I really hate the floating boxes on the right side of the screen. Useless distraction. Must be a smart phone advantage because it is only a negative on a desktop. Why do managers and programmers today ignore the potential in computers of allowing users to chose from alternative interfaces? So stupid to make everyone use an interface optimized for one device.
We're doing exciting things with our town U-little program. For the first time ever we are implementing coaching all kids in an age group as a pool instead of distinct teams. Game days will feature randomly generated teams each week with the goal of creating balanced competition throughout the season. Also, aligning with USSF iniatives a season early to play four 10-minute quarters. I'm looking forward to it. I've always kind of dreamed of a set-up like this. Thrilled that it's happening under my watch. Managed to stay out of the drama at last night's executive council meeting . . . about the female coach who volunteered to coach a boy's team but refuses to wear a bra. About a different female coach who breast feeds her infant during while coaching. I can't make this stuff up. I'm all for breastfeeding of infants, but I'm not sure it's a carte blanche situation either. Anyhoo.
I recently put together this reference article: How to become a Licensed Soccer Coach (In the US) Any feedback or suggested additions are much appreciated.
Any ideas on getting more balanced teams for our rec program? Instead of one team that crushes everyone. The pool approach is a go for the younger age groups but we are a season away from the u10s and older.
I asked this at our district meeting last month. Not allowing any friend requests, carpool requests or practice night requests seemed to be the only way.
Stop keeping standings and allow coaches to swap players to even up teams. This is exactly what happens in street soccer. League/team competitions obstruct player development until kids are older and you are trying to teach them how to win games with the fundamentals that they have mastered.
We don't track standings anymore. This was my suggestion too-mix teams. I'm sure it works most of the time, but I guess we had an incident last year where two parent coaches almost got into it when they were trying to divvy up teams. Why can't adults be adults.
I think randomly assigning teams and cross referencing to make sure it's not stacked seems to be the only way.
Our club's Rec league friend requests now require that both kids request each other so it cannot "create" a team via a chain of friend requests. Otherwise, the request is not recognized.
There is no way to get evenly matched teams in rec. There alway is better, middle and low. Also if one of your better kids leaves the team or get hurt your done.
I agree with you Nick, except to note that this is less true with U-Littles because with 6-weeks of good training you can see a lot of improvement in the young ones, especially new players. With older, more experienced kids you typically don't see such quick improvement. But the point is true, there is never parity.
The problem with rec you don't get kids at practice all the time. If you get some it's not the same guys. Coaches in rec get crazy because they expect a whole team to show. Forget that you do small sided with the kids who do show up. You have to make it fun for the parents because the kids can't get their on their own. If the parents have a good time they might want to take the kids to practice.
So im in need of some advce. I was helping coach my daughters U11 team and recently stepped down due to a difference in philosophies with the head coach. Being he is being paid, i feel that he should be pushing the kids a lot harder, as it is supposed to be competitive. The reality is it is basically glorified rec soccer. Anytime i tried making suggestions, he disregarded them as me not knowing anything about this game. Since when is a license a measure of credibility or even ability at that matter? Secondly, I have enrolled in the USSF C license course, and now need to find a team to coach. Anyone have any tips for the course? Did my D in 2012, so its changed dramatically since then.
What is supposed to be competitive but isn't competitive enough? There is a difference in roles between playing to win and coaching to develop. U11 is still about mastering fundamentals. This description of the problem is too vague to know what the issue was. "Pushing the kids a lot harder" how? By making training more technically challenging? By demanding more effort? By using more competitive exercises and less unopposed drills? Or is this about player mentality? Or about coaching methods? Or about his demeanor? Coaching philosophy? You see, I don't know what the issue is. The only advice I can give at this point is that every coach has to decide for himself what to borrow from other coaches and what to discard.
One time I co-coached U12G house league with 2 women, both licensed. One had the lead in training, the other had the lead in managing matches. I was the continuity, assisting both, and covered both coaches in their absences. While both clearly knew the game, were experienced, and knew the conventional coaching wisdom, I didn't like most of what they did. I didn't say anything to them though because they did not ask my opinion and it wasn't a safety issue.
Point made i suppose i wasnt very descriptive. Certainly i do t agree with his philosphy (long ball vs possession based ). If kids are in a training most of it is them standing and waiting a turn to play. We came from a different club before the fall and brought 6 players with us. They are also the ones that have the best technique and have learned the fundamentals. I guess i didnt phrase the first post very well. For me you have to be comfortable with the ball, and being that the team is undersized many kids kick it away first time. No corrections no encouragement to play the game the way it should be played. Perhaps he is better suited to older players who already have a solid foundation. Its sad that the club sold it as competitive but the kids spend 15-20 minutes of each training session waiting to play with the ball. And please dont see this as a winning vs development arguement, its not. If you teach the right things winning works itself out anyways.
Thanks for the information. Regarding your first area, I don't know what to tell you. The problem now is how to avoid setting a bad example for your daughter. Not sure how to do that. I think the best approach is to put your differences with the coach behind you and be the best soccer parent you can be. Regarding the second area, I haven't taken the C course, but some others posting here have. There is also at least one instructor that posts here occasionally. Hopefully someone will be able to answer your question.
One of the first things I learned as a coach with my first club. You never coach your own kid. You should have a meeting with the other coach to make sure your on the same page. It is possible to play a long ball possession game. You can turn longer passes to higher percentage passes. Pass into space and not try to beat a defender who is on you. Long option plays the ball to his back support players then go from there. There should alway be two back pass options for the receiver and not one. Their support distance should be 5 yards further back then the would be short passing meaning about 12 yards back. You never make players stand around unless your explaining something through demonstration. If you think because you brought 6 players with you to a new club. You as a parent will have more importance then if you brought just your own kid you might be badly mistaken. That could piss the regular coach off what are you going to threaten to pull all the kids you brought if the other coach doesn't listen to you? I think if your unhappy find ander 8 players to go with your six, and start your own club with 1 team. Your upfront costs to do it might be 5 thousand dollars. Not a big deal to do if you really want to do it.
Nick, the way I would put it is that you cannot successfully play possession with only short passes. You need the long passes to switch the point of attack faster than the opponent can adjust and also to use the player in the gaps. Never making a long pass allows the defense to cheat and collapse everyone around the ball. I liked your example too.
Nick, i think you misread what i wrote. The 6 kids that came with me are further along fundamentally than the others. Im not threatening anyone. I stepped out of the picture due to difference in philosphy. I agree that you can have a long ball possession style. By long ball in this current instance, the ball comes to kids and they kick it first time, just as a clearance, not in an attempt to keep possession. Totally agree with you in regards to standing around at training more time should be spent with the ball, especially to develop the technique needed when everyones physical abilities even out. Like i said, i think the guy lacks expertise in the small technical details and is failing to develop the players appropriately. You need to be able to walk befoee you can run a marathon.
If you don't have the skills to teach skills you should not be a coach unless you have a guy that can teach skills for you. Any one who is stupid enough to hire a guy that has no skill or at least hire someone with skills to teach skills desireves what they get. Find another club and investigate the team before you change clubs.
true, if there are no set teams (randomly assigned week to week) then there's no way to keep track. I guess parents can track of their kid's individual record.
Many people think, incorrectly, that "possession" is a short pass relay all the way up to the goal. The long pass is a natural part of it since short passes draw defenders and we must move the ball onto areas of low pressure.
This is the type of mistake people make who haven't played the game. You don't have to be a professional player to understand the game. The biggest difference as you go higher in the pyramid, is increased speed of play. The game remains essentially the same. (The increased speed of play is unforgiving and exposes players' weaknesses, which slower games may not have.)