Hi All Need some advice. Currently going into U12s, and overall motivation is good in most of my players. I do some body language stuff before alot of games to get them focus'd. But I have one that in particular, the body reaction from him, no matter where he plays is sloppy shoulders, like he dont care. First 5-10mins, in some cases longer, the rest of the team are carrying him. Hes not caring what hes doing out on the pitch Then, he may twig and gets into action, with no visible reason why. I've chatted to the player and getting anything out of him is a struggle. Its not the position as we see it in all positions we put him. Even his Dad, who is/was a coach does not understand it. They can also be a pain in training, messing around, speaking over the coaches. Problem I have, is the other players are now vocally picking up on it and coming to me as they see they are carrying him at times. Next season is fully competitive and if it continues, I can see it costing us goals (it has already). Any advice appreciated.
Interesting topic to me. Don't have an answer but my son has the same issue. On his team each player gets three 10-15 minutes shifts per game. My son is often off in his first shift - loses possession easily, loses many challenges, somehow at 3/4 speed. Then usually kicks into gear and plays better even really well the rest of the game. Some games he is on from the get go but it is a fairly common pattern that he is not. He is now a rising U-11 so still young. But curious if anyone has any ideas or answers. I think I may bring it up to him prior to the Fall season.
I have a player like this - when he is switched on he can be up there in the man of the match votes but if not, it can be like playing with 10. My advice would be to find out what motivates this player. Does he need to have something to prove? In the case of mine, it can help if I get him 'angry' at me. It's not shouting or being verbally unkind. This is as simple as not starting him or temporarily substituting him if he is not performing. I then give him a few minutes to get all steamed up at me, ask "You ready to go?" and then send him on and watch him prove me wrong for being so stupid as not to play him. This is very risky and you should really know the kid before you even think about it. You also need to make sure they don't have another problem on that particular day, a quick "what's wrong" conversation when you bring them off is definitely needed. Does he need a specific role? My player understands his position and our game plan but I don't mean that. Essentially, because he is not the most skilful of players, he needs to feel important and that he contributes as much as the others do. I often do things like "I'm worried about that number 10, make sure he does not get time on the ball, win it and help x counter attack". All part of his actual role and position anyway but I think he needs to feel like it is important to me and the rest of the team that he does it as he knows there are 'better' players in the team and needs to feel he contributes as much as the rest. Acknowledge that he did the role you asked of him and point out when it worked in your post match brief as it will help with his confidence but also help with the perception of his performance amongst the others. Does he take time to realise he is not out of his depth? I have another player who I would not start against the best or most physical teams in our league. It's all in his head as he is a very skilful player but lacks physical confidence. In those games I make a point of calling him over to stand with me and discuss what is going on in the game. I point out the players I know he will be worried about and say things like "you'd have turned him there" , "he can't read the game quick enough to deal with you" or "See that big lad at right CB? Don't worry about him, I'm playing you on the left when you come on so you'll have more time, just make sure you make use of it" If you know what worries a player in a game you can help them spot things which prove them wrong and let them know what you're doing to help them with it. I suspect the last two are more likely at your age group. Other Players' Concerns For me it's also important that all your players understand why people are being played - even if it to help them improve by giving them match time (worded better obviously). Be even with them all, the better and the weaker players. The better players complaining about a weaker player often don't realise what work that weaker player has put in and can also be doing it while forgetting the mistakes they made e.g that they gave the ball away leading to the weaker player being faced with a 2 on 1. They then blame that player for not tackling and you losing by a goal. They forget the tackles they missed, the scoring opportunities they fluffed or the fouls they gave away in dangerous positions I don't know you, your team or your methods so may be being unfair but ... These are children; you are the adult. It is part of your role as a coach to teach them how it is a team game and everyone does their part to the best of their ability - just some get more grief when they make a mistake than others; often for unfair reasons. Win together, Lose together. You're all to blame for a loss. If you are going for wins only and not player development as well you need to be honest with them and give them a couple of teams they may want to look at joining. Don't contribute to someone being driven out of the game by unrealistic expectations from their peers or coaches. Be honest and admit you are not the coach for them. (make sure you know the characteristics of local clubs before you start pointing people in their direction though) Training Most effective technique I found (and still use at 15) is to remind them ALL at the start of the session that if they want a game at the end, we need to get what I want done first. "It's your own time gentlemen" is something they all roll their eyes at I do not talk or continue with the session when someone is talking or messing around. I don't always intervene, I don't talk and I make/hold eye contact with the 'offenders'. It's surprising how quickly the others realise it is their time being wasted and the group starts to self regulate. Takes some patience (and I don't have a lot) but I rarely stay silent for more than a few seconds in these things now - at fifteen their favourite part of training is still an unofficiated match for the last 10 minutes of a two hour session. Just my thoughts - may or may not work for you and your team
Video... show him what he looks like because he likely does not know. Video helps kids in so many ways that it's shocking so few soccer teams use video to improve their players and their teams.
