Andre Botelho’s Soccer Coaching Blog

Sorry about last week. I didn’t write the issue for that week but, I promise I’ll make it up to you and deliver 3 issues over the next 7 days.

With that said, let’s get started. Today, I’ll write about how to motivate your players and some important universal rules that will guide you in the right path, almost automatically, if you follow and apply them…

Motivation is the energy, the desire, an overriding process or an inner state that propels or drives the individual to satisfy his own needs. A human being struggles to satisfy more than a few needs: from the basic, primary drives- connected to one’s need to go all-out – to behavioral, emotional and more cultural drives, directly connected to ones need for self-realization and fulfillment of one’s potential.

Each age group has its own needs and, consequently, it own distinctive motivations. From the age 6-11, the child usually tries to carry out various motivational aspects by means of playful motor activities. The little boy or girl is generally driven to action by motivations basically connected to his body in motion and motivations directly concerning his emotional satisfaction.

The following is a Need hierarchy according to the American psychologist A H Maslow:

Specific motivations to sports activity in childhood:

Between the ages of 8 to 11, special motivations to sports activities in general are typically divided into two separate groups, which include primary motivations ( which originate from basic needs and are assumed to be common to all the members of a particular group) and secondary motivations (or acquired drive).

Primary motivations: play and competition. As far as the individual in the so-called growing age is concerned, primary motivation include motivation to playful activity and competition as well.

Play is an activity with no specific goals: it is a funny and an enjoyable reality, characterized by a playful idea, which is finally defined in its objective content and in the assignment of social roles. Undoubtedly, this is the most important experience in the life of every individual, since it is especially aimed at stimulating the motor, intellectual, and emotional development of the child. Every individual at any age considerably benefits from playful activity.

In his playful activity, a young soccer player combines both symbolic features (for instance, he imagines himself to be his favorite player) and elements which typically concern organized play with set rules. As a matter of fact, any playful sports activity during this particular age is a real game with rules, which requires the kid to comply with specific rules and exclusions included in the laws of the game.

Participation can be considered as the main motor activity in the life of a child. As a matter of fact, while playing the kids also learns to gradually know themselves, as well as the world and the people around him.

Secondary motivations: motivation to both association and self-actualization especially characterize this particular age group.

Motivation to affiliation is the need for companionship, association and cooperation, the need to be loved by other individuals, be part of a group and have one’s personal space and role in it. This stage is particularly evident starting from the age of 9 or 10 onwards.

The young players slowly learn to not play only for themselves, but to look for cooperation, support, and approval by other individuals of the same age. The phase from pure egocentrism (a self centered perspective) is the key in soccer whether projected both as a sports discipline or just a playful activity.

Motivation to self actualization or success – the need to fulfill one’s potential – directly combines with the personal drive to competition at this age, which was discussed above.

Too often, children who are unsure of themselves and fear confrontation and competition with other individuals tend to withdraw from any sports experience, since it is usually perceived as an anxiety causing episode. This usually happens because they feel a strong inner need to play well and be successful and this is the obvious result of the education they have received over the years.

The competitive nature of soccer is an important motivation since it allows the child to compete and measure his strength with other individuals of the same age. Through competition, he gradually learns how to survive confrontation and deal with both success and defeat.

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Yours in soccer,

Andre Botelho

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You may differ with me on this but lend me your ears. Soccer is just like any other game that requires you to set pre-defined goals for your soccer practice sessions. Also, these goals must be updated from time to time. It is advised that you set up these goals before actually working out sessions.

What follows are goals that apply to everyone whether the players are young or old.

Make certain that everybody enjoys the game including yourself, the coach. The element of fun will be lost from the game if you adopt a very firm attitude. Always keep this at the back of your mind that fun is the only reason why anyone would play soccer.

And there are some precise goals.

- Helping the players in sharpening their skills so that they improve their performances.

- Making certain that the players are in top shape.

- Instructing the players about the importance of good approach.

There is something about triumph that you can educate kids about. Help them understand that as long as they are regular on the soccer practice field, play their best, and try their hardest, they are winners.

This will make sure that every time they get to the field, they feel victorious. They do not need to understand the meaning of real victory till they mature and play important games. This is the age where kids simply have a lot of fun instead of getting into the dynamics of winning and losing.

