"So tell me about your week": The Fall 2012 discussion thread

It's not my team (I could maybe do a 1v1 session in my backyard), but that's an excellent point. Maybe I should mention that to the parent I know.

 

"Make the kids fall in love with the ball" is a reference to mentality, not the technical aspect of training. I don't know what the instructor said at your F license course, but what I stated is straight out of the USYSA coaching materials:

"A multi-sport experience provides a solid base to long-term development as a soccer player. From 6 to 12 years of age, children should have opportunities to be in different sports. Concentrating on one sport is inappropriate in terms of physical and game-sense development. The goals of any coach working with a young player who is pre-pubescent should include increasing proficiency of physical ability, developing functional versatility from a strength, movement and biomechanical standpoint and lastly, diminishing the potentially negative effects of specialized training. Subsequently when working with pre-pubescent aged players, the mandate should be one of global, all-encompassing development rather than specialization in one sport."

--USYSA Player Development Model, p. 23 (emphasis added).
http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/assets/1/3/US_Youth_Soccer_Player_Development_Model.pdf
We start teaching ball skills at age 6 and put increasing emphasis on ball skills as the years pass, aiming at ball mastery at age 12. The ages are not chronological ages, but physical development ages which can vary greatly between individuals.

 

Had the first U6 boys practice rained out yesterday but had a very limited U10 G practice. Despite the rain we still had about half the team turn out which was great. Said a lot of the dedication for those that showed considering the amoutn of rain. We spent some time talking about the game on the weekend and the rules - how the goal kicks work, how to kick off and restart the game after a goal has been scored etc. Most of the girls didnt know these things and encountered them for the first time at the game. Not sure at what point to start emphazing the in game protocols but since they will encounter them at games from now on the lead coach wanted to spend some time on that...

 

Each year, we add new wrinkles -- various restarts, more players per side, etc. I find the first game much less frustrating if I go over those wrinkles in practice. Not a fan of using five minutes of game time to explain a goal kick.

 

You know, the thing is we wont have the same teams year over year (unless it is the competitive teams i beleive). i wonder if it might be beneficial to have a seperate primer class of sorts each season where new and old players can go over the rules without taking away from game and practice times........

 

Restarts are a distraction from the main development objective. I know some U-Little coaches I admire don't have specific training for restarts. I did train restarts.

At the beginning of the season I would spend a little time on each restart applicable to their matches. First I would give a short explanation of the rule (10 seconds or less) and a demonstration of the technique (10 seconds or less). Then I would give a brief description of tactical alternatives for the attacking team (10 seconds or less) and a brief explanation of how our system of play was organized to defend the restart in basic terms--man marking, zone, or modified zone (10 seconds or less). All together this initial part took about 30 seconds on average. Then we ran through the restart a few times. Not everyone would have a turn on the ball at this point, but I did train striking and throwing as part of my regular technical training. Then I would move onto the next restart.

The only rule that takes real time to teach is the offsides rule, and that doesn't normally apply to U-Little matches.

 

What a week. Earlier practice for U6 Boys was canceled due to torrential downpour. But hte rain stopped and half an hour later we had practice for the U10 Girls. So thinking back to the two practices this week for the U10 Girls I have to say I am so amped up. Yesterday during practice I saw one girl moved to get open for a pass, look up find her teammate inside and the top of the area and squared to her who them onetimed it into the goal. I stopped practice for a second to point that out (the head couch left early) so I got a chance to work without eyes over my shoulder. Rest of the scrimmage was good and I could see some definite improvement.

Parent Coaching from the sidelines: I did have one of those and as soon as he started telling his kid when to run and what to do I knew I had to do something. So I got more vocal in "coaching" calling out non-detrimental things, like hey Yellows - get open or Get back on Defense or Somebody Help her. All aimed at given that parent no where to go. It worked too as I didnt hear much out of him once I start doing that.

BUT: in the reschedled U6 Boys that my son is on I couldnt get to be involved as the assistant coach as I had to stay with my daughter in the car. As I walked back to the car after dropping my son off on the field I over heard one volunteer coach telling a group of boys "Right here is the Half Back. he is the most important player on the field becasue he controls everything all the pass and the ball" Yikes!

I have to sort out my bay sitting situation. Fast!

 

keying in on that comment, for the lead guys, what are the top two things you expect from your assistant (other than getting the cones and balls after practice)?

For assistants, what are the top two things you contribute to help the lead guy?

I think I contribute and I will ask the lead guys what they expect from me, but if I get some feedback here I can probably use it to enhance my education.... thanks

 

I have worked with assistants and with 1 or 2 "co-coaches." The key is to have a plan and clear working relationship.

The way I generally used assistants was to have them supervise groups of players during training. If I was running three groups of players, then I would draft a parent to watch the third group. While the parent might not be able to coach, they can run the drill or game and assure safety which was always a big concern to me. I would coach one group while keeping an eye on the other two groups.

With a U10G two-coach co-coach arrangement, I handled "offense" and the other coach handled "defense." (Meaning skills and tactics--we both worked with all players of course.) I did the practice plans and lead on ball skills. It worked really well especially during SSGs, scrimmages, and teaching team tactics (running offense against defense in half a field).

With a U12G three-coach co-coach arrangement, 1 was in charge for training and the other was in charge for matches (this was the only time we did a tournament--I never favored them for novices). My major contribution was enforcing our arrangement to keep the match leader from taking over training too. The reason for three co-coaches was no one could commit to making all the practices and matches. (The training coach could not make any matches.) So my major contribution was subbing for the other coaches.

