Coaching High School Soccer: Winning Tactics

Posted by pfauthor on May 10th, 2010 under Premier Soccer Tags: , , , ,  •  No Comments

In Coaching high school soccer, you may wish to disagree but it’s true that communication is the most important aspect to get success. Coaching is an art of communication. This has the effect of expressing yourself to people with a view to perform them things in precisely the same manner.

Majority of coaches in soccer coaching are the players who used to play the game in their younger days. Yet, there are a number of issues that they are forced to handle. Majority of these issues come up due to communication lags. There are some major communication issues that you must understand as a coach to make your job easy and more effective.

These have been described one by one.

Coaches generally allow their emotions to become involved while watching their kids play. They forget that they have the duty to observe the players analytically rather than merely watching them play. They tend to overlook some chief points that could help the team improve on certain fronts. They therefore lose the opportunity to have an objective conversation aimed at winning the game.

The coaches are generally not trained to communicate effectively although they have all the knowledge of the game. For instance; most coaches don’t use videos or flip charts in soccer coaching because they don’t know about them. The coach may be technically talented but if he not able to communicate properly, regular practice sessions get really boring for the kids.

How To Coach Soccer

It is even more important in case of coaching high school soccer because the players are not new to the game. They have been doing these soccer drills for some time but at different levels. By keep on changing training format, coaches can avoid the monotony of repeating the same messages again and again.

It may come as a surprise to you that coaches often forget that their training sessions are carried out by people. They get so absorbed in the training and coaching as a process that they lose their ground. For example; Sending out instructions without taking the player’s name leads to uncertainty and confusion.

Some guidelines meant for coaches in football coaching include the following:

• All messages that come from the coach are very important. They should therefore be taken and read correctly.

• Convey your messages in a positive language to encourage players to play their best game. Challenge them to be better rather than punishing them for being poor.

• All players should get an equal opportunity to sit with you and learn. Studies indicate that coaches spend relatively more time with star players in team (up to seven times more!).

• Adopt a proactive approach to identify the impending problems and solve them.

• Reinforce the player’s self esteem by balancing praise with criticism. Tip the balance more towards praise with players in coaching high school soccer.

Believe my words. Your training programs will be immensely benefitted as a result of adopting these simple exercises.

If you found it informative enough, then there’s lot more in store for you. You can subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community which has tons to videos, and articles to improve your team’s overall performance.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide, visit: Soccer Training Drills

Coaching Soccer Drills: Killer Tips On Kicking

Posted by pfauthor on May 7th, 2010 under Premier Soccer Tags: , , , ,  •  No Comments

I’m not sure if you know this but young players have real trouble in kicking the ball by using a straight leg? In Coaching soccer drills, this is the trickiest part as far as the players and the coaches are concerned. The player is required to maintain absolute balance and the leg with which ball is to be kicked at is bent at the knee. Both power and stance to kick the ball emerges from below the knee.

In soccer practice, this is the opening pose for just about all types of kicks. The speeding up of the foot from below the knee generates a great impact on the ball. This provides the players with a lot of power to act upon a range of kicks. Yet, it is the kind of contact of the ball with the foot that decides what type of kick would originate.

For example; it could be thumped very high, driven low, turn sharply to the left, or move to the right.

In soccer, the three critical passes are the instep drive, a side foot pass, and the outside of the foot pass. Let’s discuss them further.

Coaching soccer drills

The side foot pass: This is the easiest and the most widely used pass in teaching soccer. Normally, it is used to make short distance passes. Though it is a little slow and quite predictable during the game but is very easy for the kids to learn and execute accurately. The foot turned outward, ball comes into contact on the outside of the ankle and the foot.

In coaching soccer drills, guide the players to keep their bodies totally relaxed throughout the entire movement. When it comes to different kicking actions, this rule is the truly indispensable. The ankle and the foot should be stiffened only at the time of contact with the ball.

Subsequently, as players are convinced of their ability to perform it, the action should come out smooth, natural, and relaxed.

Outside of the foot pass: This is a little difficult to learn but is extremely important to master because it is accurate, quick, and cannot be predicted. The ball makes a contact between the laces and the outside edge of the foot, when the foot is extended and turned inward. By using the foot, the pass is converted into a quick toss for short distances.