In soccer training, too much of verbal instructions are the prime mistakes that coaches make. Kids cannot identify with it. Kid’s brain can easily understand and retain visual images rather than oral instructions. So when you decide to teach them something, demonstrate it in different forms and they will imitate you like anything. That is what you want.

Now when you’ve opted for demonstrating the skills to the kids, it’s suggested that you practice it suitably prior to the session. If for any reason, you cannot perform it yourself, it’s advisable to take the help of an assistant coach or an older player.

Formulate the drills in such a fashion that offer some targets to the players. As a result, the drills become more focused and the player’s participation more meaningful. At the same time, tell the players to show these to the whole group turn by turn. This’ll provide them an opportunity to show their leadership skills along with their soccer talent.

Finally, you must keep a check to see that only a limited amount of information is presented. What works best for the players is to learn and adjust to the first point with full confidence before moving on to the next. For example, when you are teaching them to control the ball, the first thing to practice is to bring the body in line with the approaching ball. Once the kids become comfortable in doing this, go on to the next step.

Make use of this in your soccer practice sessions right away. Our youth soccer coaching community has abundant pieces of writing and videos to offer in relation to these. Subscribe today and you can join several like-minded members from the soccer fraternity.

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s an expert in the subject of Soccer practice. Tp explode your players’ skills and make coaching fun in less than 29 days, download your free Soccer Training guide at: Soccer practice.

You may not agree with me but listen to me. As is true for any other game, soccer also requires that objectives are setup for soccer practice sessions. And it is good to keep updating these goals with time. You are best advised to start working on these objectives before the session starts.

Following goals are common in the sense that they are applicable to everyone whether young or old.

Make it a point that everyone has fun with the game including the coach. This fun element is lost in soccer if you are too serious or rigid in your approach. Always remember that kids play soccer only for fun.

Plus, there are some exact goals.

- Helping the players improve their soccer skills that enable them to play better.

- Making sure that the players are fit.

- Coaching the players about developing a winning outlook.

There is something about triumph that you can educate kids about. Ensure that they understand that as long as they keep playing soccer on the soccer practice field to the best of their abilities, they emerge victorious.

This is important since the kids will get to the field and feel like winners every time. It is not important for them to taste real victories of the big games till the time they grow up a little. At a young age, it is important to help them enjoy the experience rather than get into the dynamics of winning and losing.

One big mistake made by coaches in soccer training is to include countless oral instructions in it. That doesn’t help with kids. It’s suitable for their brain to relate to what it sees rather than what it hears. So when you’ve made up your mind to teach something to them, make them copy you by demonstrating it in different forms. That’s precisely what you wish for.

Now when you decide to demonstrate things yourself, this might require you to do some practice before the session. And if you’re not in a position to demonstrate it yourself, do it with the help of an junior coach or a leading player.

Devise drills in such a manner that players get good targets. This makes the drills purposeful and necessitates the player’s involvement in it. Moreover, instruct the players to display these one by one to everyone in the group. This will give them a chance to present their leadership skills in addition to the soccer abilities.

Last of all, it’s important that too much information is not downloaded straightaway. The right way to do is to make them learn and adjust to the first point initially and then take the second point. Such as making the kids learn to get the body in line with the ball as you coach them to manage the approaching ball. When the kids have begun to do this consistently, move to the next.

Apply this to your soccer practice sessions immediately and see the difference. Find numerous similar articles and videos at our youth sSoccer coaching community. Join now and get into contact with many more members of soccer community with the same bent of mind.

Andre Botelho is the author of “The Expert Youth Soccer Coaching Guide” and he’s an expert in the subject of Soccer practice. Tp explode your players’ skills and make coaching fun in less than 29 days, download your free Soccer Training guide at: Soccer practice.

Are you frustrated by the lack of motivation and confidence of your players? Well, today I’d like to share with you some important secrets about motivation and team spirit…

One of my favorite quotes is: “A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits”. And this is actually true and applies not only to soccer and sports, but also to everything you want to achieve in your life…

If you have a PASSION for coaching and you really love the game… then you have the “foundation” of success. As I usually say to my clients: “you have about 1/3 of what it takes to succeed as a coach”.

You’re probably wondering, “what is missing?”, right? For me, the most important (and difficult) part is that you have to BELIEVE you can do it! (this might look easy but, it’s not. You can’t foul your mind… you really need to truly believe that you can reach your goal). If you have PASSION for what you do and you BELIEVE you can achieve your goal, then you have about 2/3 of what it takes to succeed…

What about the final 1/3?

