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Youth Coaching - It's A Kick!
As the majority of soccer fans are aware, the guys like Luis
Figo and Zinedine Zidane, as well as women like Mia Hamm got their
start long before their present glory. They all played as children.
Certainly, many of the greatest players ever never played organized
soccer at all as kids, but a fair amount also did. In order for
kids to play organized soccer, coaches are sorely needed around
the globe. This is my contribution to help those who are unsure
about taking command of a team to take that last step and get involved!
As much as I've been enjoying this summer, I have to admit that
I'm quickly getting ready for fall.
Why, you may wonder, would anybody be excited to see summer disappear?
Well, besides the fact that fall m eans that the heat subsides
and the air becomes more crisp, I'm ready to grab my clipboard and
whistle and hit the pitch.
I've been a soccer fan for as long as I can remember, but I never
realized how much I truly loved and appreciated the game itself
until I was "talked into" becoming the assistant coach
for a friend's youth
soccer team.
Now, this was just a few years ago, but my playing days had long
passed me by. I didn't have any children who were old enough to
play yet, but I figured it might be fun -- although the thought
of teaching a pitch full of ten-year olds the finer techniques of
the game seemed rather daunting.
The first day that I walked out onto the prac tice field, with
ten young minds to mold, I didn't realize the importance of what
I had taken on. It seemed like all I was there for was to chase
down errant shots and try to keep some semblance of order.
I quickly learned that this was not the case. You see, these children
are the future of soccer in America, and around the world. These
are the Clint Mathis' and Mia Hamms of the future. Being involved
-- as a parent or as a soccer fan -- is one of the most important
roles that you, as a supporter of the game of soccer, can take on.
After a full season of the assistant gig, my oldest daughter (who
was just six at the time) decided that she wanted to take a chance
on playing the beautiful game. I remember how proud I felt that
she wanted to play -- with no outside prodding from me. There was
only one condition, she told me.
I had to coach her team.
We went to sign her up, and I looked at the registration form for
what seemed like an eternity. Then I volunteered to coach her team,
and my life has never been the same.
After my first season as a head coach, I realized that I had to
find a resource that would help me unde rstand how to really teach
these kids how to play the game -- not just how to win.
You see, what I have found in my four years of coaching is that
many individuals who take the responsibility to coach do so for
selfish reasons. Not consciously selfish in most cases, but many
are living out childhood desires through a team of kids. And many
of them coach with a "winning is everything" attitude
-- an attitude that kills the desire of many young players, because
they simply cannot handle that pressure emotionally.
So, like any other Internet user, I turned to the 'net. It was
probably the best decision that I have made yet as a coach.
I found interactive forums with tons of coaching
information. Mailing
lists dedicated to the soccer coach, from the earliest levels
on up to the top. Site after site loaded with drills,
hints,
and I've even discovered an
impressive resource which includes the ability to receive weekly
Email on the subject of drills.
I have even modified a letter that I found back
then to give to parents, and found articles about the discipline
needed for your team to be effective.
You can also get copies of excellent team
management software, search for tournaments
around the country to enter, or get the latest
pointers around.
All of the information that you could ever want is there for your
use, put there by people who want to see our youth grow up and play
the game like it has to be played.
Of course, the best way to learn even more is to join an adult
league yourself! You'll be surprised just how much of an understanding
you start to get when it's you on that pitch!
Finally, take some certification courses. In America, every state
has different courses for licensing, and all states also offer United
States Soccer Federation certification classes. You can find out
more by contacting
them directly.
I've become quite comfortable as a coach, and enjoy it so much
that I now manage two teams. My youngest daughter, who is only five,
told me that if I could coach her sister, then I could coach her
too. I spent the last four years coaching her teams, and she's now
moving into her first season of "Premier" soccer. And
yes, I've now accumulated the experience and certifications to lead
that team as well.
If you already take a little bit of your time to coach, I commend
you. If not, I think that I've eliminated one of the excuses that
you could have used. There are enough res ources in this article
alone to get you headed in the right direction. It really does only
take up a few hours of your time each week, and the dividends it
will pay, not only for soccer in America -- but for you and your
pupils -- are immeasurable.
If you do plan to coach, I have a few pointers that I've picked
up along the way, as well.
- Find a good assistant who has the patience to handle young
children. Your assistant can make or break you.
- Meet with your player's parents before the first practice
- Let them know your philosophy on coaching
- Outline what you expect of them as parents of your players
- Outline what they can expect of you as a teacher
- Encourage questions
- Give them handouts about the game itself -- many parents
don't know the game at all
- Encourage them to get involved, both at home and at practice
- Let them know if they need to purchase anything. I always
ask parents to purchase a specific type of footbag. It works
wonders for reaction time.
- Remind them that this is just a game
- Gather the players at the first practice and do the following
- Pick a team name
- Find out what they know already
- Explain what you expect of them
- Ask what they expect of you
- Hand out team roster and schedule
- Hand out the most important thing -- the snacks schedule
- Utilize the drills that you will find on the 'net. They'll
pay huge dividends quickly
- Get out there and drill with your team. Don't just tell them
to do the work. They'll learn to respect you if you're sweating
too.
- Always commend them for hard work. Always.
- Encourage them to be creative. When they're young, forget about
teaching positions. Teach them the ball.
- Have fun! Don't take it too serious ly.
Before you know it, you'll be standing on the sideline watching
your team play their first match. Be patient with them --
that's the real key to their success.
And the snacks after the games work wonders too.
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