teaching coaches

What's your coaching philosophy? How do you want your club/program to play?

Start there are find ideas/drills/sessions/methods etc... that serve your purpose.

 

Depends on how much time you have. With only a short time available, I would probably talk about club policies, coaching methods and practice plans. Build a short introduction on the methods as defined in the USSF C License Handout on Methods of Coaching http://www.ussoccer.com/coaches/licenses/national-c.aspx

and then get specific on what to do for each age group based on the USYSA "Practice Activities." (Contains 20 age appropriate practice plans, enough for a season.)
http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/us_you...uides_for_the_u6-u8_u-10_and_u-12_age_groups/

For the coaches of the older kids in place of the U-Little practice guides, I would talk generally about coaching priorities and then give specific coaching objectives for each age group using the 12 week season plan on page 60 of Part 4, Planning and Training, of the USSF Curriculum.
http://www.ussoccer.com/coaches/coaching-education/coaching-home.aspx

Then open the floor for questions. And end with an offer of further help and the idea that you are approachable for questions and suggestions.

 

For u6-u8 teach the coaches that close control dribbling is king. No kicking. Passing shouldn't even be encouraged until u8. Tell them not to station players in front of their goal in games. Let the kids play attacking soccer and score lots of goals. The objective is to have fun playing, dribbling and scoring goals. Not blocking your goal with stationary bodies in an attempt to win games.

 

If you haven't already, I suggest you join NSCAA. They have some good materials for free download (by members) that you could use including the coaching academy booklets for each of their diploma courses include the DOC course materials. I am sure you would find some helpfull stuff there.

 

I think it's always worth re affirming the mission and goals of the club itself. My day job is actually consulting for various clubs (travel and recreational) with a view to raise the level of coaching. I often find coaches have their own structure and set of coaching beliefs but they vary wildly from coach to coach. Not a bad thing by any means, but from experience the clubs that perform better have a clear coaching mantra that they try to instill into their coaches. The specifics of each age group can be covered in ongoing training.

I would probably start by considering the direction the club wants to take. Are you interested in creating teams to compete? Are you focused on fun and development before your clubs competitive stature? Just be sure every coach old and new are singing from the same hymn sheet.

Mark
www.onlinesoccercoaching.com

 

don't assume that new parent coaches know ANYTHING about soccer. make them actually play a pick up game. I'm serious. Only so much can be fathomed from reading a rule book.

 

Agree with everyone else; what is the objective of your association, what are the age appropriate progressions you're trying to teach, and where are the coaches at in your association?

First and foremost coaches need to know the fundamentals of running a training. More reps, less standing in lines, and building from simple-low pressure concepts to match-condition simulation of performing skill under pressure. Then the coaches need to be checked on their understanding of the fundamentals. Are they teaching quality information that is going to help the players get better at the game. Finally they need to know how to analysis a match and establish a curriculum based on player performance week in and week out.

As a director it would be helpful for you to watch a coaches practice once or twice a season and give them feedback about the session. I do it with the coaches in my association all the time. We are in a very similar situation; lots of parent coaches with little or no coaching education in them before they volunteer to help out. So I will sit in on their sessions and provide feedback, and I make them attend one of my practices so they start seeing what we are aiming for.

 

Before you can teach older age groups you can not assume your players know the basics you would teach at the lowest age group.

You have to find just what they know first by the player demonstration to you. Then you have to teach them what they don't know first.

Then you can go up to the next step a more advanced step.

So you can not assume under 14 knows the first steps.

So you are going to teach under 14 what they should know without knowing what they actually know first.

Which is why I don't like the question what they should learn at the different age groups in general.

 

The best thing would be to provide support and a training package, I used to run coaching courses and some of my session plans are on this web site - they are free to use - click on the soccer link

http://members.iinet.net.au/~pfaulks@westnet.com.au/