You need to take ACTION! Nothing happens until something moves. You need to find a mentor that has already achieved the success you are looking for, learn from him, and take ACTION by implementing the things that will produce the change.

So, here’s the secret of success: PASSION + BELIEVE + ACTION!

And never forget that: “Success is something you attract by the person you become”…

How To Increase Motivation and Team Spirit…

At times, the teams who look stronger and winning material fail to reach the goal. These teams look stronger contenders because of their great hold on the technical and physical aspects of the game. However, most of the times, the reason behind their falling apart comes out of their unwillingness to participate in practice sessions and lack of motivation to fulfill their dreams.

The teams, who score high, also score high on determination, mental toughness, and leadership qualities. Individuals make a team, so as a coach you must focus on each individual player in the team to instill these qualities. Every player’s performance depends on his/her level of attentiveness and awareness.

It is your duty to keep your team motivated and high on self esteem. By employing innovative and interesting coaching techniques, you can easily bring the cheer to your team’s side and can make every player feel as if they are a family and belong to each other. They must understand that team spirit is very crucial.

The players who believe in themselves and have strong mental awareness prove to be match winners than those who only believe in their physical and technical abilities.

If you fail to keep your young players interested in the game and understanding the importance of motivation, do not get disheartened. I know it is not easy but believe me it is not that difficult too. Today, we will discuss on how to keep your youngsters motivated, interested, and focused on the game while at the same time understanding the importance of other team members.

So, the drills that we discuss today will not only help your players in understanding the need and importance of other players on the field but also about the consequences that they may face if they give all the importance only to themselves.

The first drill is called 5 vs 5 with goals. Besides team spirit, this drill also teaches the players to keep the ball within the team.

Divide the players into 2 teams with 5 members each. Place two goals on either side and if you don’t have goals, use cones. It is important not to go beyond 5 players for any team even if there are more than 10 players in the group. If this is the case, make more than 2 teams.

The coach should start the drill by blowing a whistle. The teams fight for the ball and try to keep in their possession as long as possible. Ask your players to pass more frequently to their fellow team mates as far as possible. Afterwards, you can swap the players in both teams and make them play again.

You should ensure that the weak players get to touch the ball as much as possible. Use the seniors to help them achieve this objective. This also instills a sense of brotherhood among them. Also, if you are using goals, you could use goalkeepers. Else, with cones, there is no need for goalkeepers.

Dribbling Cones

As you would have guessed, this drill makes the players sharpen their dribbling skills in addition to helping them enjoy the game. The setup is similar to the previous drill. Separate the players into teams of 5 players each.

Place 1 cone in the middle and 2 on each side of the ground about 5 yards away from the one in the middle. The players standing first should drive the ball forward and when they are about half yard from the middle cone, perform a dribble.

The red players should run to the left after executing the move above and the blue players should run to the right. When they have covered about 1 yard from their respective lines, they should pass the ball to the first standing player and then jog at the back of that file.

Mostly, coaches tend to keep motivating and convincing the players who are low on self-esteem and get disheartened easily, but you must keep looking after the players who are already highly motivated, as they may feel bored and become frustrated when they do not get the good results and due attention.

Leave your feedback below!

Yours in soccer,

Andre Botelho

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It’s both the coaches and players that pay no heed to the fact that stretching and warming up in relation to soccer practice. You musk know the importance of a practice session in shaping a player’s career as a whole. Daily practicing soccer training drills is not sufficient.

Players need strength, flexibility, and endurance to stay alive in the game. So start every practice session with warm up followed by stretching. Later in the session, include games, drills, and any kind of technique teaching. In the end, kids should be taught game tactics.

Doing warm up and stretching exercises has two main objectives. It readies the body to take the strain of a tough sessions and relaxes the body after the session is over. Following are some drills that can be prove to be great stretching and warm up exercises.

1. Running in Formation: Make all team members run in this activity, two shoulder to shoulder and staying synchronized. This is a great team activity that develops stamina as well as instills team spirit among the kids. Besides, the opposition gets a signal that it’s going to be difficult for them to survive against you when they see you approaching them in a defined shape of people.

2. Follow the leader: This warm up comes from the family of soccer drills that allow the players to learn the art of dribbling with their heads up and tag along other team members. In this activity, every player should have a ball. Ask a senior player or assistant coach to take the lead with the ball and others must follow him. This player should make a lot of variations with the ball and the rest of the players should emulate.

