My first year coaching thread

[pething101]

Hello. This is my first year coaching thread. Please feel free to offer your comments and suggestions as I suffer through my first year as a soccer coach.

[pething101]

Well, a little info would be a good.

First year coach at an inner city school in Fayetteville. I am the asst coach for the varsity and if we have enough kids I will coach the jv team.

Played soccer all through school up until graduation. Never very good but dependable as a defender. Of course, I last played in 1989 so that makes it tough.

Never taken any courses in coaching soccer, so any tips one can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Guess that is a good start.

[pething101]

Decent practice today. Had nine kids. One new kid.

Ran 2 miles in 15 minutes. Sadly, need to get that down to 2 miles in 12 minutes according to the coach.

Played some 3 on 1 keep away.

Need to work on trapping and passing. The basics are not our strong suit.

Played some 4 v 4 short side and saw some potential.

Need some different drills to emphasize trapping and passing.

[cpwilson80]

What age group do you have?

[pething101]

Originally posted by cpwilson80
What age group do you have?

9th - 12th grade. So far, only one senior.

[sydtheeagle]

Originally posted by pething101
Decent practice today. Had nine kids. One new kid.

Ran 2 miles in 15 minutes. Sadly, need to get that down to 2 miles in 12 minutes according to the coach.

Played some 3 on 1 keep away.

Need to work on trapping and passing. The basics are not our strong suit.

Played some 4 v 4 short side and saw some potential.

Need some different drills to emphasize trapping and passing.

Houston, we have a problem. If your coach said the following: "Ran 2 miles in 15 minutes. Sadly, need to get that down to 2 miles in 12 minutes according to the coach"about children, then he is an imbecile and your kids are likely to end up as useless as the lost generation of footballers we in England have endured for the past twenty years though now, finally, our coaches have learned the lesson and we seem to be emerging from the shadows.

Football for kids is fun. In very general terms, the important thing is not tactics and fitness, but learning to work with the ball and make the ball do the work, learning the confidence to take a man on and beat him, being allowed to make mistakes and still feeling secure enough to make them again until that daring move comes off, playing football with a smile on your face. Results do NOT matter. They are not what kids football is about. The great kids coaches develop players who love football, not teams that win games. Winning is utterly meaningless until the mid-teens. Any great developmental soccer coach will tell you that.

Please believe me. I hope for the kids sakes that you do. They're the losers if your coaches present obsessions continue.

[cpwilson80]

Sorry, the earlier one didn't come up for some reason

One idea that you might want to use is one I picked up from #1 Striker Camp (best camp I've ever attended): have a practice session where every drill ends in a goal.

A classic is having 2 goals about 40 yards apart with keepers. Split the kids up and play shortside. In the event that you have 16-18 kids show up someday, split them up into teams of three. Have two teams take the field, and have the other teams waiting behind the two goals. As soon as one team scores, have another team go on the attack with a new ball. Stresses tons of shooting, and also how to get back on defense; instead of having a turnover be the cause of the counter though, it is a goal.

[pething101]

Originally posted by cpwilson80
A classic is having 2 goals about 40 yards apart with keepers. Split the kids up and play shortside. In the event that you have 16-18 kids show up someday, split them up into teams of three. Have two teams take the field, and have the other teams waiting behind the two goals. As soon as one team scores, have another team go on the attack with a new ball. Stresses tons of shooting, and also how to get back on defense; instead of having a turnover be the cause of the counter though, it is a goal.

Thanks for the drills,

Is this something you do for a set time or until all the balls are in the net?

I am assuming no keepers.

[cpwilson80]

When is your season starting? If you are only two weeks away, I hope you aren't working on fitness in place of ball skills

To second, gaining a love for soccer is primary. Take the kids to games (Pro or College), suggest they watch some top Euro teams, hell, play some FIFA. Another one of my favorite adages: practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent. Most of the times I did a 1 v. 1 move in a game, it wasn't a result of conscious thought - you just react. How you will react is determined in practice.

Have the kids be fearless as well. It's OK to make mistakes, especially in attack. Be creative, play with some flair. Unfortunately, this also means sometimes initially ignoring results, but the long term goal is the development of the kids as soccer players and fans.

[cpwilson80]

For the drill, play with keepers (otherwise you get kids chipping from 30.)

You can play something like first to 5 goals or 15-20 minutes (I think that's what we usually did.)

[Alberto]

Originally posted by sydtheeagle


Houston, we have a problem. If your coach said the following: "Ran 2 miles in 15 minutes. Sadly, need to get that down to 2 miles in 12 minutes according to the coach"about children, then he is an imbecile and your kids are likely to end up as useless as the lost generation of footballers we in England have endured for the past twenty years though now, finally, our coaches have learned the lesson and we seem to be emerging from the shadows.

