Notes on Coaching Soccer

by Ron Hendrie

 

 

 

     It is almost instinctual that, whether for good or bad, we teach the way we were taught, we parent the way we were parented, we discipline the way we were disciplined, and certainly we coach the way we were coached. It requires a conscious effort, therefore, to focus on sound, up-to-date methods of coaching rather than continuing with old habits.

 

ALWAYS ask yourself these questions:

Are they playing the game?

Are they learning the game?

Are they enjoying the game?

 

Your first task as a coach is to give your players a reason to love the game!

​

     For a kid, becoming a great player is not so much about consciously trying to improve as it is about simply falling in love with playing.

 

Make use of every minute of your practice. Be highly organized and highly structured.

 

     Great coaches are like great teachers in that they continually find ways to create conditions that enable their players to become intrinsically motivated.

 

When players are motivated they learn more and they learn faster.

 

     For true learning to happen there must be doing.

 

An enjoyable practice is one that is FUN because:

• Everyone is involved -- nobody is excluded

• Everyone gets lots of chances (many repetitions).

• There is no having to wait.

• There are a sufficient number of balls (one/child) and goals.

• The coach used good planning, organization, and analysis of the session.

 

     Most of the time coaches are ‘obstacles’ because we talk TOO MUCH!

 

The United Soccer Coaches - formerly the NSCAA (National Soccer Coaches Association of America) and the USSF (United States Soccer Federation) use the mantra: “No lines. No laps. No lectures.”

 

For the most enjoyment always create situations…:

• …where there is something worth winning.

• …that are challenging.

• …where there can be a lot of scoring action.

• …that allow for a lot of repetitions.                                                                                                 

• (small-sided games = involvement = repetition)

 

If the situation is too challenging for them, then simplify by:

• Having fewer opponents

• Allowing more space to play

• Using bigger goals

• Do not simplify the game situations in a way that soccer loses it’s “heart”…always need: an opponent, a teammate, something to win, a build up, an attack & something to defend.

 

If the situation is not challenging enough for them, then make it more difficult by:

• Adding more opponents

• Having them work in a tighter space

• Using smaller goals

• Limiting their number of touches on the ball.

​

“Hidden in every human being is a child that wants to play.” Friedrich Nietzsche

 

Analyze your practice to make it most effective by asking yourself:

• Are they playing the game? Are they learning the game? Are they enjoying the game?

• Do my players understand the aim of the training session?

• Is there something worth winning?

• Do I need to change anything?

  Is my session challenging enough? Too easy? Too hard?

  Is every player frequently and actively involved?

  Am I over-coaching or talking too much? Am I sticking to my focus of the day?

 

Define & coach the total soccer player:

• Technique (ball control) – dribbling, collecting, passing, shooting…

• Fitness – game related strength and stamina

• Tactics (decisions based upon knowledge of the game) – principles of attacking and defending, teamwork & positioning

• Field vision – awareness of ball, location on field, opponents, teammates, team shape, referee.

• Coach-ability – willingness to cooperate and be open-minded to learning.

• State-of-mind – aggressive but sportsmanlike, determined, confident, eager to improve, willingness to be a team player, growth mindset, passion for game, healthy lifestyle.

 

Teach ball control skills and tactics so your players can learn them:

• Demonstrate the skill or tactic.

• Let them practice the skill or tactic under no pressure.

• Allow them many repetitions in a short period of time.

• Let them apply the skill or tactic with very little pressure.

• Use it under the increasing pressure (see above) of a conditioned game* or game-like situation. 

• Insist that perfect practice makes perfect.  

• Conclude session by encouraging players to apply skill or tactic in an unconditioned game. 

• Revisit the skill or tactic in future practices.

 

Capitalize on the warm-up by using it as an extra opportunity to improve technical skills.

 

Whenever possible do conditioning for fitness while playing with the ball.

 

“Youth prefer to be stimulated rather than instructed” Wolfgang von Goethe

 

*Use conditioned games to expose players to the various principles being taught.

• A conditioned game is one where the coach imposes certain conditions which create a scenario where players are repeatedly exposed to a specific element of the game. 

• This gives players many opportunities to figure out those aspects of the game by making their own decisions and trying different approaches.

• Allow the game itself to be the teacher whenever possible.

• Give players just enough information to keep them pointed in the right direction to help them figure out what works.

• Use “Guided Discovery” instructional techniques to lead them to the answer whenever possible.

• If the coach gives too much instruction, then the players will no longer be the active participants and they will not learn to make correct decisions about how to ‘read’ the game. 

 

Develop a growth mindset by complimenting the players’ hard work, exceptional effort and determination.

 

Over-coaching “tends to strangulate rather than stimulate the player’s capacity for fantasy, creativity, and innovation.” Horst Wein