Have you ever imagined how lack of soccer coaching and playing experience can affect the proficiency and confidence of a coach? Let me present different facets of a coach’s personality that may be said to be the qualities of a coach.
Personality: Experience is very good but nothing works better than the personality. A coach’s overall personality determines his or her coaching success, whether the end-result is a fun game without any physical and mental pressures or the creation of a consistently strong team.
Knowledge of the game: A coach must have the willingness to learn new strategies for the growth of the kids. Learning game’s rules, strategies, and tactics is fundamental to winning the respect of the players.
Enthusiasm and Interest: During a soccer training program, take the role of a salesperson. Once they like the session, they feel motivated. It’s also essential to be open to a player’s needs with respect to team objectives, irrespective of their age. If the kids freely ask questions, their interest in the game is sustained.
Persistence and Patience: Not paying attention to a player’s inability to perform soccer drills can be dangerous. A player’s desire to learn lessens when he or she can’t perform. Putting up unreal goals leads to frustration in young players. Hence, display patience and perseverance in helping the player grow from one session to another.
Ability to manage priorities: Devise a step-by-step method of learning that meets the needs of all players in the team. At the time of soccer coaching, the players should have adequate time to practice what they have learnt in the sessions. Only after each player has understood and mastered a skill, a new one should be introduced.
Single-mindedness: A coach must show special interest in the skills and social and moral behavior of every player. If you remain sensitive to their needs and aspirations, you will surely win them over. To become a great player, strength of character in victory as well as in defeat lays foundation for a player’s success.
Understand the learning process: A concise understanding of the process of learning results in overall team development. Give confidence to the players to be enthusiastic in exercises that help them change their thinking and acting.
Inspire the players to learn soccer skills through participation, demonstration, and guidance. The learning process comes to a conclusion only when kids apply what they have learnt and has been shown to them. Learning requires active experience and not just plain teaching.
Imagination: Make situations that challenge the player’s imaginations, bring them pleasure in performing tasks, and serve important game drills. Encourage the players to make situations more interesting and worthwhile.
Please yourself and take these soccer coaching attributes and there will be no reason why you won’t be rated as a superior coach. If you would like to enhance your knowledge on soccer coaching for kids, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that has a huge amount of information in form of articles, newsletters and videos.
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: Youth Soccer Practice.