Coming from a parent perspective, are we sure the kid truly enjoys playing soccer, or is his involvement parent driven? On every team (all sports, not just soccer) my son has played on, there is always at least one kid who plays because their parents make them and it's pretty obvious in their output.
This is why coaching is fun at least for me. We get kids we all are concerned with their game. Problem is all players are not the same. Most can be reached but we are dealing with a lot of other things. Slews said for the first 5 or 10 minutes he is in another world. What times are your games and practices? He needs to wake up first maybe a long warm up before he starts playing. Maybe he is car sick from the ride to the field he needs time to get over it. If he does play better later maybe that the problem. Might warm up more if he arrives late don't start him at the start of the game. Heck he might wake up just before he leaves for the game. When fathers coach their kids and play for someone else. It could be a problem. You may do things Daddio did not do. Dads talk to their kids like the boy was an assist coach. So the kid may not believe what your doing is right. Father would never tell you that. Some kids can't get into team sports. My youngest son was not a team sport guy. Individual sports we found out was his thing. He got into Brazilian JuJitsu he excelled in it. You still have to think a head in it. He wanted to try MMA soon got out of it. He has a blind spot when striking. He can hit hard, but he is open to get hit on one side. He is happy with BJJ he loves fighting with the gi. He loves choking his opponent out with his own gi. So you have to know people a lot of people love the pat on the head. Normally you play bad when you get mad. Some are inspired when they get mad at an opponent. Plus you never know what goes on in the home. We pray that all kids lead a happy life at home. But not all do. If that is the case and you find out some how and talk to the parent. You may never see the kid again.
My son was a lot like the player in question at that age. I think he was just naturally a pretty reserved kid who took some time to develop the sort of competitive drive that a lot of other players (those who gravitate towards travel/club sports, that is) seemed to have innately. It cost him playing time at his first club, got him bumped to the reserve/second team on his second, and possibly even kept him from "making it" at his third (that whole situation was a bit of a dumpster fire, though). He really didn't get "serious"/competitive to a degree to match his potential until he was HS aged, frankly. He always had a ceiling that was reasonably high but very rarely hit it; the coach on the second club who sent him down to the B team (heard this through the grapevine) liked him personally and even as a player at his best but didn't trust him to show up and be competitive from week to week. on a consistent basis. Some of all that was a product of being a smaller, more technical player in the world of American youth soccer where big and fast still rules; part of it was the fact of being a reserved, thoughtful kid on teams full of rambunctious jocks; and a lot of it was just personal development. If your players was younger or older--particularly the latter--I'd worry more; but at that age I'd suspect he still like soccer he just needs a little more time than his peers to adjust to the pressure of playing competitive sports rather than a "game." Younger kids are less aware of all the adults standing around, maybe. On the other hand--every kid is different, and I only know what I saw with my son.
A lot of coaches noticed when they played our youth teams. That typically we were not big and real fast. But we were quick in a small space and skillful. We never took kids that were just big and fast with out something else. What that something else could be they had vision, good first touch, skillful, quickness soccer sense the else could be any of those. If you could get big and fast and something else he'll yes we will take them. I go see my nephews HS graduation. I figured I would see him easy because he is a big kid 6 feet 5 inches tall. I go can't find him why? Because everyone in his school were Giants they were all big like him. The girls are big. First I think what the heck are these kids eating. It's the land of the Giants. Then I noticed all the trees. I am not used to seeing a lot of tree's. Graduation is outside under a tent surrounded by tree's. Then I am thinking we are all dead if there is a fire