No matter how experienced you may be in the field of soccer, a query like how to coach soccer gets you into a thinking mode. This is even more important with respect to soccer coaching because keeping the players motivated all the time is a lot tougher than it seems.
Let me share with you 5 simple yet great tips to help you take your team’s performance to the next level.
1. Always plan comprehensively: Your planning should be careful and detailed for you to succeed in coaching young players. Plan meetings with the players before you finalize the team goals and objectives, and take their viewpoints also into consideration. If the desired results are not achieved within the stipulated timelines, your team’s growth is hampered.
Once the plan is finalized, remain loyal to it but do keep some space for minor changes as and when required. There are unanticipated situations that require changes in even well made plans.
2. Practice sessions should be a whole lot of fun: Boring and repetitive training drills are bound to bring down the enthusiasm of young players when performed regularly. You can practice this rule in lot many ways. For example: keep a few extra minutes for players after practice and have them perform a fun activity of a game that is fun and helps develop a bonding between them.
3. Freedom and Discipline should be exercised together: For a coach, discipline in the team should always be a priority. But, what is important to understand is that freedom is also as important for the kids to feel strongly towards discipline. You must always understand the importance of freedom and relaxation while teaching soccer.
Between the drills, leave some time for the players to relax, share time with each other or simply unwind. When it comes to how to coach soccer, it may also be a good idea to take them out on a picnic.
4.Always be supportive and tolerant: Encourage your team to try new things and when you do so, also be tolerant of the mistakes that they make in the process. Keep a close watch on their activities. If a situation is serious enough to require your action, jump in and correct it but without punishing the kids.
Remember that punishment inculcates in players, a feeling of rejection while being compassionate and encouraging generates great ideas and performances.
5. Maintain balance: A practice session is where the kids get to know their talent and soccer skills. When we talk of a team, it is sensible to acknowledge that there is a mix of good, the bad, and the worst performers. As a coach, it is your duty to use your best players to inspire and motivate the others.
Group the bad players with the good ones so that the bad players learn from their good counterparts during and after the sessions. It is crucial that you do not make any sort of comparison between the players ever.
It must now be your aim to use these techniques in your training sessions to improve the strategies about how to coach soccer.
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Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in youth soccer coaching and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun by downloading your free ebook at: Youth Soccer Training.