Football for kids is fun. In very general terms, the important thing is not tactics and fitness, but learning to work with the ball and make the ball do the work, learning the confidence to take a man on and beat him, being allowed to make mistakes and still feeling secure enough to make them again until that daring move comes off, playing football with a smile on your face. Results do NOT matter. They are not what kids football is about. The great kids coaches develop players who love football, not teams that win games. Winning is utterly meaningless until the mid-teens. Any great developmental soccer coach will tell you that.

Please believe me. I hope for the kids sakes that you do. They're the losers if your coaches present obsessions continue.

Syd all things considered fitness is a very important component of soccer. I agree skills are the most important, but these are no longer children they are young men playing varsity sports in high school were the commitment is much greater than they have previously experienced. They are not 9-12 years of age, they are 14-18 years old. At this point results do matter. Certainly the most important thing is to improve player performance, but we would be lying to say results don't matter at the varsity level.

pething, good luck remember these simple rules.

1. Alway treat your players like men. Make them responsible for their actions.

2. Always praise your players when they learn a new skill or become more proficent at one they have trouble with.

3. After watching them practice for a week and once you are satisfied with your evaluations of each players strengths and weaknesses. Develop a list of goals you like to see the players achieve on a personal level. Discuss it in private with each player. Develop a set of goals for the team to achieve. It's should not be based on wins and losses, but might be play to hard each game. Give your best effort for yourself and most importantly for the team. Avoiding mental mistakes. Thinking throughout the game and being aware of how ones actions affect the game. The development of team unity. Growth from 20 strangers in August to a team in October.

[Turk from Pigs Eye]

What else can you tell us about your team and the league you play in?

How many players do you have? Are they showing up for practice? Are you practicing daily?

How good are your fields?

Are the players gringos, hispanic, Afro-Americans, native Africans, Asian, etc? Are there other groups not represented from your school where you could draw some experienced players?

Why are they playing? Have they just taken up the game? Sounds like they are inexperienced.

Where do you fit in the league? Doormat, middle, or top?

[panicfc]

Okay I've got some experience coaching so I'll give you my best advice.

1) Get Louis Van Gaal's book - it gives you a lot of quick information that you can use. I recommend it HIGHLY.

2) Fitness v ball skills - Use the ball to develop fitness. As much as your coach loves the Cooper test, it's useless. Sorry Alberto, at that age they shouldn't be that far out of shape.

Plus long distance running is not the same as playing the game. Interval training would be more appropriate - If you coach disagrees, have him read the Van Gaal book, if he can read.

3) Not sure on the basic skills of your team, but you need to work on 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, and then 4v4 - once that is done, try to do 8v8.

The 1v1 should be done in a small space, maybe 5x5 yards at most. This will teach the players how to shield the ball as well as some basic 1v1 skills.

The idea is to dribble past your opponent, and stop the ball between two cones. If you can't stop the ball, you aren't in control. When you stop the ball, count 1,2,3 and that is a point.

2v2 - must pass the ball between cones or dribble through, stopping the ball and counting as well. 15x15 is the biggest.

3v3 three, bigger field maybe 20x20, cone goals and let them pass the ball through, no dribbling. Start the give and go, and third man running off the ball.

4v4 - Fun stuff, I like to add goal keepers to this or any thing bigger.

6v6 and 8v8 - Want to get the team in shape, play a 6v6 game on a U10 field. In order to score a goal all members of the attacking team must be in the attacking half of the field. Normally the width of a full size field will be fine.

8v8 - If you can move the goals - move one set to the top of the 18. Play and make sure they are running.

After a goal you can have the defending team run a line drill. 6 yard line, goal line, 18, goal line, midfield, goal line. Jogging to the various lines, and always sprinting to the goal.

Okay that should keep you busy, and get your boys in shape.

[jmeissen0]

cool thread... never coached soccer myself

[jmeissen0]

you guys going to do 2 a days?

[Newman]

I've coached Varsity HS boys for 4 years now-starting a 5th in a couple weeks. Couple of points:

1) I concur with panicfc-small sided games and 1v1's are the way to go rather than just straight conditioning, live drills, or 11v11's. Especially for inexperienced players, they need to get comfortable with the ball, learn to keep their head up and see the field under pressure. It's up to you to make sure they keep their intensity during such drills. That doesn't mean the Bob Knight routine, just constant talk, alert them of options they don't see or technique errors, and praise them when they get it right or try something knew. Push them to move away from the ball-you'll get ball watchers on both teams away from the ball. I watched Bob Bradley run a simple practice with IUPUI players at the Indiana Coaching Symposium, constant, business-like talk, calm correction of mistakes, with praise for effort and ingenuity. VERY PROFESSIONAL and no-nonsense.

