When it comes to coaching high school soccer, we must accept the fact that self-control is a choice just like confidence that players must make. In soccer coaching, it’s the relation between emotions and thoughts that concludes the self control strategies. We all know that our state of mind influences our emotions, which in turn strengthens our performance.
I’ll share with you a 12 step strategy to help players learn the ability and discipline of self-control. However, players should adopt this strategy only when they are certain of its utility for them.
What’s more, the players should also be prepared to take full responsibility for the actions they take. The 12 step strategy is explained in the following paragraphs.
1. Awareness: Help the players figure out their weak points during the course of coaching youth soccer. Let them examine when, where, and why loss of control has occurred previously on field.
2. Understanding: Allow the players to make out the reason that affected their thinking in such a way that they lost their emotional stability.
3. Differences: Allow them to go back in time and recall situations where they did not lose control and where they did. Let them gauge the difference in their attitudes, emotions, and behavior.
4. Problem: When coaching high school soccer, attempt to pinpoint the problem. For instance: It may be the guilty feeling in a player that he let the whole team down due to his acts.
5. Belief: The players should manage to raise their expectations from them including self-control as one of the behaviors. Support them so they can change.
6. Reinforcement: Reinforcement has the potential to accelerate a change in behavior. Therefore, you must not forget your duty as a coach to recognize and honor the improvements of players so that they stick to these.
7. Goals: Start with multiple smaller goals, so that you can take your players along the path to changes. Assist the players in identifying the relationship between opinions, outlook, and actions.
8. Techniques: Put together different behavioral action items to uphold the confidence level. For example: When a particular situation comes up, this is the path that the players must go by.
9. Plan: In football coaching, teach a planned and systematic way of chasing the goals to players.
10. Progress: Tell them to be patient. Let the players understand that the ups and downs are integral parts of path to improvement.
11. Setbacks: Let the players understand that setbacks are there to stay. Thus, utilize these to learn new things for improvement.
12. Remembrance: Last but not the least, help the players understand that there is a reason behind their attempts to change. The players must always know that why and what are they doing. How important the change is for their future?
It is well known that a soccer player must act swiftly and yet comfortably to be perfect performer. In other words, the stress-free efficient performance.
This is of utmost importance. Coaching high school soccer must include relaxation techniques so that the players can learn to be in-charge of their emotions to save energy and kill any fears.
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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 Practice Drills.