View Full Version : My first year coaching thread
pething101
17 Oct 2002, 11:13 PM
We have varsity practice tomorrow and a tournement game on Monday. Then, barring a win, we are done.
bungadiri
18 Oct 2002, 08:51 AM
Originally posted by pething101
Well.
I have to say that this has been a very disappointing experience. There were some positives but lack of particpation ... the lack of commitment and the attitude of a lot of the varsity players left a bad taste in my mouth.
The JV kids were great. I really appreciated the effort that they put forth. The jerking around that they got at the end was totally unfair and quite frankly undeserved. I wish that we could have played with our full team a couple of times. We were close to breaking through I thought.
Varsity. The less said the better.
I will get my Class E and Class D coaching licenses between now and when the girls start. hopefully, I can do a better job than what I did with my jv boys team.
The coaching classes will be useful for a lot of reasons (it sounds like venting to peers might be a biggie).
Based on your description, it sounds like Smith's program's troubles start at the top with the Varsity coach. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon to find coaches at the HS level whose interests in their sport and concern for their team begins and ends with the additional salary they get for coaching. There's not much you can do about it in your position other than provide a better example.
What's the travel team situation like in Fayetteville these days? Is there any chance that your talent base will improve via that route?
pething101
18 Oct 2002, 06:11 PM
Originally posted by bungadiri
The coaching classes will be useful for a lot of reasons (it sounds like venting to peers might be a biggie).
Based on your description, it sounds like Smith's program's troubles start at the top with the Varsity coach. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon to find coaches at the HS level whose interests in their sport and concern for their team begins and ends with the additional salary they get for coaching. There's not much you can do about it in your position other than provide a better example.
What's the travel team situation like in Fayetteville these days? Is there any chance that your talent base will improve via that route?
We have a couple of traveling teams that are pretty sharp. Only problem is, kids can go to any high school they want to here in the county (provided they can get accepted into whatever program that school offers). So, most of the decent soccer players end up in the Global Studies program at FTS or the one at Southview.
We could have been a decent tough team if we had the right attitude instilled in the first week or so. By the time the malcontent was benched it was too late. Oddly enough, our best performances have occured since the malcontent was benched. Have not heard a word from him since then.
jack921
18 Oct 2002, 09:11 PM
Originally posted by pething101
I will get my Class E and Class D coaching licenses between now and when the girls start. hopefully, I can do a better job than what I did with my jv boys team.
Are you coaching the girls in the spring? JV or varsity?
pething101
18 Oct 2002, 09:31 PM
Originally posted by jack921
Are you coaching the girls in the spring? JV or varsity?
I will have the girls JV.
If we have one.
pething101
21 Oct 2002, 10:41 PM
My season is over.
One and done in the conference tourney.
Reality_Al
21 Oct 2002, 10:53 PM
This site-thread was very helpful and interesting. I got a few ideas that worked for me through the season. We finished 7-7-2 ( can't be much more .500 then that.) Injuries kept us from being better, but we beat last years champs, and ended the season with our best game against the second in the conference with a WIN.
I would suggest that before you coach the girls, you read two great books- "Training Soccer Champions" by Anson Dorrance and The Champion Within" by Lauren Gregg. These two will prepare you for the challenges of a HS Girls program.
Thanks again for the thread.
PLAY-ON
MarioKempes
23 Oct 2002, 01:42 PM
Originally posted by pething101
Well.
I have to say that this has been a very disappointing experience. There were some positives but lack of particpation ... the lack of commitment and the attitude of a lot of the varsity players left a bad taste in my mouth.
The JV kids were great. I really appreciated the effort that they put forth. The jerking around that they got at the end was totally unfair and quite frankly undeserved. I wish that we could have played with our full team a couple of times. We were close to breaking through I thought.
Varsity. The less said the better.
I will get my Class E and Class D coaching licenses between now and when the girls start. hopefully, I can do a better job than what I did with my jv boys team.
Godspeed to you and good luck!
You are making an important contribution to soccer.
pething101
10 Jan 2003, 11:15 PM
Well.
I have twice tried to get my Class E coaching license from teh NC YSA but each time the clinic has been canceled due to lack of participation.
Kind of annoying.
superdave
15 Jan 2003, 01:01 PM
pething...this was a really fun thread (except for the two off-topic pi**ing matches.)
I would recommend going down to your public library and checking out Dean Smith's book. It's called something like, Multiple Offense and Defense. And his "memoir" book is good too. The first will teach you alot about structuring practices, and with a number of players similar to what you have on the JV. The memoir will teach you alot about relating to players.
bungadiri
15 Jan 2003, 06:53 PM
Originally posted by superdave
...I would recommend going down to your public library and checking out Dean Smith's book. It's called something like, Multiple Offense and Defense. And his "memoir" book is good too. The first will teach you alot about structuring practices, and with a number of players similar to what you have on the JV. The memoir will teach you alot about relating to players.
