What follows is a simplistic way of bearing in mind the essential soccer coaching factors ate determine the team philosophy and moving along with it. We can apply this philosophy to our youth team very easily as it is easier than we can imagine.
The elements which are essential for an effective youth coaching philosophy are 6; parents, coaches, excitement, selection, time, and success windows.
Consistent Parental Support: When we talk about soccer training the influence of parents is vital in the mental and physical development of your players, most importantly on the day the match is taking place. It’s not enough just to provide the parents with the brochure, “parental responsibilities” at the beginning of the term. Arrange for regular meetings with them so that the key points can be repeated and concerns shared.
Future soccer coaches: A vital part of your philosophy should not just focus on developing the players, but also the coaches. Assess and see if you can turn one of your kid’s parents into a soccer coach? They are the perfect choice for this job, and could be tried in the future.
Selection: The greatest reason for players with great soccer skills to lose interest is non-selection. According to studies, players say they would rather get selected for a bad team than not getting selected for a good team. Therefore, use a logical selection system which gives all players equal game time.
Time: Observe punctuality and tell the parents to be punctual as well. When you define the start times and finish times clearly, it helps you deliver the session effectively.
Excitement: Is it imperative that every soccer coaching session has to be enjoyable? Yes, try to make every session enjoyable for the kids but also understand that it may not be possible every time. Therefore, go for a positive attitude as an alternative.
When training the kids, it is certain that the coach will have problems with ideas on how to make practice drills interesting. Therefore, the biggest obstacle that coaches face is to be creative enough to bring about new drills every now and then.
With soccer drills, it is necessary that you increase the challenges for the kids so that they grow. The best way of doing this is to get started with a game, look for a problem, and then rectify it with a drill.
Success windows: Try and incorporate a “success window” for the season as a significant element in your training sessions. This actually requires you to determine a lower limit and an upper limit of time with a view to measure the level of success that needs to be achieved.
As an example, time frame of minimum four and maximum eight weeks. This can be worked out for both the team and individual members.
Do yourself a favor and have a soccer coaching philosophy like this become a part of the development phase of your kid’s training once the basics have been covered. In order to be more resourceful, full of knowledge, and gain tips and techniques, enroll for our youth soccer coaching 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.