3. Reaching out: In soccer practice, this is a well accepted and efficient stretching activity. Direct the players to stretch their legs apart towards left, right, and center. Afterwards, ask them to try touching their toes. To begin with, this may seem like a tough exercise but they will adjust to it soon.

4. Lift legs up behind: This is another stretching exercise that works the thighs up. While standing, the kids must fold one of their thighs and hold it for a specific time. Then it must be repeated with the left leg. It is important that the kids do not look below else they will lose their focus and balance.

Every practice must have an aim. As a coach, make the kids learn only 1 to 2 skills. Engineer drills that work towards developing the skills of the players while at the same time helping them warm up and stretch.

Being fit is vital. Remember that the team that wears out early is the one that loses. It is extremely important that every drill uses a soccer ball. Instruct the kids to run around the field while dribbling a ball.

Make a move and use these tips for soccer practice. Enroll for our youth soccer coaching community to get more tips, tricks, knowledge, and other youth soccer resources.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free Soccer practice ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. To skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice fun in record time, download your free Soccer Training ebook at: Soccer Coaching.

In soccer practice, it’s a fact that both players and the coaches have a tendency to take warming up and stretching lightly. It must be understood that a practice must support the development of players as a whole. In soccer training, performing daily drills is not good enough.

Players are required to have energy, flexibility, and stamina to remain in the game. Warm up and stretching should therefore be the starting points of any practice session. After that, get on to coaching different techniques, games, and drills. Lastly, game tactics can be taught to the kids.

There are two purposes that are fulfilled from warm up and stretching. It readies the body to take the strain of a tough sessions and relaxes the body after the session is over. Following are some drills that can be prove to be great stretching and warm up exercises.

1. Running in Formation: Make all team members run in this activity, two shoulder to shoulder and staying synchronized. This is a great team activity that develops stamina as well as instills team spirit among the kids. Besides, the opposition gets a signal that it’s going to be difficult for them to survive against you when they see you approaching them in a defined shape of people.

2. Follow the leader: Another warm up soccer drills which help players get trained at following orders and dribbling while watching other team players. This activity requires every player to have a ball. Ask the assistant coach or an advanced player to lead the team. This player should try a lot of new things which should be imitated in turn by the rest of the pack.

3. Reaching out: In soccer practice, this is a popular and very effective stretching exercise. Instruct the players to stretch their legs towards left, right, and center in a standing position. Then, ask them to try touching their toes on all sides. Initially, the players will find it difficult but will get used to it soon.

4. Lift legs up behind: This is another stretching exercise that works the thighs up. While standing, the kids must fold one of their thighs and hold it for a specific time. Then it must be repeated with the left leg. It is vital that the kids do not look at the ground otherwise, they may fall down.

Every practice must have a goal. As a coach, try to focus on 1 or 2 skills per week. Create games and exercises that warm up the players as well as help them stretch after the training and also develop their abilities.

Fitness is the key. Appreciate the fact that the team that gets worn out easily loses. It is extremely important that every drill uses a soccer ball. Instruct the kids to run around the field while dribbling a ball.

Jump start your soccer practice sessions with these tips. If you are looking for more knowledge, tips, and tricks, subscribe to our youth soccer coaching community today.

Andre Botelho is known online as “The Expert Youth Soccer Coach” and his free Soccer practice ebooks and reports have been downloaded more than 100,000 times. To skyrocket your players’ skills and make practice fun in record time, download your free Soccer Training ebook at: Soccer Coaching.

Once you go through the article, it’ll be easy for you to believe that it is games rather than soccer drills that are most influential in honing skills during the soccer practice. Not only are games more stimulating than drills, but the energy required is also the same like in a real tournament.

In soccer training, games require strength, are fun to play, and kids get to learn the skills while realizing the enjoyable features of the game. A few guidelines must be taken into account prior to initiating games into training sessions.

1. Every player should have the ball and play with it as much as possible.

2. Its vital that each player has an equal participation in the game. It shouldn’t be that the weak players are deprived of playing with the ball.

3. Do away with the idea of rewarding or punishing the kids. The games are not meant for that.

4. To build soccer skills should be the only focal point of the games.

5. If you can, it’s better not to implement any rules or restrictions in a game.

6. The games should be simple to understand and play. Precious time is wasted when the games are difficult to understand and play.

