If we had a local shop that we could use, I would do so. For my first travel team I used a local store that gave us identical tie-dyed shirts which got numbers on the back. Most of the girls liked the shirts, the parents not so much. I used Score sports. If you ask, since you're still small, they'll give you a league discount, but you will have to push for it, but they have decent kits for a reasonable price. The lead time is long, not the 8 weeks elessar mentioned, but workable and the customer service is great.
@SOSsocerpoppa Welcome to the forum. What soccer or other athletic experience do you have? (It helps us communicate better if we know your background.) It is great that you stepped up for the kids.
i'm headed down to start my D license course this weekend. one of the instructors taught my E license a couple years ago. i also had him as a coach at a camp i went to as a teen almost 20 years ago. that's a bit comforting going into this. at least i know what to expect from him.
Its easy.. Honestly.. U won't encounter much trouble acquiring ur license up until the latter portions of ur C and up.. B and A. Fall season is underway for my U-19s. U-15s just got dumped into competitive A.. So my scouting will be extra tedious on opposing teams. High school off season work outs start in two weeks for me. Time to bring a state championship to my alma mater program. We're favorites to run away with our district but I don't feel that way. Busy busy busy.
Thanks, You are one of the members who made me think that there are high quality posters here before I decided to make an account. I only have soccer experience through coaching u-6 several years ago, with that I decided it wasn't what I wanted to do, and we have always had coaches. At the practices I would go to for my kids, I would usually run for fitness while they practiced. So this year they didn't have coaches and I am not going to run at my kids practice while other kids aren't playing because of lack of an adult. I have played baseball and basketball and ran track, I know a lot about physical fitness but not much about soccer, though I am a fast learner generally when motivated, which I am. I did find an assistant coach who has much more experience up to this age level of play. Not sure we have exactly the same priorities, but he seems like a reasonable man. Hopefully, he can shore us up technically while I am the manager, motivator, and maybe even leading strategist. Soccer is so much like basketball that I have more tools there and I trust myself not to play too many favorites, or ignore anyone. I find your quote about running interesting. We are going to be in big trouble , if some of my fitter more skilled players won't run a lot both ways , from mid field positions. That's what is seems like to me anyway?
I like the late Tony DiCicco's coaching philosophy: Play hard, play fair, play to win, have fun. Works at every level from young kids to professional athletes. Good coaching comes from how you coach rather than what you coach. Stress the positive and remember more coaching isn't better coaching. Coaching theory: http://www.usyouthsoccer.org/assets/1/3/us_youth_soccer_player_development_model.pdf You don't need to read this if you aren't interested. It does show the big picture--for instance where fitness training starts in the development cycle. But you have to keep in mind that you have a rec team with relatively little contact time and probably a great variation in experience and ability between players. Keeper techniques and training: http://www.jbgoalkeeping.com/ Basketball players make good soccer keepers although there are no keepers in basketball. Basketball and soccer are very alike in principles of play. Off-the-ball the games are very similar. If it were me, my objectives would be: 1. Make soccer a fun, positive experience for the kids. 2. Make them better players measured by their personal performances. Regardless of how skilled the players are, the best season training plan starts with a period for review of fundamentals before introducing new concepts. When looking at what others say and do, put it in context of your group. Coaches of advanced U14 players will be using periodization and training cycles over multiple sessions. You will be practicing 1 or 2 times a week, so you have to take a balanced, unified approach. (For instance no separate dedicated fitness sessions.) Most of your players probably do not have U14 level skills. So the materials you teach are probably U12 or even U10 level. In other words fundamentals. Fundamentals are ball skills, basic defensive skills, and the principles of play. Best way to teach fundamentals is in small sided games so the ball to player ratio is high. Work on technique during the warm up phase before players are fatigued. Training an effective team starts with teaching players how to support off the ball, attacking and defending.The best place to start teaching attacking tactics is with keep away games. My signature line's quote is not about fitness. It is about playing smart. Being in the right place at the right time requires anticipation. You probably have liberal substitution rules so fitness should not be a problem.