In coaching drills, it’s imperative that the players maintain a comfortable posture.

The Instep Drive: Both the versions of instep drive i.e. the low driven version and the lofted version are brought into play to pass the ball over longer distances. After the players have learnt it, variations can be brought in to make a “chip pass” or an “in swinging pass”. Because the approach of the instep drive is angled to some extent, the non kicking foot is positioned about 12 inches toward the side of and behind the ball.

The contact with the ball is made between the laces and the inside of the foot and it should be stiff and extended.

So, go forward and make the kids try different things with the ball by teaching them the basic kicking techniques as well its variations.

To know more about coaching soccer drills, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that offers effective and practical knowledge to help you excel in your career as a soccer coach.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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: Soccer Coaching

Coaching Soccer Drills: killer Tips On Shooting

Posted by pfauthor on May 6th, 2010 under Premier Soccer Tags: , , , ,  •  No Comments

It is well known that in Coaching soccer drills, every skill and teamwork imparted to the players has only 1 objective; to shoot the goal. It requires both skill and character to produce quality shooting. But apart from this, there is something else that is equally important and that is forceful attitude.

All the players must be involved in this but more importantly; it is up to the forward players to shoot the ball. While teaching soccer, put shooting on the top of your priority list.

There are so many things that may result from a shoot. Shots can be redirected into the goal. The goalkeeper might drop the ball exactly at the feet of your forward player. Unruly shots can turn into brilliant passes. Ground shots may return. You may even hit a goal through a straight shot.

During the soccer practice, attacking players are always on a lookout to shoot the ball into the goal at every possible opportunity. They are conditioned in a way that the only thought that keeps roaming inside their mind is getting the ball into the nets. In England, these attacking players are called sniffers. This happens because they are always reviewing scoring chances.

Coaching soccer drills

They consider every chance the last chance to score a goal and hence shoot accordingly. They are always present at the right time at the right place. They always make the most of every situation even if it is not favorable. So in coaching soccer drills encourage your players to shoot the ball whenever possible.

Normally, anytime the ball is kicked with an intention to put it inside the goal is taken as a shot. But driving the ball through the middle using the laces of the foot is by far the most effective technique for shooting. Make sure that the player’s head is over the ball, his toe remains extended, and his upper body keeps steady.

The players should be taught in coaching drills to shoot the ball low and wide of the goalie. At this point, low ground shots are favored over high shots. For the reason that goalies have to stretch their hands a greater distance to stop low ground shots, it is a little tricky for them.

Young players while practicing inside regulation sized goals, tend to score more by kicking the ball over the head of the goalkeeper. As a result of it, the players develop the tendency to shoot high goals so this must be discouraged. This practice can be put to stop in coaching soccer drills by not allowing players to adult sized goals.

So go ahead and make your players expert in shooting the ball to score goals by confirming the position of the goalkeeper once before shooting.

To know more about tips on coaching young players, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that offers effective and practical knowledge to help you excel in your career as a soccer coach.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s a recognized expert in the subject of youth soccer coaching. Learn how to explode your players’ skills and make training fun in less than 29 days! Download your free pdf guide at: Coaching soccer drills

The Truth About Coaching Soccer Drills

Posted by pfauthor on May 5th, 2010 under Premier Soccer Tags: , , , ,  •  No Comments

Before you get on with Coaching soccer drills to kids, let me share with you some teaching ideas that are sure to help you, whether you agree or not. In your soccer practice, identify one goal that is common to both the team and the coach for example; to have a lot of fun while playing the game.

Herein, you must remain careful otherwise you’ll not be able to follow the fun part. I therefore recommend that you decide on more specific objectives for yourself and your soccer team. Some examples are; focus on player’s individual soccer skills, promote the importance of their physical fitness, and help them grow into mature, professional, and sporting soccer players.

It is your duty to set reasonably high standards for players in relation to sportsmanship. Cheer them to have an attitude of fair play, sportsmanship, and team spirit. There are several objectives important in teaching soccer that can be incorporated in your list along with these.

One more concept that needs to be highlighted in youth soccer coaching is the notion of winning the match. When you coach your kids, you must instill an open concept of winning in their minds. Make them understand that so long as their play is up to the mark, they are the winners, irrespective of the final outcome.

