to the place with your players will give you plenty of time for the warm-up practice.
When the kids are not required to wear something specific, request them to wear something distinctive. To point to someone wearing blue socks and give an opinion is easier than pointing to a group of girls wearing red T-shirts and white shorts.
Many tryouts soccer sessions start with small games like 2v2, 4v4 to goals, and work up 8v8 to goals with goalkeepers.
Many decisions are made in the small-sided phase. Usually players are rated as a) definitely b) may be c) certainly not. Players in the ‘may be’ category are given most of the playing time so as to decide to move them to either of the other two categories. And that’s why you should encourage players to play with energy and take control of the game.
If you communicate well in the games, it makes your players to observe you and to stand out in a positive way. By giving instructions and helping other players with vocal and visual signals, any player can become a leader. Players who are silent somehow appear to be out of the game mentally.
Players should take every opportunity to greet their coaches. Soccer association is very keen about the etiquette of the players.
Players who ask questions know better what is happening at the tryouts soccer and during any follow-up tryouts. This doesn’t include everything. You can join our youth soccer coaching community that has plethora of videos, relevant articles and periodic newsletters that increase your knowledge and help you become a star coach.
Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free ebook at: Soccer Training Drills.