well you weren't wrong. the material and assignments weren't difficult at all. all of the playing though... not so easy on us old(er) guys. i think i played more this weekend than i did all spring combined. i have to do 3 more planned sessions and self-reflections before the final round of coaching assessments in october. i'm not concerned at all about not passing. this weekend was a great experience and time well spent. i need to go back through the slides and make some notes of the points i wanted to remember and diagram the sessions we ran on the field so i can use them when the opportunity arises. the D course is focused on coaching a line of players in your formation. the E is currently focused on coaching an individual or pair of players. this was the next step on from that. they said the C focuses on coaching the entire 11 as a group for the next step. fwiw, my instructors said that the license progression is changing january. there will be no more E license. it will be split into 4v4, 7v7, and 9v9. then D, C, B, A, Pro, similar to NSCAA's progression.
First off big props to you for taking this step. Love the fact that you are doing it for the well being of the kids and not some ulterior motive. One approach for your best player may be to make him an ally by taking him aside and letting him know what you expect. By that I mean, tell him how critical it will be for him to lead by example and that you will want him to help demonstrate technical moves and team concepts to advance his teammates play. A key component to being a good player is making everyone around you better and that's great because all of your players can do that regardless of skill. Here are some things to help them accomplish this... Communication - man on, body language, supportive comments, etc Effort - never quit on a play, track back, always check to the ball, etc Anticipation - during scrimmages, games, etc make sure you're talking with your players about events that occurred and what options would be available. Get them thinking about anticipating and watch their execution improve Love your idea about bringing in a goalie (perhaps your local H.S. goalie?) coach to help in that area. You are right about finding a player(s) who really wants that role. Whoever it is make sure the team has their back and are supportive no matter what. Have fun out there!
"u-14, Initial concerns: We don't have an obvious goal keeper? Thinking about bringing someone in to give the whole team a lesson or two. Maybe that will add some motivation at least. No one wants to be goalkeeper. Of course the nice kids will do it. I'd rather have someone in there who loved it." When you do find someone who wants to play keeper then it is a smart move to brink a keeper trainer in so they can learn the position the right way. The good news is the future is the sweeper/keeper not just a keeper. To play that right you have to have good footskills first. If you tell it to them that way you may get a few players that might want to try it. Your right they have to want to play it to play it right.
Thanks for the kind words and advice, Pirate captain. I think one of my strengths will be in getting the kids to play for each other, and help each other. Kids in our league are often told to talk but are not really educated in what to talk about, or anything else about this talking stuff, so they inevitably don't say a thing to each other! My players will be assigned to giving the goalie encouragement no matter what. I have read that it's not a bad idea to have a defender run in and get the ball out of the net on a goal and cheer the guy up, whether he needs it or not. We might do that. Nick, sweeper keeper is a new concept to me thanks. A quick Internet search brought up a lot of support on the topic. We have a few kids stepping up with some enthusiasm for goal keeper now, so this info is really timely. The most talented kid that I thought might be a challenge is actually acting very well. Maybe I alienated him a bit, kind of assuming he was a prima donna, I didn't say it of course , but he caught on that I thought that and was rightfully offended. We are pretty good now and he is our offensive captain. He was very assertive for his own sake on offense in our scrimmage today but also showed some leadership and some unselfishness. Led one of the younger kids into a nice give an go , which I am sure did wonders for the little guys confidence. Some of my kids have 6 years in the league and have never had the opportunity to try offense. Totally not what was supposed to happen to them. I am putting them in for turns at midfield and encouraging them to be offensive and defensive players, some of them are pretty good , the were just always put in the back seat. New assistance coach is very good with keeping practice fluid, which was a real issue with me having only coached u-6 and getting this job less than a week before practice started. There were some signs that we might butt heads some. We are going to have some issues which I won't worry about too until they happen, except to let him know I want him to keep conflict away from the kids if we need to do a little of that. I think we will get used to each other. I actually had fun today,
My season is slighlty in flux. I've only got 6 HS girls signed up. I will have to merge with another team and I'm hoping I can make it be with a compatible coach (and compatible players for my kids). I still will have my 7th and 8th grade teams. Preliminary indication from scheduler is most weeks my games will be back to back to back on the turf field closest to my self and will be the 1st 3 games of the day. The upside is that I will be done by 12:15-12:30.