Teaching Youth Soccer

This will take away the pressure off the kids and they’ll focus more on playing their best game rather than just winning it.

In coaching soccer drills, make sure that your instructions are very precise for them to be effective. Before you start coaching your team, educate your players on some specific do’s and don’ts in the game of soccer. The variation between coaching and teaching is prominent because coaching deals with a bunch of players who already play soccer pretty well.

In coaching drills, it is great idea to first demonstrate to the kids about 5 to 6 times a specific drill and then let it di it themselves. It is effective because young players are more receptive to seeing than listening. If you decide to give them plain instructions, they will not appreciate it very much. Rather they are pretty good at imitation.

Consequently, at all possible times, give a demonstration.

Lastly, but still no less in importance is to keep the kids engaged in meaningful activities. This holds even bigger importance when the weather is not conducive to a regular session. It is very well acknowledged that the kids find it enjoyable to play in the rain. So, rather than just telling them to go home, it is more beneficial to find ways so that they can still enjoy soccer in some form.

Just keep in mind that the kids should be wearing additional protective gear in such weather.

Now, it is time to add these tips to your training program and make the most of them. You will be astonished to see the results.

To know more about coaching soccer drills, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community that offers effective and practical knowledge to help you excel in your career as a soccer coach.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andre Botelho is a recognized expert in youth soccer coaching. He influences well over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his unique coaching philosophy, and makes it really easy to explode your players’ skills and make training more fun in record time. To download your free youth soccer coaching guide, visit: Youth Soccer Coaching

Coaching Soccer Drills: Discover Your Potential As A Coach

Posted by pfauthor on May 4th, 2010 under Premier Soccer Tags: , , , ,  •  No Comments

If you are like me, you probably feel the same way that the biggest problem that a coach faces in Coaching soccer drills is to decide on the best way of organizing conditioning schedules for its players. There is a reason why I’m saying this and it’s because the thin line between educating and coaching the players has somehow vanished.

I’m sorry to say that even today, there are many coaches who fail to recognize the importance of designing player specific coaching plans in teaching soccer. The players must be taught about the game as a person along with their professional conditioning and training. In certain situations, it has been observed that this educational side in soccer takes a backseat.

Yet, there is just one code that must be adhered to while determining the coaching drills for the kids. Any player who wishes to become a great soccer player of huge prominence should first attempt to grow as an individual. It is therefore the duty of the coach to act along with the lines of this principle.

It’s easy to find out the reason that pushes a player to take on the duty of a coach.
Once his playing days are over, he desires to remain involved in the world of soccer. This is the reason that a lot of soccer players end up as soccer coaches. However, what they don’t understand is the seriousness that this role requires.

Soccer Practice

Some of them take this as an opportunity to get into the field of coaching and training adult players. There are still others who take this up because they truly love working with kids and wish to share with them their passion for soccer. Both the reasons are equally acceptable and convincing. But at the same time, the person should also be aware of the moral responsibility that his choice implies.

In coaching soccer drills, the key factor is communication and sadly it’s the one that people find most difficult to recognize. It is not necessary that anyone who has achieved great success for ten consecutive years in various age groups can be regarded as a skilled youth coach.

There are some very important goals that a youth soccer coach needs to set for himself. Being a competent and skillful coach requires helping young players to love soccer and consider it as a positive and an exciting experience in their lives. During the soccer practice, the players should feel at ease all the time so that their feelings are conveyed openly in course of the game.

In a team, there are players with varied talents, stamina, and caliber. The important thing is not that each one of them should have skills and potential of a champion. But what’s really important is that every player must reach his own competence in the due course.

It is therefore of great importance for us to realize that only brilliant players having successful careers make excellent and expert coaches. A special ability to work with kids is of paramount importance; an inborn gift to make contact with people and nurturing relationships.

Some food for thought; try and figure out the true motivations that cheer you to follow this prospect since it’s a pre requirement in this context.

If there is more information that you’re looking for on coaching soccer drills, just join our youth soccer coaching community and get an access to tons of news, views, and articles that help you give an insight of coaching young players.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. Learn how to skyrocket your players’ skills and make training fun in record time. Download your free ebook at: http://soccerdrillstips.com