Coaching youth soccer can be rewarding and entertaining at a beginning level as you can influence and teach a young peer something new and you can enjoy the success at a different level. There is a great amount that can be learned from coaching including the excitement of working with youth.
1. By joining a team with a known player could help one be seen as an interested peer and also be integrated into the team much easier.
2. As a coach try to listen and support the parents for an easier transition for the team.
3. Try to bond with your players and listen to them in order to gain their trust and support, and not become a dictator of drills.
4. Always remember that this is a youth soccer and the most important element has to be fun.
5. Make the practice plan ahead of time so that you will not waste your players’ interest and parents’ time.
6. Make sure you are always equipped with all the equipment you might need, even have extras, and never rely on parents.
7. Give advance notice to those involved about all practices and games to avoid misunderstandings.
8. Try to incorporate games as much fun as possible in your drills during practice to keep the kids entertained and busy, but don’t forget the importance of positive reinforcement to those who do well.
9. Leave no one left behind: make sure every player feels important and participates.
10. Have a game plan for all scenarios like players being late, or not showing up and have a warm up drill.
11. Always be fair and do no replace a player who is on time with one that has come late for any reason.
12. Try to focus on the positive notes by pointing towards a solution rather than yelling even when a player makes a mistake in a game.
13. At the end of the game make positive comments and remarks.
14. Teach your players that winning and losing is part of the game and the most important thing should be for them to have fun and to learn from their mistakes and wins in order to better themselves.
15. Reward all the players for their hard work with a pizza or a trophy party 😉
