Allow me to put a simple question to you. To coach youth soccer, what 3 things can a coach do? Before you answer this question, it is important to know that youth soccer is all about letting the kids have fun. The spotlight should be on making the exercises exciting and enjoyable so that the kids always look forward to them.
So, to teach youth soccer, keep in mind the following three tips. These will instill the ability in the kids to become mature players.
Let the kids have fun: As I said, youth soccer is all about having fun with the game. As a coach, prepare each of the sessions beforehand. As an example, ask them to do warm up drills before moving to the regular drills. Once done, instruct them to go ahead with the advanced drills such as passing the ball, dribbling with it and trapping etc.
Also, allow the kids to be creative in their approach. Motivate the kids to attempt new things and when they make mistakes, which is natural, do not disrupt them. Have a word with them after the session. Parents need to be actively involved if the game has to be made enjoyable for the children.
To coach youth soccer, it is vital because the players are more at home than on the field. Ask the parents to inspire the kids, keep a track of their diet, and be regular in their training sessions.
Get familiar with the age of the kids: Teaching soccer to kids is between the age of 7 to 14. At this time, it is highly testing to create drills that stimulate the kids. Hence, spend a lot of time thinking about exercises that they would play and enjoy. And, ensure that you keep the age level of the players in mind while communicating with them and remain very casual in your conversation.
It is a good idea to make two or more teams and giving them names. This instills brotherhood. It is recommended not to conduct a lot of experimentation also. The sign of a productive session is that there are both new and old drills.
Write the exercises: It always pays to write the exercises on paper along with the results that you are expecting from them. It aids in providing a direction to the team effort. A written document is always useful in determining the objectives of the team. When you have to revisit your plan, it is easy to do so when it is in a written form.
And then, it is super-easy to measure your goals. It is quite normal for some things to go awry and then, you can always check them.
It can be safely said that youth soccer is an enjoyable and ever changing job. However, with proper planning and these essential tips handy, you will succeed at it without a doubt.
Test them right way. These tricks on coach youth soccer will bring you immense results. For more such tips on youth soccer, join our youth soccer coaching community where you will find many resources and like-minded individuals from the soccer community.
Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make coaching sessions fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Soccer Coaching Drills.