7. Last of all, it’s a good idea to keep increasing the amount of challenge in the game once they have cleared a certain level.

Each session should include minimum 200-300 touches of the ball for every player in soccer practice. This will ensure that they are making progress in improving their skills. Here’s a list of few soccer coaching games that are not only interesting, accepted, and useful, but also help players hone their skills.

1. Shoot the coach: Here, the kids try to put the ball into the goal by moving in a crowd and keeping their head held high. This has the effect of improving the dribbling and a player’s ability to concentrate. One of the great ways is to play the game is to begin with 3 players and add on the number gradually.

2. Freeze Tag: It accounts for great warm up rounds and helps kids in learning to keep the ball away from the defender. Each player in this game has a ball apart from one player who is required to touch and not kick the ball. When it takes place, the player possessing the ball becomes stationery acting as a goal post. The player can be de-frozen only when the other player has hit the ball between his legs. Keep playing till all the players are frozen.

3. Red light, green light: In this game, the kids stand in a line. When the coach shouts green light and turns the back towards the ball, the players must move forward with their respective balls before the coach again shouts red light and faces the kids. If a player has not made the complete move, he has to return to the starting line. This is a great game for building agility and focus.

So, this is it! If you like to know more about such soccer practice games, register for our youth soccer coaching academy where you will find several such resources.

Andre Botelho is an expert in Soccer practice. He influences over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his coaching philosophy, and makes it easy to explode your players’ skills and make training fun in record time. Download your free Soccer Training guide at: Soccer Training Drills.

Just run through the article once and you’ll be assured of the fact that in soccer practice, more than soccer drills, it is the games that play a key role in developing skills. Games are more energizing than drills and they require an equal amount of stamina as in the actual game.

In relation to soccer training, games command passion, is a source of great fun, and in the process of learning it, kids benefit from various phases of the game. There are a few guidelines that you need to keep in mind before introducing games in training sessions.

1. Ensure that each player has the ball and gets to play with it frequently.

2. Make sure each player participates equally in the game. It shouldn’t be that the weak players are deprived of playing with the ball.

3. Abstain from adopting the policy of reward or penalty. They are not required in relation to the games.

4. The focus of the games should always be soccer skill building.

5. Ideally, you should not enforce any rules or limits in a game.

6. Games should be such that are easy to recognize and take part in. Complex games take time to be understood and therefore waste time.

7. Last of all, it’s a good idea to keep increasing the amount of challenge in the game once they have cleared a certain level.

Each session should include minimum 200-300 touches of the ball for every player in soccer practice. This will ensure that they are making progress in improving their skills. Some exciting, well-liked and successful soccer coaching games have been given below that aid in building player’s skills.

1. Shoot the coach: This game requires the kids to travel in a crowd while maintaining their head up and attempt to strike the ball into the goal. It helps improve dribbling and also concentration ability of the player. It always helps to make the kids play the game by starting with 3 kids and regularly introducing more players.

2. Freeze Tag: This game is great for warm ups as well as teaching the kids to keep the ball away from the defender. The game calls for each player to have a ball with the exception of one who must touch and not kick the ball. When it comes about, the player having the ball becomes still and acts like a goal post. The player can be de-frozen only when the other player has hit the ball between his legs. Continue to play till all the players are frozen.

3. Red light, green light: In this game, the kids make a queue. The coach shouts green light and turns his back to the players who must then move forward with their balls before the coach again shouts red light and face the kids. If any kid has not moved forward, he is sent back to the starting line. This is a game that develops dexterity and attentiveness in kids.

So there you have it! If you would like insight on more such soccer practice games, join our youth soccer coaching community that has tons of similar resources on youth soccer.

Andre Botelho is an expert in Soccer practice. He influences over 35,000 youth coaches each year with his coaching philosophy, and makes it easy to explode your players’ skills and make training fun in record time. Download your free Soccer Training guide at: Soccer Training Drills.

In conducting kids soccer drills, there is always someone to guide you all the time, no matter where you are. Don’t fret. Coaches all over the world face this situation where everyone gets to them with a tip or trick. The problem is that these tricks are unreliable and haven’t been tested. As such, it is really boring and a wastage of time to listen to such stupid suggestions.

It’s very important for the coaches to take youth soccer drills sincerely. It’s obvious that you must make use of only such methods that sound practical and are already tested. Mentioned below are some effective ways to help you convey instructions to the players.