The assistant/coach relationship is no different than working arrangements on any type of project. The most important thing is that you owe each other "respect." You need a plan and good two-way communication. The assistant has to understand the leaders intentions, display coaching unity in front of the players, give feedback to the leader, but accept his or her direction and carry out their intent. If an assistant doesn't want to do that, they should not be assisting that coach. As the head coach if you are more knowledgeable than the assistants, you owe them mentoring and a chance for meaningful experience.

 

Restarts is a big topic. Restarts are after fouls and after the ball goes over the touch line, and after the ball goes over the goal line.

You can get a lots of dangerous attack opportunities if the fouled does not relax after the foul. Because a lot of the time the opponent does relax after they commit a foul.

We practice quick restarts with youth teams and with my adult team in the same way. After a foul players not near the ball made forward runs and the taker closest to the ball made through passes.

Some players are a lot better making those passes then others. So it is not dangerous on every restart. But if the right guys can get them off they are very dangerous.

After we practice we break the team up and play against each other for 20 minutes. You can do a lot of things during that time. You can practice on what you worked on during practice and you can practice making quick restarts as well.

Except you score a regular goal it is 1 goal. You score a quick restart goal it counts as 2 goals. Nice insentive for players to try it. You get a quick restart goal we go crazy.

 

If you tell your most gifted passer to make sure he is around the ball to take them. He has to be looking for the through pass as he gets to the ball. You can get a lot of good goals with that.

 

Depends on what they can do. I'm really lucky this season. I have a U7 assistant who says he doesn't know much about soccer, but he's great at getting the kids to focus on something. So I can often start a drill and let him run it while I tend to something else.

Then I have a U9 assistant who has fantastic skills himself and is pretty good at teaching them. Last week in practice, I rotated my players so that he worked with a small group on shooting while I ran a keepaway game.

Had another question that might be worth a separate thread: How do you handle players who require a lot of special attention? They may have diagnosed neurological issues, or they may just be really difficult kids. Games are relatively easy as long as I have subs -- if he's in a frame of mind to play, fine, if not, I keep him out. Practices are a challenge. I've had a few of these players over the years -- not just the daisy-pickers but disruptive kids.

And on yet another note -- I had a player assigned to my team this week who just moved here from South Korea. Met him right before the game. He speaks some English, not a ton. But oh my goodness, he is fantastic. He looks up and sees the field as a U7. I know that's a sample size of one, but it makes me wonder what they're doing in Korea.

 

Elessare when you break up the team to play. You make the foul calls and call everything even nothing fouls. The players will get annoyed at your calls they will relax. That is the perfect time for a player from both teams to try for the quick release on the quick restart.

 

The week started with my #1 keeper breaking his finger in gym class. Not a good start. Luckily our mid week game went well (7-0 win) and my usual starter was able to give minutes in the field. The week ended the worst of any I have ever had with my backup keeper taking a knee to the head only 3 minutes into our Saturday match with our local rival. Turns out he has a fractured skull and will be in the hospital for 3-4 days. Of course he won't be able to play for the rest of the season. Probably for a good length of time after that too. I feel like it is my own kid who got hit. Makes me sick. As a coach I know things happen and it was a clean play. But those are my boys. Just makes me sick to think he is a hospital bed and will suffer who knows what kind of long term effects.

 

Head injuries are a serious matter. I am not a neurologist. I am not going to give you advice on this, but waiting for a season before bringing him back is a smart move. My daughter had ahead injury. Spent time in the hospital no one could talk to her in a rational way. Light bother her. She actually checked herself out of the hospital in the middle of the night. I had a bad feeling and went to visit her in the middle of the night, and just happened to run into her outside of the hospital. It effected her for months. They even put a heart monitor on patients when this stuff happens. Brain injuries cause swelling of the brain and that can kill you.

Your also susceptible to second brain injury after it happens. Parents have to watch him closely.

 

Wow, that's awful.

I'll advocate here for getting goalkeeper-specific training for ANY kid you play in goal, especially at the younger ages. Goalkeeping technique isn't just about keeping the goal safe, it's about keeping the goalkeeper safe as well. While you can't prevent all injuries, a properly trained goalkeeper has a better chance of keeping themselves safe and preventing injuries--many of which happen because of poor (or nonexistent) technique on the part of the keepers.

Do your players a favor and invest in some training for your goalkeepers. If there's no one near you, educate yourself. I created JB Goalkeeping for just that purpose (free site; not trying to sell anything).

 

Benji start a thread on how a keeper can go up in safe way for the ball and is least likely for the keeper or the opponent to get injuried

 

Maybe the best way to frame the topic would be: Which keeper techniques should be taught to U10s (or when large goals are introduced)?

 

Thanks. You are right goalkeeping training is important. My boys have gotten it. I make sure to spend time with them every practice. Plus they have participated in multiple keeper clinics.

The players technique was flawless. It was just a freak accident.

 

Time to stop underestimating my team. Won 8-0 today (last week was 7-1). I had about half my team return from last year and a new bunch added. Group looks strong this year. Might need to push the envelope with them. I think that will be the winter experiment, playing in the advanced divisions.

Part of it was there was supposed to be three divisions (Advanced/Premier, average, inexperienced). Instead there are only two with the latter two being combined. Think, I'll contact the league office and try to get us pushed up. Mistakes seldom get punished in the lower division and therefore some bad habits continue.