Good call--seems obvious now that you mention it.
pething, sorry to read about your E license troubles. I had to go to another town to get mine, but that worked out okay. I got to have a few beers with some fellow students, which wouldn't have happened if I'd gotten into the class near home.
pething101
15 Jan 2003, 07:28 PM
Originally posted by superdave
pething...this was a really fun thread (except for the two off-topic pi**ing matches.)
I would recommend going down to your public library and checking out Dean Smith's book. It's called something like, Multiple Offense and Defense. And his "memoir" book is good too. The first will teach you alot about structuring practices, and with a number of players similar to what you have on the JV. The memoir will teach you alot about relating to players.
Thanks for the compliment and the suggestion, Dave. It was a fun thread.
Guess what?
Spring soccer for chickies starts in a couple of weeks. Perhaps it is time for a new thread...
MarioKempes
25 Jan 2003, 01:35 PM
Originally posted by pething101
Well.
I have twice tried to get my Class E coaching license from teh NC YSA but each time the clinic has been canceled due to lack of participation.
Kind of annoying.
LOL the same thing happened to me. Not only that, but on a third occasion they emailed me the wrong location (from the previous year) and I went there and not soul showed up.
After 3 tries, I just said "here's your E license right here" [raises middle finger]. :)
PM me and let's sign up together and maybe we can get enough people next time.
Didn't feel like reading all 29 pages of this thread. Wish I had been in on it from the start. I'm starting my 9th year of coaching. Here in Alabama we play spring soccer for HS due to the religion that is HS football. I would love to exchange ideas with anybody willing to.
pething101
04 Feb 2003, 11:19 PM
Originally posted by MarioKempes
LOL the same thing happened to me. Not only that, but on a third occasion they emailed me the wrong location (from the previous year) and I went there and not soul showed up.
After 3 tries, I just said "here's your E license right here" [raises middle finger]. :)
PM me and let's sign up together and maybe we can get enough people next time.
That is not a bad idea at all.
It really irratates me that I have been unable to get it yet. I really wanted to learn something before this upcoming girls season ... which starts on Monday.
I will look into when the next one is and let you know.
pething101
04 Feb 2003, 11:35 PM
Well, spring soccer is here and since this is the "My first year coaching thread" might as well chronicle the girls year.
So far, we have had a few conditioning days. It has been a bit dissappointing. According to state rules, we cannot touch a ball so it is mostly working on fitness.
The most we have had show up for conditioning is about 9. The head coach and I split the days. On the days I have them, I generally focus on short sprints, some jumping drills, shuttle runs, etc.
Kind of in a rough spot of not pushing them too much so they wont quit and pushing them enough to get a good workout.
First real practice starts Monday.
Originally posted by pething101
Well, spring soccer is here and since this is the "My first year coaching thread" might as well chronicle the girls year.
The most we have had show up for conditioning is about 9. The head coach and I split the days. On the days I have them, I generally focus on short sprints, some jumping drills, shuttle runs, etc.
Kind of in a rough spot of not pushing them too much so they wont quit and pushing them enough to get a good workout.
First real practice starts Monday.
We had the same concerns. Conditioning was optional but then we had fitness tests during the first week of practice. We are now in our 3rd week. I coach girls as well.
Lloyd Heilbrunn
04 Feb 2003, 11:56 PM
I've been enjoying this thread,mostly as a lurker.But I would recommend you start a new thread for this girls season,as it is getting unwieldy.Also, you might enjoy this coaching message board:
http://www.paulvanveen.com/~vanveen/cgi-bin/ubb/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&number=1&SUBMIT=Go
Originally posted by Lloyd Heilbrunn
But I would recommend you start a new thread for this girls season,as it is getting unwieldy.
Why is it unwieldy?
pething101
05 Feb 2003, 09:54 PM
Well, another day of conditioning.
From what I can gather, we have three girls that play year around with clubs... and all three are hurting, two with shin splints and one with a pulled groin.
One apparently has ODP tryouts this weekend so I look forward to seeing what skills she has.
I told two of them after conditioning to bypass it tomorrow since a four day rest will help out with any niggles. They play year around so they should be in reasonable shape.
Of the rest ... we have a good collection ... some appear to be really good athletes. Just curious as to how they are with a ball at their feet.
Will run them for another hour tomorrow. Then four days off and Monday is the first official day of practice.