Be very specific in your instructions. The biggest mistake coaches make is to mix a lot of instructions in one session alone. This not only results in confusion for the kids but hampers their learning. When the kids don’t understand the instructions, they cannot perform as required, and therefore feel frustrated. It’s therefore failure on your part as a coach.

So, devise a plan. Include a limited and clear cut lessons in it. These instructions should be easy to understand and even easier to execute. In soccer drills for kids, doing individual training sessions is also possible. It therefore gets simple for the kids to understand the game’s fundamentals. It also gives them a feeling that they belong to the team.

But it’s important for you to include both individual and group activities in the training sessions because soccer is a team game.

Keep the training sessions short in kids soccer drills. If the sessions are too long, the kids will lose all interest in the game and also feel weary. Short and simple is the key here. Preferably, keep the duration within 2 hours. All this time, keep the kids involved with drills and games that are fun and keep the interest alive.

While imparting soccer drills for youth, make the kids progress from simple to advanced drills slowly. You will learn that all the kids pick up skills at different degrees. Some learn quickly, others take time. There is no problem with it. If you need to divide them into groups to make training more consistent, even that is acceptable. What is not right is to either rush through the sessions or penalize the slow learners.

Know that boys play soccer because they want to enjoy it. It is the key to help them learn the game while they enjoy playing it.

To conclude, soccer drills should focus on controlling the ball, passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting and so on. You can always include a variety in drills but the important thing to note is that the attention always remains on soccer.

Have faith in me! When you use these tips in kids soccer drills, you will be surprised at the pace at which the kids learn. Our youth soccer coaching community will empower you with great deal of knowledge on soccer coaching tips and techniques. Join today and benefit from it.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in Kids Soccer Drills and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. To explode your players’ skills and make training fun, download your free Youth Soccer Drills ebook at: Youth Soccer Drills.

It seems like every time you turn your head, there is someone to advice you on how to conduct kids soccer drills. You’re not the only one. Almost all coaches have to handle situations like these where they receive tips and tricks for free. The problem is that these tricks are unreliable and haven’t been tested. So it becomes all the more irritating to hear such nonsense.

Youth soccer drills is serious business and it is imperative that coaches take it seriously. Only when you are confident of the practicality and purposeful application of the technique, use it. Following lessons shall aid you in finding the right way of imparting instructions to the kids.

Be very specific in your instructions. It’s a bad idea to impart too many instructions in a single session. This not only results in confusion for the kids but hampers their learning. When the kids don’t understand the instructions, they cannot perform as required, and therefore feel frustrated. It’s therefore failure on your part as a coach.

So, devise a plan. Incorporate in it a few clear cut orders. These orders should not only be simple to understand but easy to perform as well. With soccer drills for kids, it is easy to conduct individual sessions also. This way, kids get to learn the basics of soccer very easily. It helps them to assimilate with the team with a feeling that they form an important part of it.

However, you must not forget that soccer being a team activity, your practice sessions must be a perfect blend of group and individual activities.

Do not keep the training sessions very long in kids soccer drills. If it is otherwise, it is probable that the interest of the kids is lost and they are also tired. Short and simple is the key here. In an ideal world, such a session should not be more than a couple of hours. During this time, include a lot of drills and fun games that sustain the interest of the kids.

When you are teaching soccer drills for youth, keep the progress slow between basic to advanced drills. You will learn that all the kids pick up skills at different degrees. Some learn quickly, others take time. That is OK. If it requires that you divide the boys into batches to make things even, it is good enough. What is not right is to either rush through the sessions or penalize the slow learners.

Understand that kids play soccer for the love of it. It is crucial that you make them learn while enjoying the game.

To conclude, soccer drills should focus on controlling the ball, passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting and so on. You can always include a variety in drills but the important thing to note is that the attention always remains on soccer.

Believe me! As soon as you start to apply these tips to kids soccer drills, you will see how quickly the kids understand the game. Our youth soccer coaching community provides several resources on youth soccer such as articles, videos, newsletters etc. Become a member today and get the leading edge.

Andre Botelho is a recognized authority in Kids Soccer Drills and has already helped thousands of youth coaches to dramatically improve their coaching skills. To explode your players’ skills and make training fun, download your free Youth Soccer Drills ebook at: Youth Soccer Drills.