O.K. two weeks later , since I got into this local coaching scene , I realize the the whole damn thing is a major set-up by and for the in crowd. Is it like this everywhere? This is supposed to be balanced btw , it isn't club.
Stay calm. Sounds like when I started. It's about the kids you coach. No one else, not other teams, other parents, scores, not even you. AIM to get the kids to have a great time, learn something and not necessarily about soccer.
I already have a potential problem: a kid that doesn't want to be there. Always asking if practice is almost over. I don't think it's the session-all 17 other kids are engaged. But she's just twirling her head band. I don't think she wants to be there. Maybe parents forced her or she loved it in the spring but over the summer lost interest. Do I talk to her and find out what's up? She can't really "go away", so I really need to get through to her.
I get what you are saying. It's about the kids, so playing favorites and pigeon holing other kids is o.k.? Creating an A and a B team is O.K. under the philosophy of balance? Setting one a team up for attrition , poorer practice attendance, discipline problems and another with all the board members kids , with preplanned bennies for that team like post season tournament play for all of them and just taking a few of our best kids to make a stronger roster for the board members and their kids, before a game has even been played? I have learned in the last two weeks that It happened last year too. The coach in my situation handled it very poorly and gave the board enough ammunition to ban him from coaching.
There are always adults who make youth sports about them. Just ignore them. It is about the kids as elessar78 suggests. Make soccer an enjoyable experience for them.
You are both right. Enjoy making the season enjoyable and useful for my kids. At the first practice I asked them all to pass around a card that I had written a few questions on, and to answer each one. One of them was "why did you decide to play soccer this year?". Most of them said it was in order to have more friends! Only one or two said that they wanted to get better at soccer! Just remembering that is really important.
you won't like the answer, maybe, but ten years ago a bunch of us coaches frustrated at a similar situation. We resolved that at some point we'd all get on the board and change things. It took better part of ten years to get our board seats but we changed things. All of the above is not always okay, particularly in a REC environment. The change you're looking for probably won't happen this season or net. Create your own bubble for your team and resolve to do things that you feel are right. Have a frank conversation with them—while the 90 minutes on Saturday may be the worst for them—the 180 minutes at practice will be some of the best.
Small town and although this may sound too defeatist, I don't think it can be changed. Probably better to look for another place next year. Have to wait to see if they attempt to embrace any better values at all. Sharing my view of the dynamics with the kids and parents is tricky. I have no idea how to proceed or even whether I should just bite my tongue. Of course some of my families have already approached me to talk about the inequities. All that, plus general resentment towards board/insiders is why I thought of just quitting, but of course I won't.
get a copy of the club bylaws, and see how board members are elected. you may be able to get your kids' parents to show up to an annual meeting and vote you onto the board.
Take the long view. A child's expression of independence from parents is a normal stage of child development, which hits about age 10. This can vary of course. In extreme cases, children are still doing what their parents want when selecting colleges and majors. Mia Hamm went through a period when she stopped playing soccer. Her parent's let her stop. Her Dad continued to coach and six months later Hamm decided she wanted to play. 5 years later she was on the WNT at age 15. Sometimes kids just want to make a choice. All you can do is make a positive, fun environment and provide the opportunities. Forcing someone to play is not going to make them love the game. To twist an old metaphor slightly: Lead a horse to water, and eventually the horse will drink when it gets thirsty. In the meantime, have you asked her what is her favorite position? This is the most common way of getting players to own the process.
There are some good board members I believe. New Regional Coordinator is great, but in their own words more of a secretary, very little soccer knowledge, good people skills. One of the board members suggested I get on the board, so I doubt it is that hard. I don't usually consider myself for potential in that kind of role, but there is always that point that if you don't do it you can't complain. Seems to be one or two people who are primarily influence peddlers, very strong players though. We have some on the school board like that , it's amazing how much power a couple of people can hold.