2)Coerver video series is pretty good for foot-skills. There is a series of books by Kentwell on Dutch Soccer Drills that can be useful. Read everything you can get your hands on and judge what works for you. If you can go watch proven coaches give clinics, that helps too. Find what fits for you.

3) Don't get to caught up in results, especially if you coach JV. Help the kids improve and have fun. Encourage them to try and risk failure. The results will come. Besides, you are at the mercy of the talent level. I went from coaching a state-ranked team, 18-3-3 record, and a sectional Finals team to a 4-18-3 team the very next year. I had 1 returning starter and he got hurt. If you're doing it for results or ego, you're in for a fall at some point.

4)Video's of WC games or pro matches are useful, just to give inexperienced players a taste of what it is supposed to be like. Some kids don't even know that you can pass the ball back-all they've heard are parents screaming to boot it long.

[pething101]

Originally posted by sydtheeagle


Houston, we have a problem. If your coach said the following: "Ran 2 miles in 15 minutes. Sadly, need to get that down to 2 miles in 12 minutes according to the coach"about children, then he is an imbecile and your kids are likely to end up as useless as the lost generation of footballers we in England have endured for the past twenty years though now, finally, our coaches have learned the lesson and we seem to be emerging from the shadows.

Football for kids is fun. In very general terms, the important thing is not tactics and fitness, but learning to work with the ball and make the ball do the work, learning the confidence to take a man on and beat him, being allowed to make mistakes and still feeling secure enough to make them again until that daring move comes off, playing football with a smile on your face. Results do NOT matter. They are not what kids football is about. The great kids coaches develop players who love football, not teams that win games. Winning is utterly meaningless until the mid-teens. Any great developmental soccer coach will tell you that.

Please believe me. I hope for the kids sakes that you do. They're the losers if your coaches present obsessions continue.

I agree with a good bit of your post, Syd. But I am the asst coach and it is his team as far as it goes. Hopefully, we can incorporate a lot of the stuff that is already on this thread.

As far as youth development, I am at the high school level so results are important to the AD. Will try to find a happy medium between results and development.

[pething101]

Originally posted by cpwilson80
When is your season starting? If you are only two weeks away, I hope you aren't working on fitness in place of ball skills

To second, gaining a love for soccer is primary. Take the kids to games (Pro or College), suggest they watch some top Euro teams, hell, play some FIFA. Another one of my favorite adages: practice doesn't make perfect, it makes permanent. Most of the times I did a 1 v. 1 move in a game, it wasn't a result of conscious thought - you just react. How you will react is determined in practice.

Have the kids be fearless as well. It's OK to make mistakes, especially in attack. Be creative, play with some flair. Unfortunately, this also means sometimes initially ignoring results, but the long term goal is the development of the kids as soccer players and fans.

Our first scrimage is on Thursday. We have had one full week of practice so I am not expecting too much from the preseason games.

Already have pointed them in the direction of FSW and of MLS.

I think we have some creative flair but we lack a lot in the basics. They can do some nifty stuff with the ball but cannot pass or trap too well.

[pething101]

Originally posted by Turk from Pigs Eye
What else can you tell us about your team and the league you play in?

How many players do you have? Are they showing up for practice? Are you practicing daily?

How good are your fields?

Are the players gringos, hispanic, Afro-Americans, native Africans, Asian, etc? Are there other groups not represented from your school where you could draw some experienced players?

Why are they playing? Have they just taken up the game? Sounds like they are inexperienced.

Where do you fit in the league? Doormat, middle, or top?

1. Middle table team from last year. My area is not a soccer hotbed, we generally get trounced by teams from Raleigh or Greensboro.

2. Never had more than 9 show up for a practice. If all showed up that have come, could put 11 on the field with maybe 2 subs. We practice in the afternoon, about 4 to about 6:30

3. Banned off the football fields. Practice in the outfield of the baseball field.

4. Mostly hispanic. A 4 AA and 2 Caucasians. I am hoping once school starts, more kids come out. School starts for the kids on the 21. Most do not play club soccer.

5. Not sure. Will have to ask them why.

[pething101]

Originally posted by jmeissen0
you guys going to do 2 a days?

Nope. Just one practice in the afternoon. Generally from 4 to about 6:30.