We'll look at several different areas that youth soccer coaches can improve to enhnace their coaching abilities.
Here's How:
Be knowledgable: As in any other walk of life, it is impossible to instruct other people in any discipline that you yourself do not have an in depth knowledge of. Soccer coaching is exactly the same and all prospective coaches should have a keen knowledge of the game and ideally have participated at some stage of their lives.
Kids will quickly cotton on if you don't know what you're talking about so brush up on your knowledge and know your sport.Have a likable personality: While professional soccer coaches may often seem dour and aloof, even to their own players, a youth soccer coach really can't expect to bring any improvement out of his players without having a personality that kids can warm to.
They like happy, friendly, patient and understanding coaches who they know are serious about the game but still have a sense of humour. Working your charges like a super strict drill sergeant won't endear you to them at any age.Exude authority: By all means be able to have a laugh and a joke with your players but always set boundaries and maintain your level of authority. Kids can very easily push boundaries and try to overstep their own limits but a successful coach will always have the respect and dedication of his players which should be earned and not taken through excessive shouting.
Have realistic reactions to performances: Kids of all ages respond well to praise and encouragement but know when to draw the line. Overpraising individuals can lead to resentment from within the group and a loss of respect for the coach from kids who see through the over-the-top superlatives.
Similarly, don't be too downcast with defeat. Kids need a confidence boost after losing and will look to their coach for support in hard times.Always encourage your players: As has been said before, always encourage the kids you are coaching whether in training, in the half time teamtalk or during the game from the sidelines.
Average players can do amazing things when they get the right encouragement from someone they want to impress and you need to make sure that your young players keep striving to be the best they can be.Make decisions: As coach the buck stops with you on many decisions. You have to set the training schedules, pick the team and tactics and motivate your players while in the midst of a game. Your players will look to you for guidance but will quickly lose interest if you pursue plans which alienate members of the squad.
Maintain that fine balancing act of being in charge while still keeping the faith of your squad.Be organised: Set out organised and disciplined training schedules and workouts and make sure that you are on top of off-field responsibilities as well including recruitment of new players and managing transport and other issues for the team.
If kids see a lack of organistion from you then they will follow suit and you can easily lose control of the group and the session.Guide and teach them: kids like to learn and be taught how to improve their game and this is one of the main functions of a youth soccer coach. You have a responsibility to tell them when something has gone wrong and work with them on a solution to rectify the problem.
As the kids grow older you may have to offer some moral guidance in your role as soccer coach. Playing sport is an important part of growing up and learning to socially interact and kids need people like you to learn from.Be patient: Patience truly is a virtue and while a bunch of twenty screaming kids kicking each other on a muddy football pitch mightn't be the most serene of workplaces you, as coach, have a responsibility to those kids and their parents/guardians who entrusted them to you to act in a patient and responsible manner.
Take deep breaths and firmly exert your authority as mentioned above.Have fun: Sport and soccer are meant to be funfilled activities and with the added bonus of working with an enthusiastic group of young soccer players it should be doubly so.
Enjoy your role and the kids you are working with and this will eventually transmit itself into your own performance as coach and that of your team.
If you can't have fun while coaching youth soccer then simply don't do it!
What You Need:
- A youth soccer team
- A collection of footballs
- Boundless energy
- Lots of patience!
